Book Excerpt
Release Me, Now Take Me Back
The studio apartment lacked
the every-four-hour interruptions of the hospital, which was good. I needed to
be more independent—or as independently dependent as someone could be in my
situation. I ate very little, slept little, and was in a lot of pain.
Strangely enough, it was
when I left the hospital that the sleepless nights began. Oh how I needed the
sleep to heal! However, because of my brace, I couldn’t toss and turn, just
quietly count sheep. I also couldn’t use my go-to method of counting the holes
in the ceiling tiles because my new ceiling was cheaply painted white without
even the oh-so-common popcorn for texture.
Around this time, I began
to experience shooting pains in my legs. Despite walking daily to keep the
blood flowing, every time I got up out of the car, a chair, or my bed, a sharp
pain shot up my legs to my lower back. When I was still, the pain radiated from
my toes through my legs up to my lumbar area.
During these shooting
spells, I’d flash back to the agony of running the 2004 Boston Marathon. I had
completed that grand physical feat but just barely. After mile
twenty-three—after Heartbreak Hill and approaching Brookline with Boston’s Back
Bay ahead—I felt like I was running on stumps. Each step traveled up through my
body, bone by aching bone. But even that excruciating pain paled in comparison
to what I was experiencing now. The stifling and severe agony in my legs from
running the marathon lasted less than a week, but it had been more than two
weeks since my surgery. And did my legs hurt!
How I suffered those first
six days out of the hospital and in the studio. All I’d wanted was to get out
of the hospital, but as soon as I did, I wanted to go back. The grass is always
greener, right?
About The Book
Title: When All Balls Drop: The Upside of Losing Everything
Author: Heidi Siefkas
Genre: Non-Fiction, Inspirational, Memoir
The true story of a survivor
who through losing everything,
redefined having it all
who through losing everything,
redefined having it all
Heidi Siefkas was a happily married,
globetrotting professional who seemingly “had it all”—until a tree limb
in New York’s Hudson River Valley struck her down, breaking her neck and
leaving her unconscious. Suddenly, life as she knew it stopped. She
lost her independence. She lost her career. She watched her marriage
disintegrate as she confronted a trail of devastating lies about her
husband’s double life.
She had lost all that mattered, but she
was a survivor. She fought to restore her health, repair her broken
heart, and rebuild herself. Along the way, she gained clarity about her
core values, ultimately coming to a deeper understanding of what it
means to have it all.
Through down-to-earth, short vignettes,
When All Balls Drop shows us how it’s possible to “look up” in spite of
pain, deceit, and loss. Heidi’s memoir–rich with hope and humor,
inspires anyone who’s had to confront tragedy and reassess their life in
the wake of life-altering events.
Author Bio
Heidi Siefkas is an author and
adventurer. Originally from small-town Wisconsin, she lives in Kauai and
also calls the Midwest and South Florida home. Heidi is currently
crafting a sequel to this memoir, embracing both her wanderlust and love
of writing by documenting her many travels. You can connect with Heidi
at www.heidisiefkas.com, Facebook, and Twitter.
Links
Website: http://www.heidisiefkas.com
Twitter: @HeidiSiefkas
Wonderful choice on excerpt. It highlights my struggle with the pain of recovery. How ironic that when I was released from the hospital, I wanted back in. Although I discuss tough topics, my story is full of hope and humor. It inspires anyone who has gone through adversity and struggles with health, love, or career. Here's to looking up!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI wanted to share with you some BIG news about When All Balls Drop that was unveiled this week. It's ready to inspire on screen. Check it out: http://heidisiefkas.com/when-all-balls-drop-transitions-its-powerful-story-to-film/
BeantwoordenVerwijderen