Skip to main content

Handle with Care

Willow O'Keefe is born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. It's also known as brittle bone disease. In other words, she can break a number of bones through her lifetime. It's a disability in that she is short statured, has to use a wheelchair and suffers innumerable breaks. It's like taking two steps forwards and one step back. On the other hand, she is extremely smart for a 6 year old. She has the vocabulary of an adult and absorbs information like a sponge. She is funny and witty. She is loveable.

Her mother however, decides one day to lodge a wrongful birth suit. There are a couple of problems with this:

1) she has to say that she would have aborted Willow had she known about the disability in advance

2) the doctor she is suing is her best friend.

Throughout this turmoil, relationships are affected. Willow's parents are divided over the suit and their relationship is in turmoil. Willow's older sister, Amelia, aged 13, is neglected. And she takes to extreme measures to make herself feel better.

And what about Willow? How does she take the fact that her mother would have gotten rid of her had she known she would break?

The book is presented to us through the voices of some characters, each of them talking to Willow. They include Charlotte (mother), Sean (father), Amelia, Piper (the doctor) and Marin (Charlotte's attorney). We don't hear Willow's voice in first person unlike everyone else.

This has a shade of 'My Sister's Keeper' and the ending is just as emotional (although I didn't sob...only cried).

There is no winner in this legal case because either way, something or the other is lost.

Something that cannot be repaired.

It also questions a lot of issues:

Abortion of an 'imperfect' foetus

Disabilities --- how many parents will decide what is 'too disabled' and therefore abort a child? Will there be a time when someone may choose to abort if they know their child is not going to be a supermodel or a genius?

Ethical issues in medicine

How do siblings of disabled individuals cope when everything revolves around the other child? What about support systems for them?

It asks all these questions and a whole lot more.

This book, in my opinion, is a must-read.

It's Jodi Picoult at her best. Once again.

Until next time,

Cheers!!!

Labels:

Comments

Tushar said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
July 18, 2009 at 4:22 PM
Quixotic said…
Oh wow, I am usually pretty confident I'll get a good read when I pick up a Jodi Picoult book, but this one really resonated with me. I think because it bought up a lot of issues I could relate to with my 10 yr old cousin, who is in the autism spectrum, especially the "how disabled is too disabled to keep" conundrum. Oh yeah, I did sob at the end.
October 18, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Post a Comment

Also read

Cutting people off isn’t strength—It is a trauma response

Your ability to cut people off and self-isolate is not a skill you should be proud of—It is a trauma response Cutting people off and self-isolating may feel like a protective shield, but it is often rooted in unresolved or unhealed trauma and an inability to depend on others. While these behaviors seem like self-preservation, they end up reinforcing isolation and blocking meaningful connections. Confronting these patterns, seeking therapy, and nurturing supportive relationships can help break this unhealthy cycle. Plus, a simple act like planting a jasmine plant can symbolise the start of your journey towards emotional healing. Why do we cut people off and isolate? If you’re someone who prides themselves on “cutting people off” or keeping a tight circle, you might believe it’s a skill—a way to protect yourself from betrayal, hurt, or unnecessary drama. I get it. I’ve been there, too. But here’s the thing: this ability to isolate yourself is not as empowering as it may seem. In fact, i...
1 comment
Read more

Politics - A Profession

This post is loosely inspired by the  TATA Tea a d  where this politician goes to ask for votes and a voter asks him for his qualification and work experience the the important 'job' that he is embarking upon. The politician laughs at the voter, asking him what job is the voter referring to. The voter responds, "The job to run the country". Do politicians in other countries view politics as a profession? Or is politics viewed similarly across international boundaries? The best way of course to find out is go to that ever useful tool for professionals - LinkedIn.  Here are the results: Barrack Obama Hillary Clinton Sarah Palin The apparently technologically challenged Senator   John McCain. I also came across many politicians, prime ministers who have LinkedIn profiles. While having a LinkedIn profile is not a certificate of a person character, one has to appreciate the intent. Reach out to masses, and more importantly, take politics as a profession. Successful leader...
30 comments
Read more

Healing loneliness through wealth creation: How purposeful work attracts deep connection

Loneliness and Success: 7 Ways Purposeful Work Heals Isolation & Attracts Love? I thought money would fix the quiet. It didn’t. Purpose did. This article shows how aligning your income with your values turns wealth into a magnet for authentic connection — healing loneliness for high-achieving professionals and inviting relationships that feel true and sustaining. Loneliness and success: 7 ways purposeful work heals isolation & attracts love? Why do I feel lonelier after success? Have you ever stood in a room full of applause and felt the quiet afterwards more than the applause itself? I have. Achievements piled up — promotions, awards, money — and yet nights felt quieter. This is not vanity. It is an experience many high-achieving people recognise: success can widen the gap between public approval and private belonging. This article is written for the professional who has 'made it' on paper but still asks, "Why am I lonely?" My own story started ...
Post a Comment
Read more