Product Description
For years Suzy Becker, author of The New York Times bestseller All I Need to Know I Learned from My Cat, literally lived by her wits--her imagination, intelligence, ideas, passion. During much of that time she was also suffering seizures. But they came secretly in the middle of the night, and were probably stress-related, or so one doctor said. Then a seizure (and a second opinion) led to a round of specialists, Cat scans, MRIs, and-Suzy's worst fears come true--brain surgery.

An inspiring memoir, I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse? is a story of identity told with wise, surprising humor. It takes readers on a journey that's both metaphysical and whimsical; one that is by turns rivetingly dramatic and unexpectedly light. Illustrated with drawings, charts, newspaper clippings, silly graphs, and real EEGs and MRIs, I Had Brain Surgery . . . turns one artist's story into a universal book about creativity, family, healing, love, commitment, and that intangible something that gives each of us our spark.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 32 reviews)

I had brain surgery, too....

I just finished the book- didn't like it.
Parts of it were cute, parts rang true to the horror of being diagnosed with a tumor & going through surgery, (and the illustrations were too small for my damaged eyes), but the main reason is the lesbian part just gagged me. I know I will be crucified for my opinion on that, but there are still plenty of us that believe it is wrong. I did not want to read about her lesbian love life, & am amazed she didn't even know her neighbors. Pitiful, to say the least.
Overall, I really feel for her dad- she doesn't seem to appreciate him or his love.
Don't waste your money on this book.
November 13, 2008

Provides much need comical relief!

I had an awake craniotomy in Fall 2007; the operation took 10 hours and was located in my left temporal lobe (I'm right handed so my tumor was located in the same location as my speech and comprehension). Post-surgery I was looking for both emotional and mental relief; this book provides just that! While the author's experience wasn't exactly the same as mine, I found her humor to be refreshing and entertaining. The author does a good job highlighting her own frustrations and enables readers to look at the effects of brain tumors in a different way. I recommend this book to both patients and caregivers! It definately had me laughing out loud and was able to be my voice when trying to communicate my frustations to others.

To those who said the author remembered too much, I would say - everyone responds to surgery in different ways. My short term memory was only briefly lost and I was able to remember large portions of my own surgery as well as what happened afterwards. I also told as many people as I could post-op in order to commit those memories to long-term. Plus the author (or others around her) may have written down many of her experiences shortly after they occured; I did this as well and while I didn't remember it the next day, i had a record of what happened, what I was feeling at the time, etc. for me to be able to reference in the event my short-term memory would act up.
June 18, 2008

Huh

This book is fairly interesting. Its just a documentation of the experience of brain surgery and recovery. Not the best book I've ever read. I bought it for the title.

Its kept my attention, but then, I had nearly the identical medical condition and surgery also, taken her meds, etc.

Was interesting, for her it was the whole disabled thing that was the big issue through recovery, while for others it is mortality. Eh.

I had brain surgery, what's your excuse?
February 08, 2008

Not just for brain surgery

I just wanted to add to the other reviews that this book is not only good for those recovering from or who know someone recovering from brain surgery but anyone who has dealt with a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), an injury that can many times the result of auto crashes or sports injuries. I had an auto crash MTBI and would highly recommend this for not only the "victim" of the MTBI but those close to him/her. It provides a pretty frank picture of what is so frustrating about MTBI--you look "normal" (i.e. have no outward physical signs of being sick or injured) but the you inside is not the same, and so many people don't realize that.

As for the lesbian "issue", I think, regardless of personal beliefs about homosexuality, people really should look past that and see the deeper relationship and interpersonal issues that apply to any post-MTBI relationship, heterosexual or homosexual. I was not familiar with Suzy, her previous work, or her sexual orientation before I started the book, and while I don't necessarily think homosexuality is morally ok, I found her romantic relationship struggles after surgery to be not specific to gay couples (with the exception of one while she was in the hospital) but things that would be equally true about any close relationship after such a major health problem, even non-sexual relationships. As for the sexual side of the relationship, she is not overtly sexual in nature when talking about their romantic relationship, saying no more than "we made love," which if a heterosexual writer said no one would think twice, and frankly "IT" is just as much of an issue for heterosexual couples after medical problems as it is for gay couples.

For the reviewer who thought it was misleading that she remembered enough about the whole thing to write a book about it, you totally missed the point, sir. It is not about if things happened word for word the way she wrote it but about the struggle to deal with your brain not being like it used to be, knowing it is not totally like it used to be, the process of recovering what you can, and learning to deal with what you have now. As one person also noted, different brains + different types of surgery/injury/illness = different outcomes. It is not that her story is exactly like mine or yours, but the underlying process of healing, both physically and emotionally.

Overall, I thought it was a good read and, as a post-MTBI sufferer, identified with much of her struggle. While it wasn't identical to what I went through, really nothing someone else goes through is ever identical to our own experiences, the underlying emotions brought back vivid memories of my own healing process. It is a good resource for post-MTBI patients and, even more importantly maybe, for those close to post-MTBI patients who wonder what in the world has happened to their loved one when the boo-boos have healed but they are still not "right."
January 23, 2008

Wonderful - recommended!

I bought this book because I have long loved Suzy's All I Needed to Know I Learned From My Cat. I wanted to read more about Binky's talented owner.

Suzy's journey through diagnosis, denial, surgery and then recovery moved me deeply. Having suffered a bizarre and unexpected injury a year ago, I felt her a kindred spirit as she searched for ways to explain why she had the tumor, what it was, what it might become: all the what ifs. Her frustration and fear during her recovery brought tears to my eyes time and again. All of us who've been severely injured or operated upon have asked ourselves, when struggling to perform some formerly simple task, "Will I ever get the old me back again?"

In truth, we never get the old me back. But if we try hard enough, we get a better me. Suzy did, so did I. I am so thankful she shared her journey. If you've struggled to heal after an injury, been a partner or caretaker or friend of someone who has (or is currently healing) - this book is for you. It will warm your heart with its endless hope. All the best to you, Suzy!
December 27, 2007

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