Swim or Die (very apt) is an achingly beautiful true account about the many faces of chronic illness from the perspective of the author, the mother to a teen son who was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease, and who suffers from chronic kidney disease. She details her traumatic childhood and dealing with her parents' illnesses as well.

Evan's diagnosis of Lyme disease made sense. He became too sick to attend school and slipped into depression. His inability to do regular teen stuff was mentally debilitating. Thankfully, his doctor was Lyme literate and in the absence of a bullseye knew what to look for. But his illness impacted those around him, too. As his carer, his mom agonized over her son which in turn adversely affected her own health. Her kidney disease required life changes and decisions. She's had to deal with a lot and her experience as a researcher and her personal history give her a better understanding of the arduous process. Chronic illness has clearly contributed to her compassion, perseverance and empathy.

This story really connected with me as a fellow chronic Lyme disease sufferer with multiple autoimmune illnesses. I understand the heaviness of helplessness, anger, panic, grief, and physical agony. Yet as the author says, though illness can really slow you down, it is important to press on, prioritize, reflect, and show gratitude. It is often easier said than done, but even baby steps are significant. There is always, always hope, even in the direst circumstances. I sincere wish for a hopeful and fulfilling future for this family.

When I read the description about this book I was intrigued about that not only was this a true story but one that talked about perseverance through a detrimental illness.

I enjoyed how the author describes the worry and sadness of her son's illness but also had back flashes to help the reader understand why she said or felt the way she did. Watching her grow and understand that she didn't need to be in control of everything had me thinking about my personal life.

Thank you to both the author and her son for sharing this hard story!