Synopses & Reviews
Now available in trade paperback, this is the heart-rending drama of one family's courage, heartbreak, sacrifice, and triumph in confronting an agonizing medical condition, written by two master storytellers.
Cory Friedman woke up one morning when he was five years old with the uncontrollable urge to twitch his neck and his life was never the same again. From that day forward his life became a hell of uncontrollable tics, urges, and involuntary utterances. Eventually he is diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive disorder, and Cory embarks on an excruciating journey from specialist to specialist, enduring countless combinations of medications in wildly varying doses. Soon it becomes unclear what tics are symptoms of his disease and what are side effects of the drugs. The only certainty is that
it kept getting worse. Despite his lack of control, Cory is aware of every embarrassing movement, and sensitive to every person's reaction to his often aggravating presence. Simply put: Cory Friedman's life is a living hell.
AGAINST MEDICAL ADVICE is the true story of one family's decades-long battle for survival in the face of extraordinary difficulties and a rigid medical establishment.
Review
"A disturbing story but ultimately an inspiring one that affirms the power of families to overcome adversity."--Arizona Republic
Review
"A work of naked truth, as disturbing as it is important...a gift of honesty, huge honesty, and hope, and a reminder that against all medical advice and odds, human beings can prevail."--Patricia Cornwell, author of Portrait of a Killer
Review
"A true story that reads like the most riveting of page-turners."--Lisa Scottoline, author of Lady Killer
Review
"Harrowing and heartbreaking . . . a story of astonishing courage. This book stands as a testament to the amazing power of one family's unconditional love for each other."--Tess Gerritsen, author of The Bone Garden
Synopsis
In this inspiring true story, a child struggles with Tourette's syndrome-and overcomes extraordinary challenges with the help of his loving parents.
Cory Friedman woke up one morning when he was five years old with the uncontrollable urge to twitch his neck. From that day forward his life became a hell of irrepressible tics and involuntary utterances, and Cory embarked on an excruciating journey from specialist to specialist to discover the cause of his disease. Soon it became unclear what tics were symptoms of his disease and what were side effects of the countless combinations of drugs. The only certainty is that it kept getting worse. Simply put: Cory Friedman's life was a living hell.
Against Medical Advice is the true story of Cory and his family's decades-long battle for survival in the face of extraordinary difficulties and a maddening medical establishment. It is a heart-rending story of struggle and triumph with a climax as dramatic as any James Patterson thriller.
Synopsis
In this nonfiction work with the pace of a thriller, Patterson tells the extraordinary and dramatic true story of one family's struggle with an agonizing medical mystery that begins when the Friedmans' five-year-old son starts having irrepressible tics and involuntary utterances.
About the Author
James Patterson has had more
New York Times bestsellers than any other writer, ever, according to
Guinness World Records. Since his first novel won the Edgar Award in 1977 James Patterson's books have sold more than 240 million copies. He is the author of the Alex Cross novels
, the most popular detective series of the past twenty-five years, including
Kiss the Girls and
Along Came a Spider. Mr. Patterson also writes the bestselling Women's Murder Club novels, set in San Francisco, and the top-selling New York detective series of all time, featuring Detective Michael Bennett. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.