Craig H. Collison, M.D. Reviews

Added January 19, 2006

Tattered Flesh, Resilient Spirit

Author: Craig H. Collison, M.D.
Publisher: Llumina Press
Available At: www.llumina.com
Publishing Date: July 2005
Genre: Nonfiction: Biography/Memoirs/Medical
Format: Hardback
Price: $25.95
ISBN: 1-59526-169-9
Author Email/Website: www.stonehousepress.net
Reviewer: Joyce Handzo
Rating: 9 Gargoyles

The title says it all.

Craig Collison had a lipoma removed from his shoulder. Within days, his life hung in the balance as deadly flesh-eating bacteria began to kill him from the inside out. The only hope was radical surgery to remove all infected and necrotic tissue.

These pages take readers alongside Craig as he battles for life in an unusual arena. His initial surgery was supposed to be a relatively simple outpatient procedure, but his body was thrust into a raging war led by rapidly producing bacteria. This book is an intensely personal and powerful look at one of the most feared conditions that could affect a human being.

Readers will keep the pages turning as they become caught up in Craig's struggle. The writing is conversational, and filled with a variety of emotions. With a wonderful economy of words, the author was able to capture the urgency of his medical condition and then describe the daily and fluctuating feelings of his continued hospital stay.

Surrounding Craig were his wife, family members and friends. Most interesting were the journal entries that are interspersed throughout the story. It was inspiring and sometimes heartbreaking to read the thoughts of those who visited at his bedside. The words they wrote in the journal became a treasured part of Craig's story. Scripture verses are also scattered throughout the book like droplets of hope. The author's reliance on God is both humbling and heartening.

What makes this story even more compelling is the fact that Craig is a physician. His concise explanations of his medical condition allow the reader a more thorough understanding of the situation. On a personal level, Craig's love for his wife and young children will have every reader rooting for his complete recovery.

Reading this book was like visiting a dear friend in the hospital!

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