One Hundred Days: My Unexpected Journey from Doctor to Patient

by David Biro

Book Overview

It is a situation we all fear and none of us can imagine- a life-threatening diagnosis. But what if the person receiving the diagnosis--young, physically fit, poised for a bright future--is himself a doctor? At thirty-one David biro has just completed his residency and joined his father's successful dermatology practice. Struck with a rare blood disease that eventually necessitates a bone marrow transplant, Biro relates with honesty and courage the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375706739
• ISBN13: 9780375706738
• Release Date: March 2001
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Couldn't put it down

I read this book upon recommendation of a friend who knows the Biro family. I'm a health educator, so the chronicling of medical events is something I enjoy reading about, and this was not disappointing in that regard. I already knew some general information about BMT and how grueling it is, but David's narrative really filled in all the blanks. His decision-making process, the treatment ordeal itself, his illness's effect on his family -- it was all fascinating. Even though I knew he survived, I couldn't wait to read what happened next. This book made me care very much about what happened to David. I'd love to see an article on him and how he is doing now -- any aftereffects he may have suffered.

Fantastic book that I could not put down

I am the son of one of Dr. Biro's doctors. I never fully understood what my father did and what his patients went through. I now understand what it feels like to be at both sides of the medical spectrum; being a doctor and being a patient. I have heard many sad stories of patients dying prematurely and never understood what attracted someone to such a profession. David Biro is a true inspiration to all. Yes, he did suffer from the tough task of going through and then recovering from a bone marrow transplant. But those who will or know others who will go through the same treatment should really read this book. It offers a ray of light at the end of a truly scary and dark tunnel. His account of the whole experience is both touching and comical. His writing is excellent and amused seeing a picture of my father through someone else's eyes. This book was so entertaining, i finished it in 5 days. Not the smartest idea since I'm smack in the middle of finals. Please read this, you will not regret it.

A MUST READ

I READ A PREVIOUS REVIEW OF THIS BOOK WHERE THE WOMAN WRITING IT SAID SHE FELT AS IF SHE KNEW DAVID AND HIS FAMILY. I DO KNOW DAVID'S FAMILY AND WAS AWARE TO SOME DEGREE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE TIME. I WAS IMMEDIATELY ENGROSSED IN THIS ACCOUNT OF HOW PRECIOUS LIFE IS. WHAT DREW ME FURTHER INTO THIS BOOK WAS THE UNDERLYING SIGNIFICANCE OF HOW STRONG WE ALL CAN BE AS A GROUP. THEY ARE A WONDERFUL FAMILY. THE ONE POINT THAT STRUCK ME WAS THAT THEY ALL SURVIVED PNH.GIVEN THE SUBJECT MATTER ONE WOULD THINK THIS BOOK WAS DEPRESSING, MUCH TO THE CONTRARY I FOUND THIS TO BE A TRUE TESTIMONIAL TO THE STRENGTH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Deeply moving

I can't remember when a story moved me more than David Biro's account of his illness. I feel as if I know David and his family. The book is extremely very well written and I am looking forward to the publication of his novel.

One Hundred Days by David Biro

Having witnessed my father undergo a Bone Marrow Transplant at Sloan Kettering (which he ultimately did not survive), I found David Biro's account of his own transplant to be a beautifully written and honest medical and emotional treatment of the tremendous "highs" and "lows" that accompany this complicated and painstaking procedure. From a literary viewpoint, the book was exceptional. In particular, I thought that the transition from Biro's medical and emotional abyss to his recovery was very well-handled. When the author is at his low point and incapable of any rational thought, he drops his personal narrative and covers these precarious days with excerpts from both his parents' diaries. This was a very effective tool for capturing the fragile state of the patient and bringing the reader into the lives of the other family members. I also particularly enjoyed reading about the author's trip to the sperm bank (which is necessary because of the impending radiation treatments), which was handled both honestly and humerously (describing how his wife will be reassured that their "futire offspring are peacfully resting at the bottom of a giant freezer."). Biro also has the ability to make complex medical information easily understandable to the average reader. At various times, Biro uses very effective analogies to convey these concepts to the reader. For instance, Biro effectively tells the reader how his sister's bone marrow cells, which are simply injected into his bloodstream, "know" how to enter his bone marrow (rather than some other part of his body). All in all, this is a highly compelling, emotional, well-written and philosophical account of a David Biro's experience.