LEFT NEGLECTED

LEFT NEGLECTED by Lisa Genova was read for the Just for Fun Reading Challenge 2011.

From the back of the book:

Sarah Nickerson, like any other working mom, is busy trying to have it all.  One morning while racing to work and distracted by her cell phone, she looks away from the road for one second too long.  In that blink of an eye, all the rapidly moving parts of her over-scheduled life come to a screeching halt.  After a brain injury steals her awareness of everything on her left side, Sarah must retrain her mind to perceive the world as a whole.  In so doing, she also learns how to pay attention to the people and parts of her life that matter most.

In this powerful and poignant New York Times bestseller, Lisa Genova explores what can happen when we are forced to change our perception of everything around us.  Left Neglected is an unforgettable story about finding abundance to the details, and nourishing what truly matters.

Before reading this book, I wasn't aware of the condition known as left neglect.  I did know of hemianopsia, where the patient can only see one half of the field of vision.  But in left neglect, the brain does not recognize anything on the left side of the body.  You are not aware that you have a left arm or leg as well as not being able to see things that are situated to your left.

Ms. Genova tells an interesting story of how Sarah must learn to live with this condition and how she must relearn to do even the most simple tasks.  Sarah's mother, who had mostly ignored Sarah as a child after the death of her other child, comes to live with Sarah to help with the family, and she and Sarah form a new relationship based on need and love.  Things that had been important to Sarah in her pre-accident life take a backseat now as she is able to spend more time with her husband and children.

I enjoyed this book and its core message - slow down and see and appreciate the world around you.