Synopses & Reviews
When Jeff Matovic burst into the office of Dr. Robert Maciunas, he had very few options left. Matovic had suffered for years from Tourette Syndrome, his full-body spasms and outbursts getting progressively worse, to the point that he saw suicide as a viable option. Drugs, physical therapy, prayer—nothing was working. But Dr. Maciunas was a pioneer in deep brain stimulation (DBS), a new therapy that had worked to correct other brain disorders. Could it fix Matovics Tourettes? All Matovic had to do was convince Dr. Maciunas that he was a perfect candidate for the procedure. That, and have several electrical leads—a “brain pacemaker”—implanted into his skull.
Author Jim Fussell is uniquely qualified to tell Matovics story—he suffers from Tourette Syndrome as well. Fussells job as a feature writer for the Kansas City Star brought him in contact with Oprah Winfrey, who first told him about Jeff Matovic, the “Miracle Man.” As Fussell learned about Matovics remarkable journey, he vowed to seek him out. This is their story.
Review
"A graphic but inspiring depiction of the ravages of the disease, their bravery and the sustaining love of their families."—Kirkus Reviews
Review
“An extraordinary and inspiring account of personal courage in the face of unimaginable adversity. Emotional shock waves live on every page of this book” —Hal Friedman, coauthor with James Patterson of Against Medical Advice: One Familys Struggle with an Agonizing Medical Mystery
Synopsis
When Jeff Matovic burst into the office of Dr. Robert Maciunas, he had very few options left. Matovic had suffered for years from Tourette Syndrome, his full-body spasms and outbursts getting progressively worse, to the point that he saw suicide as a viable option. Drugs, physical therapy, prayer--nothing was working. But Dr. Maciunas was a pioneer in deep brain stimulation (DBS), a new therapy that had worked to correct other brain disorders. Could it fix Matovic's Tourette's? All Matovic had to do was convince Dr. Maciunas that he was a perfect candidate for the procedure. That, and have several electrical leads--a "brain pacemaker"--implanted into his skull.
Author Jim Fussell is uniquely qualified to tell Matovic's story--he suffers from Tourette Syndrome as well. Fussell's job as a feature writer for the Kansas City Star brought him in contact with Oprah Winfrey, who first told him about Jeff Matovic, the "Miracle Man." As Fussell learned about Matovic's remarkable journey, he vowed to seek him out. This is their story.
Synopsis
An inspirational tale of personal struggle with and triumph over Tourette syndrome, this is the story of Jeff Matovic and the radical treatment he sought to cure himself. After suffering from Tourettes for years—with his tics and outbursts getting progressively worse and with no results coming from drugs or physical or spiritual therapy—Jeff was able to convince his doctors and his insurance company to try a risky deep brain stimulation treatment, a surgery that involves the implantation of a pacemaker for the brain into his skull. Penned by a journalist who is also afflicted with Tourettes, this is the incredible story of a friendship that blossomed under their common experiences with this bizarre brain disorder. A complete discussion of the latest medical research of and treatments for Tourettes, written in accessible and easy-to-understand terminology, is also included.
About the Author
James A. Fussell is a feature writer for the Kansas City Star who has struggled with Tourettes from childhood. Jeffrey P. Matovic is the first person to have his Tourette Syndrome controlled through deep brain stimulation. Jeff Foxworthy is a comedian, an author, and a television performer.