When Saving Sammy: Curing the Boy Who Caught OCD
by Beth Maloney arrived for review, I picked it up and very nearly didn't put it down until I finished it.I don't think I've blogged about my obsessive compulsive disorder much if at all, and the worst of it was when I was younger, but reading this story about Sammy, a seemingly average boy who suddenly began to slip into a progressively worsening case of OCD, brought back so many memories of my own.
In Sammy's case, he became severely afflicted, nearly to the point of madness. His mind forced him to move through an impossibly intricate series of compulsions for each and every action he wished to take. If anything disturbed the sequence, he would have to start all over again. Just the act of getting in the car or changing rooms could take hours, and leave him in a state of total exhaustion.
His mother, Beth Maloney, took it upon herself to find a way to help cure her son. She fought tirelessly and mercilessly to find a cause, and when she discovered that the strep virus could possibly be connected, she fought against a medical community that would not support her. Finally, she found two doctors who believed in the connection, and they worked together to cure Sammy.
What struck me most beyond the manifestation of the disease itself, was the love and devotion of his mother. A mother's instincts are her most powerful weapon, and Beth Maloney followed hers with a conviction unlike anything I've ever seen.
Thank you to TLC Book Tours for sending me a copy for review and allowing me to participate in the Saving Sammy book tour.
51 comments:
I'm practically bawling reading this. I have OCD, and at times it is way worse than others. But I remember having it as early as 7. Doing the compulsive things in school, on the bus, etc. It was like my own personal hell in my head. I am constantly worried about my boys. What if this happens to them? So many mental afflictions like depression, OCD, etc...run in families. It scares me. I'll have to pick this one up.
Sounds like a great read thanks for the recommendation. Have a wonderful day!
i'm going to get this book ASAP. i have serious -- sometimes even debilitating OCD...
Posted this under the wrong account earlier, but fortunately I had saved to my clipboard:
Another OCD Club Member here. I have managed to dull it enough to manage my life these days (along with all of the other clubs I'm apparently a member of). It's nothing like it was in my late teens and early 20s. I'm 35 now.
However, now and again, I'll be in a particular mood or emotional state and it will all come back, reminding me of it's worse periods.
Thanks for throwing this review up -- I'm gonna check this one out.
Wow. Does this mean they can cure OCD now?? Poor little guy.
I am kind of OCD. Seriously.
That sounds like a book that I would cry through. Who am I kidding? I cry at Snuggie commercials.
I had no idea that OCD could come on so quickly. I suppose it's spurred by some event in one's life?
Sounds like a very good book.
Having a son with mental disorders, OCD being one of them I can totally relate to the basis of this story. What I do find intersting is the connection with it and strep. My son's OCD is more about thoughts then actions. He gets things in his head and has to do or say them over and over until either something new pops in his head OR he gets you to allowh im to do the thought that came up... add in ADHD, Mood disorder, and ODD and you can have an interesting child..
I too believe, a mother's instincts are the most powerful!
Garden Lizard
That's really scary... OCD is not something I would ever want to have to live with.
Thanks for sharing this. What great conviction a mother has! Glad to hear that you are better now with OCD.
Sounds like a fantastic book.
I have been told I have OCD with many things such as having to check if the doors and windows are locked over and over again every night before bed. I will even climb into my bed and get back out of bed just to check them all again. There are all sorts of other things I do as well over and over again but I can't think of them all right now.
Sounds like a really good book though.
I am going to have give this a read. My son is autistic with a touch of OCD and I think I could learn a lot from it.
Thank you.
hey!
i totally thought i had followed you a while back. dammit. i'm making sure i hit that follow button asap! i loove your blog.
thanks for stopping over yesterday. i'm glad you don't understand the twilight thing, either. i'm not alone! ha ha
happy tuesday!
I've heard of this book and thought it sounded interesting.
I will have to check it out.
(PS- have you been receiving my feed? ever since I made the hop to WP things are acting all weird with my subscribers)
Wow what an amazing story.. I think I have a little bit of this in with my cleaning.. Have a great day.
Wow. This sounds fabulous and I've just added it to my reading list. Thanks!
what a cool story. working with the kids i do i can so relate...and wish they all had parents like that..
I know little about this subject, good of you to bring this to light..
I have a friend dealing with OCD in her young daughter, 8 yrs old. Thankfully, she was just telling me yesterday that they are starting to see improvements - YAY.
I love stories about people who fight for their dreams and don't stop until they become a reality. I may just have to pick this one up. Thanks for sharing! :)
Sound like a wonderful book to read! Have a great day!
Hi Elizabeth! What a great review! Isn't it amazing that something like OCD could be brought on by a strep infection? That boggles the mind.
Thank you so much for the time spent reading and reviewing Saving Sammy. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
OCD is very widespread, but I think it's possible to learn how to grow out of it.
Secretia
WOW. This sounds really interesting. I have much sympathy with those dealing with OCD...it seems a tough issue to deal with at times.
Thanks for the review. I am gonna read this one!
I'm definitely going to have to read this. I have some OCD tendencies too - but Princess Nagger has been showing some more extreme tendencies... Great review! :)
What a heartbreaking story..what a devoted mother and interesting medical case. Sounds like a good read :)
Sounds like a good book! I have heard that a strep infection can cause OCD. That is just so scary.
So, is Sammy okay now?
Sounds like a very powerful book
I don't read many book reviews but that was touching. I will put it on my list.
x
i will definitely check it out..
i am glad you are healthy and things are under control..
So it was the connection with the virus that caused the problem and she was able to help cure him? That is so interesting.
I love learning more about you and this book sounds really good! I don't have OCD but was diagnosed at one time with OCD tendencies when I was much younger. This sounds like an incredible story and I'm definitely going to check it out!
Thank you for posting this.
It sounds amazing.
Wow. This sounds like an amazing chronicle of what this kid went through. I'm assuming this is non-fiction? I don't think I could read it though. It would hit a little too close to home for me, even though my OCD tendencies are nowhere near Sammy's.
Justine :o )
From a strep virus? Dang. No wonder my brother and I are seriously whacked. Thankfully it's not everything...just certainly things that really need to be done in certain orders.
What a wonderful book and helpful for so many.
That sounds intense. I may have to go check it out. I love stories with powerful moms.
I have to be brave tomorrow as I face off with a bully and his mom at the bus stop tomorrow. :(
What a great book!
This book sounds really, really good. As someone who has mild ocd, but knows so many with severe cases, I can relate in a small way.
Awesome review!
And I checked out the TLC site--looks really neat. xo
I thought I had OCD, but reading this has made me realize that it's not.
I love reading about mothers who fight strongly for their children against all odds.
Wow. I'm speechless. I had no idea. Thanks for turning me on to this book. I have an aunt who's suffered greatly with OCD. (www.randomneuralfirings.net)
Being someone with a mild case of OCD, I have never heard of it being associated with strep - that is quite interesting, I only know of it being a psychological, not physical disorder. But the courage it took this mother to fight for her son is what draws me to this book. Thank you for the review.
Thanks for sharing this. I always appreciate when bloggers write about things that increase our awareness on issues we might otherwise take for granted or ignorantly dismiss. And thanks for candidly sharing about yourself too. - G
Nice review thank you for it.
It sounds like an extremely powerful book with a wonderful message. I have a very close friend who is OCD and I know the pain it could cause.
wow. Another something else to MUST READ. You are killing me. We all struggle with this in our home.
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