Sick Girl Speaks!: Lessons and Ponderings Along the Road to Acceptance by Tiffany Christensen

At six months old, Tiffany Christensen was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. To save her life, she’s undergone two double lung transplants. Through a lifetime of difficulty, this illness warrior has emerged with clarity and insight. Today, Tiffany is a public speaker living in North Carolina with her husband and dogs.

Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
Tiffany Christensen, like many adults with cystic fibrosis, has lived with the knowledge that her life span will be limited. Medical advances have extended her life far beyond the eight years predicted at her birth. Now in her thirties, with two double-lung transplants behind her, Tiffany has chosen to share a journey that has led her to clarity and acceptance. Tiffany's book is a collection of essays separated into two themes: the medical maze and the emotional maze. As she navigates the health system she shares the lessons she has learned as a patient. The subtitle of this book, "Lessons and Ponderings Along the Road to Acceptance" describe the nature of this book- life is immediate experience but wisdom and Insight occur as we reflect on our past and our beliefs. Rather than taking a linear trip through her life story, Tiffany meanders like a country road drawing on her life experience to share lessons learned. Being chronically ill and facing death twice (so far) does not guarantee that life lessons will be learned or imparted. A life examined, however, is valuable when shared with others. Tiffany shares her rebellions, her fears, her tears, her humor and her mounting strength as she becomes her own advocate and comes to an awareness of her spiritual belief. She shares her life without self-pity. One of my favorite sections, Tiffany's Top Ten Opportunities of Illness has opened my eyes as I navigate my post-transplant years. I never took advantage of the opportunity to say goodbye to those I love and I am still working on what I think about God and resolving differences with loved ones. This is only one of the life lessons shared that makes the reader want to delve deeper and examine how much can be learned by examining your life with honesty and humor.