For a review copy of the book or an interview with the author,
contact Dottie DeHart at (828) 459-9637 DSDeHart@aol.com
Most people agree that our medical system is a complex, confusing
maze of primary and specialized care professionals, managed care
corporations and insurance companies. It’s a frustrating reality
for healthcare professionals and patients alike. But when you’re
facing a serious illness, frustration is the least of your concerns.
If you don’t learn how to work with the system – and to
shape and nurture doctor-patient relationships which benefit you – the
consequences can be dire. Indeed, the extent to which you take control
of your illness may be a matter of life and death.
So how can you be sure you are working with your physicians, hospitals
and other health professionals to achieve the best possible outcome?
A new book by Kevin W. Fergusson, M.D. – founder of DrPEN, Inc.,
The Doctors’ Patient Education Network – provides some valuable
insights. The Living Ancestor: Seventeen Lessons For Defeating Health
Problems and Living A Longer, Healthier Life (DrPEN Publishing,
LLC, 2002, ISBN: 0-9720814-0-2, $14.95) teaches the patient how
to approach illness from their own perspective, rather than from
the doctor’s.
The book’s lessons are conveyed in the form of a compelling
story about a man named Tom Chance, whose wife discovers a malignant
lesion on his neck. During this frightening time, he meets the enigmatic
Dr. Jian-Shou Kong, a Chinese physician and teacher whose ancestry
dates back more than 2000 years. (He is the "living ancestor"
in the book’s title.)
Dr. Kong teaches Tom a timeless approach to healthcare that combines
the wisdom of the East with the knowledge of modern Western medicine.
Ancient Chinese proverbs and military strategies are interspersed
with practical advice on dealing with today’s stretched-to-the-limits
medical professionals and maze-like networks of specialists.
The seventeen lessons mentioned in the book’s subtitle are
actually tactics that appear at the end of each chapter.
Whether you’re fighting a serious disease or working hard
to prevent one, you’ll benefit from the revelations of The
Living Ancestor, says Dr. Fergusson.
"Most people feel a lot of free-floating fear, uncertainty
and intimidation when they have to deal with doctors and our complicated
healthcare system," he explains. "When a serious illness
presents itself, those emotions are compounded. I wrote The Living
Ancestor because I want patients to rise above the negative
feelings. I want them to take a holistic view of the medical establishment
and understand how to work within it for their own wellbeing. I
want every patient to be his or her own ‘patient advocate’
– and ultimately, live a long, healthy, happy life."
