Donna Stapleton

The Other Side of the Siderail: Memoirs of a Nurse Who Became a Patient Donna Stapleton

After decades of taking care of other people, a nurse suddenly wakes up one morning and can barely walk. Terrified and alone, she struggles to find the cause of her symptoms. After six weeks of frustrating visits to uncaring and distant medical professionals punctuated by a series of painful tests and worsening symptoms, she is almost relieved to learn that she has a lesion on her spinal cord. At least she finally knows what's wrong with her! But the surgery that was supposed to cure her leaves her arms paralyzed and her legs so weak she needs to use a walker. Told with humor and compassion, this true story is both an indictment of the medical professions and a reminder to all of us to see the person inside of the patient.