|
Sunshine
I read one of the most amazing books. It is Sunshine by Norma Klein. At first glance, I thought it would just be some book about some chick's life. Technically it is about her life, but is so much more than just one of those books. Do you know what I mean? Probably not... Well anyways, It is about this girl who marries young (16) and after a few years leaves the man she was with. She was pregnant, but didn't want him to know. She meets this wonderful man named Sam and eventually lives with him. She has a daughter named Jill. Shortly after having Jill (and before) she developed a lump on her leg and had serious pain. She goes to a doctor repeatedly, but he just gives her an incorrect diagnosis. Sam is tired of her being in pain and decides to take her to a 'real doctor'. She goes and is diagnosed with a deadly bone cancer and is told to amputate her leg. She does not want to. She has a baby and is completely in love with life. She feels that she wouldn't be able to do anything without a leg. She denies the cancer and goes to another doctor. This one gives the same diagnosis. She decides to have radiation and chemotherapy. She hates what the medicine does to her. It makes her angry and moody. She loses her temper a lot. She is very weak and throws up constantly. She resents Sam and Jill for a while because they can still be happy. She decides to stop taking the medicine and just live her life until the end. Sam disagrees with her and eventually leaves her. He is away for more than a week. However, he comes back. He is upset that she won't take the medicine. He wants her to stay with him longer, even if the medicine would only help her live for a few more months. They fight often. They both try to live, but it's hard for them. She gets really sick and is put on bed rest and is taken care of my Sam and Nora, a girl who lives downstairs (it is also assumed that Sam had an affair with her). One night, Jill calls up for her mother. She is two and a half by this time. Kate leans down and attempts to pick her up. She stops breathing and is rushed to the hospital. She eventually dies. She was only twenty years old. This book is actually based on a true story. A woman named Jacquelyn M. Helton lived during the 70's. She went through this same tragedy. There is a movie interpretation of Sunshine, but I doubt I will ever find it. I cried for hours while thinking of this book. I read it in like three to five hours.
|
