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You've Gotta Fight Back! Winning with Serious Illness, Injury, or Disability

Dirk Chase Eldredge
Loving Healing Press (2007)
ISBN 9781932690347
Reviewed by Randy A. Lakin for RebeccasReads (11/08)

This is Dirk Chase Eldredge’s third book, and I have to say that “You’ve Gotta Fight Back” is a must for anyone who has suffered from a critical Illness, injury or disability.  In this book, Eldredge lays out several different stories of individuals, families and their friends who have had major life altering illnesses or injuries.  In the first story, Eldredge tells the story of an individual who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which is often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and ALS for short.  Normally someone with ALS will live for two to five years, but this person lived twenty-five years.  The story unfolds around the whole family, his wife and the children, one of whom does not handle the news of her father having ALS very well.

The last story in the book is about the writer’s son, a former functioning alcoholic and drug user. Functioning alcoholics are able to perform their job and go through the everyday motions of life without being detected, but eventually everyone saw through Dirk, Jr.’s facade except his father.  After he hit bottom and his wife left, Dirk, Jr. finally turned to AA.  With the help of Alcoholics Anonymous, he was able to put his life back on track, and he now devotes his time to helping others overcome the same problems he once suffered from.

Another area Eldredge covers is the caregiver, a group of people that often get overlooked.  It is hard being a caregiver in this day and age.  This is the one person sees the most changes in a patient, and usually has no one to turn to.  I personally am a caregiver to my wife, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 46.  I take good care of her, but it is hard to see her shake and lose her memory.  All the doctors tell us is that they usually do not see something like that in someone her age, and, boy, that really helps!

In conclusion, I would recommend this book to anyone who has or knows someone who has a serious illness or injury.  The author has hit the target with this book.  I personally have a failed back fusion in my lumbar area with scar tissue entrapping the nerves in my lower back and down both legs.  I am also on morphine daily for the pain.  I truly enjoyed reading this book and I think you will too.  This book lets you know you are not alone in the world, and would make a great addition to anyone’s library or even as a gift to someone who suffers from an illness or injury. 

    

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