Liver-Transplantation Books

John Robbins was a good friend to many people, and I was fortunate enough to know him when he lived and worked in North Carolina. "Strings - The Miracle of Life" is a great story by a talented historian. John was always a true raconteur - he could hold you spellbound with utter nonsense, or really make you think about the hard decisions in life. It came as no surprise to me that John Robbins wrote a book about love and death and healthcare that I had to read in one sitting.

This is a nonfiction book that baby boomers facing health crises--their own or their parents'--should read. But this tale of miraculous recovery from life-threatening illness feels more like a Vonnegut novel than the standard human interest story you might expect.

It cuts elegantly between the tense and fast-paced action of a quite miraculous liver transplant and sophisticated spiritual and philosophical questions about ethical issues in life and medicine. There is a wonderful section that presents the disorientation of a type A personality in a medical crisis--mental confusion due to prolonged illness, lack of control, medical complications, frustration at the slow pace of recovery--and reads like a primer for 50-somethings who are facing their first serious illness or surgery or trying to understand the growing frailty and increasing health care needs of their aging parents.

It weaves the varied and sometimes conflicting perspectives of patient, family, and med! ! ical professionals into the most complete picture of a modern medical crisis I've seen.

Mr. Robbins takes the reader, grabs them quickly, and doesn't let go until the end. You know he survives his ordeal, but you are still in tears in the middle wondering "is he going to make it?"

Thanks for writing this valuable book.

John Robbins uses a mix of Buddhaism and basketball (effortless effort) to tell how he survived and prospered after a near death experience. Part medical thriller and part spiritual exploration, he tells his story of surviving a liver transplant. His recollections about his surgeon alone are worth the read. A very good writer, he tells his story without without self-pity or fatalism. Inspiring is perhaps an over-used word in book reviews, but you will agree it applies to Strings.

It was with great saddness that I recently learned of the passing of Dr. John Robbins from one of his Thai friends.

I knew John in Bangkok prior to his illness and saw him in Washington, D.C. both while he was waiting for the transplant and later after he received it. My last conversation with him was at the time his book was published and he was so excited by the possibilities.

John's use of the Buddhist "stings" to hold the book together is wonderful. His "rat-a-tat" writing style in describing the fast pace of medical events is attention-getting.

John changed the world a bit with his book. I regret I will not be able to tell him how much it meant to me.

Reading the person problems that the Yomtoob's had living with Liver Transplants has helped us as a family to deal with the situation. It is NOT a helpless journey, just a very long and difficult one. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

I was amazed and touched by this book. Well-written, thought-provoking and heart rending....you feel the triumph and tribulations of this family and their journey with each page!! You will definitely think very strongly about writing a living will and becoming an organ donor.

This is a great book with useful medical information about the transplant process as well as a heart warming account of the struggles of waiting for an organ donor and receiving a liver transplant. I could hardly put the book down after I started reading. Emotions and events are described so well that you feel you are part of the family and therefore part of the journey.

I recently read this book and found it to be a particularly moving experience, expressing a remarkable commitment between mother and son and family. Even though the topic illness is liver failure and liver transplant, I felt that thoughtfully reading The Gift of Life 2 would be very helpful to a family coping with any serious illness.
Sincerely,
Susan K. Farley

As the mother of a multiorgan transplant daughter, we were very fortunate to be under the care of Debbie Weppler and the transplant team at the University of Miami. My daughter recovered from a very difficult transplant by following Debbie Weppler's advice. If you or a loved one is facing a transplant, read this book so you will know what to expect. It will be a tremendous help for you and guide you through the process.

Chris Klug and Steve Jackson's account of the Olympian's triumphant life is an excellent example of the modern sports autobiography: Truly spoken, well-written, and a glimpse inside a sport not too many readers probably know too much about. But it's Klug's life -- so far -- that intrigues. Like Lance Armstrong, Klug has faced adversity outside of sports and conquered it, making his athletic achievement so much more important and interesting. Top-notch work.

This is simply an amazing story. From beginning to end, it instills a sense of wanting to go out and live life to the fullest. It has everything a great book should. This book will make you laugh, cry, and appreciate life. A great inspirational story, everyone should have this in his or her collection. This book appeals not only to skiers and snowboarders but also across generations.

