Help Me to Heal

Bernie Siegel and Yosaif August have based their book on three main principles: 1. You have the right to heal, no matter what your life experience has been. 2. You can create a healing team. 3. You can learn to become the master of your life's time. This book is divided into three main sections: Part I: A Patient's Survival Guide - This section explains how you can form a healing team, protect yourself in a variety of ways (including making sure the people caring for you wash their hands) and speaking up about anything you feel might be a mistake. Chapter 3 explains what you need to know to prepare for a hospital stay. I liked the list of healing objects you can take into the hospital to make you feel less stressed. This could range from a favorite quilt to favorite music, photos, healthy snacks and your laptop computer. This section addresses issues like having a private room or sharing a room, dealing with aromas and intrusions. Part II: Healing Strategies for Family, Friends, and Caregivers - This is a section for those who are looking after someone who is healing. Part III: Healing Ways - An interesting section on bedside yoga, breathing exercises, stretching and massage. Instructions are given for helping the healing process with the healing power of touch. There is an extensive resource section with ideas like "bedscapes" that can be put up on a wall to help patients feel less closed into a room. Bernie Siegel and Yosaif August have created a beautiful gift for patients and caregivers. I also hope doctors and nurses will read this book so they can observe care from the patient's perspective. ~The Rebecca Review

I finished this book right before going in for surgery and the timing couldn't have been better. The book is described as a "practical" guidebook which is right on the mark because after reading it I felt far better prepared at making sure I got the kind of care I needed and far better at expressing those needsSimply put, it fills a gap that has long been missing in the medical world: helping patients strengthen their rightful place in directing an important part of their own recovery. Get it for anyone you love who is about to go into the hospital - especially yourself!

As a hospital chaplain, I find this is just the right approach for patients and their families and friends.This book helps to heal the body and enliven and mobilize the spirit. It is an uplifitng guide to surviving and thriving.I especially appreciate all the ways it offers to make hospital visits truly healing - for patient and visitor and how to create a "healing team" with medical professionals and family and friends. It offers real tools to help folks find and strengthen their own inner resources . And it's fun to read!!!

The coming together of Yosaif August and Bernie Siegel is truly a match made in heaven. If you or a loved one is ill, chances are you will be needing strong, wise and compassionate allies. And you'll find them through the voices of these two wonderful, often hilariously funny, always compassionate and most importantly eminently practical men. If you want to learn how to be militantly on your own side -- when doing so could save your life - read this book!

This book really helps the patient to be his best advocate and navigate his way through the sometimes scary medical maze. I highly recommend it to anyone dealing with illness and doctors and health care practitioners.