I can't believe there was a time in my life where I didn't like collections/anthologies. Especially when I get one where every story is an absolute banger, like this week's review!
OH FUCK OH FUCK IT HURTS: A COLLECTION OF MEDICAL HORROR by Ruth Anna Evans and Rik Hoskin
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1. This is a collection of 7 stories from Ruth Anna and 1 story from a guest author – Rik Hoskin. I genuinely liked every. single. story. Everything felt so relatable, unfortunately. Anyone who has had to deal with the U.S. healthcare system can likely find something in these pages that hits home. It’s also a frustrating and scary time in the U.S., including healthcare, which made the timing of this read even more potent.
2. My 3 most favorite stories are:
- Lifeline. This is the opening story and hit HARD. In this one, everything in the healthcare system is pre-pay. You can’t cover that ambulance ride? You’re not getting it. Super timely, especially after the BCBS bullshit where they tried saying they’d only pay for a certain amount of anesthesia. This felt too close for comfort and sent me on a mental landslide.
- Colonoscopy. This is the 5th of Anna’s stories and as a former hospital CNA on a high-acuity floor where we saw A LOT of coloscopy prep for people with cardiac problems (it can be a dangerous mix) this really hit me. I've seen parts of this play out in real life and I just need to say that medical gaslighting is a very real thing.
- The Visitor. This is Rik’s story and a statement on elder care/long term care wrapped in a very entertaining plot. LTC is another subject that hits close to home for me as a former CNA and someone whose first job was at a nursing home. This plotline is a bit far fetched, however the underlying message is so true.
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HIGHLY recommend this one!
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