This is one of the most motivational books I have read. If you finish reading this book and aren't totally stoked about attacking life, you need serious help.

Imagine having a dream to be on an Olympic Snowboarding team BEFORE snowboarding was even accepted at most ski resorts, BEFORE snowboarding was even considered a sport. If I learned one thing while reading this book, it was to never tell a kid something is impossible.

I'd highly recommend this book as a present for parents to give their snowboarding teens. It shows how dedication, hard work and never giving up on yourself can be your ticket to anywhere.

From the moment I picked up this book I had a tough time putting it down. This book will have you both laughing hysterically and crying. "To The Edge and Back" is not only a truly inspirational story of Chris Klug and his epic story of going from Organ Transplant survivor to Olympic Athlete; it also speaks to the history and character of the sport of snowboarding. From it's beginnings as an "outcast" sport that "will never last" to becoming an Olympic sport, "To the Edge and Back" gives us a peak into what snowboarding (and its athletes) are all about and the obstacles that the sport has had to overcome.

The book tells a story of a dream, and an athlete who refused to ever let go of that dream even while facing head-on the reality of his own impending mortality. Seeing & feeling the impact of organ donation from both sides, both the donor family and the recipient, truly makes this an epic read and a story that needs to be heard/read by all.

Before picking up the book, everyone should be ready for an incredibly inspiring story. Having survived a liver transplant to return to a professional athletic career, and then win an olympic medal should leave anyone in complete awe. Comparisons to Lance Armstrong and his book campaign will abound. However, in "To the Edge and Back," Klug does much more than just inspire. The story is an incredible one of course, but this piece is also very well written and impeccably put together. Each of the chapters brings the reader to (and sometimes past) the verge of tears, and then moments later has one holding his/her sides in laughter. What will seem to many as a story primarily about overcoming unimaginable odds offers much more as Klug pays homage to his sport, his friends and his family. The book is clearly an influential work for Chris's primary cause of organ donation, and shows readers the importance of the medical miracle and the necessity for more organ donors right here in America. This is a must read for all athletes, but is a moving and entertaining work that should find its way onto bookshelves and bedside tables world wide.

This is the premire book of Abdominal Organ Transplants. I recommend this book to be a "must read" for those involved in transplants and those who wish to "know more." GREAT BOOK.

This is the best manual I have ever had. This because is really helpfull in the practice, all the reference is new, and the Immunosupression and Rejection chapter is a daily aid.

This is just what the doctor ordered. I enjoyed it and plan to make it available for all my residents and nurses.

As my opinion it's the "bible" of the liver transplantologist.
Wide spectrum of the problems concerning the medical and surgical practice of liver transplant.

As a transplant surgeon, I must say that there are not a lot of books published on this topic and, until recently, the previous edition was the authoritative textbook on this topic. In fact, I believe it was probably the only book guaranteed to grace the bookshelf of every liver transplant surgeon. The new text has been updated, which was a long time coming. Although I am not particularly fond of the new cover, having preferred the classier first edition, I congratulate the authors on a huge undertaking. The book is up to date and as complete as possible. Very recent surgical techniques, including a sections on split liver transplantation and living donor transplantation, new immunosuppressive protocols and new preservation techniques are current and well described. I highly recommend this new edition.

This text is without question the most comprehensive in the field today. The editors have done a remarkable job by offering the nuts and bolts of the transplant experience from a variety of viewpoints. The majority of competive texts on the market are slanted toward the surgical or medical management perspective rather than sharing a global view from a team based approach. Well written and supported by voluminous reference materials. The illustrations are quite easy to discern and are peppered throughout, leaving the reader with a broad fund of knowledge. The book is further valued for it's ability to provide point by point guidelines on management of the transplant patient for nearly every diagnosis. Further, complications are dealt with in a straightforward, useful format.

A very informative book dealing with many of the questions that we have about Liver Transplantation. This book helped us deal with many of our fears. Thank you.

One issue that many of us with hepatitis C do not want to think about is liver transplantation. The obvious reason is that we don't want to face the idea that we may need a liver transplant.

In the vast majority of cases, people living with hepatitis C will never have to deal with a liver transplant since only a fraction of people with HCV will develop serious liver disease progression leading to the need for a new liver. Part of the problem is that there is very little information out there that is patient friendly. To help people understand this issue and many other health related issues, the Lahey Clinic has produce a number of books on topics such as hepatitis C, liver transplantation, and liver cancer that are easy to understand and which answer many of the common questions about a particular disease or procedure.

One such book is 100 Questions & Answers about Liver Transplantation, by Fredric D. Gordon, MD, which provides detailed information about what to expect before, during and after undergoing a liver transplant. Importantly, this guide is helpful because it was clearly written for the lay person in a way that is easy to understand and does not `talk down' to people. It is also important to note that this guide is about any cause of liver disease including, but not limited to, hepatitis caused by alcohol abuse, and viruses.

The topics are divided into ten parts including:

*The Basics: The liver and the functions of the liver, causes and complications of cirrhosis and when a person would need to a liver transplant.

*Before Transplantation: The criteria for receiving a transplant, reviewing different transplant programs (long term survival, patient care before and after the transplant), questions to ask transplant specialists, description of types of livers used for a transplant, getting help and support, money concerns, the evaluation process, and a brief discussion of the MELD scoring system.

*Organ Allocation: What is UNOS (United Network of Organ Sharing)? More information on the MELD scoring system including an overview of the waiting list procedure, and the usual wait time before receiving a new liver.

*Preparing for Transplantation: The various steps needed to prepare for liver transplantation, including information on diets, drugs and herbs to avoid, and being ready to respond to THE call informing a person of an available liver.

*Surgery: The actual transplantation procedure, the hospital stay, and any potential complications of surgery.

*Recurrent Liver Disease: Answers to questions about the liver becoming re-infected with hepatitis C, and, when this happens, what the guidelines are for treatment of HCV in the newly transplanted liver.

I am not ready to read this book to my three year old daughter just yet. But she has the same disease as the child in the book and will eventually need a liver transplant someday. I am confident that this will help my child understand what she is going to face. The book is very forth right in its discussion of where the donor liver comes from and that is a very hard thing to have to tell a child... This will make it easier for me and I hope for my daughter too.

As the parent of a 4 year old who is awaiting a liver transplant I would like to say a big thanks to the author for writing this book. My son loves it and I have read it to him several times since receiving it 3 days ago. His favorite page is when Dr. Tanner tells Ashley she can go home. I think it is very important that it shows Ashley all better and life after a transplant. Thanks again!
Peggy Sams

The Atlas of Liver Transplantation is a beautiful text that presents the science and art of liver transplantation to the world of academic medicine and beyond. Dr. Molmenti cleverly incorporates detailed illustrations that go above and beyond what the limitations of photography can provide in descriptive medical education.

This text is not limited merely to surgical technique but is a comprehensive approach to the whole space of liver transplantation including the supportive disciplines of anesthesia and hematology.

As a student of the History of Organ Transplantation I found this book to be the current state-of-the state presentation of this discipline. Not only is this a "must have" for any surgical resident considering this advanced field but a useful inclusion to the book shelf to any surgical resident, medical student or lover of academic medicine.

This book was given to me by a concerned friend who read the book and couldn't believe how similiar my situation is to Elizabeth. I was a little hesitant because of the title but decided to read it anyway. I truly appreciate Elizabeth for putting her experience into words because this book put it all in perspective for me. It's not the end of the world! I'm not the only one. I am at the very, very begining of the process of liver transplantation and found this book to be comforting and informative. Everything I have gone thru so for is identical to Elizabeth's story. I also come from a family of 5 children and found that amazing. I would like to get in touch with Elizabeth. I am going to leave my e-mail address for anyone to contact me, especially Elizabeth. Thank you for putting you experience into words.

I bought this book for my Advanced Hepatology Fellowship almost 6 months ago. Since then, I have had a chance to go through 4-5 chapters in this book and I have to say that I am amazed at the clarity and flow of information in this book. The authors have done a commendable job. This is probably the only detailed book on the market that specifically addresses the medical management of a liver transplant patient and does so beautifully. I highly recommend this book for anyone active in taking care of patients pre- or post- liver transplant.