Ask Me Why I Hurt: The Kids Nobody Wants And The Doctor Who Heals Them (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
I've read many medical books over the last 25 or so years, but can't say I've ever read one that focused on homeless children before. Dr. Christensen chronicles the first 10 years of running a medical van that serves the homeless youth population of the greater Phoenix, Arizona area. Christensen founded the van after recognizing the need for such a service and takes it to various locations where it is known that large groups of homeless kids congregate. He in particular details the challenges of running such a service, as the children frequently have gone without medical and dental care for a long time and have more complex needs than a basic clinic could be expected to address, particularly in the mental health field. However, the homeless children, especially those with mental health concerns, often have no identification and no connections to a past from where their identification can be ascertained, so navigating through the red tape of the medical assistance network proves difficult but a worthy effort. He parallels his work on the van with his home life. His wife is a doctor in private practice, who also raises their children, as Christensen's involvement in the van plus other career pursuits takes him away from home more often than he would like. Early in the book though, the couple was childless, and during their struggles to have children, he often compared them with the lives of his patients and how fortunate he felt despite the sadness of miscarriages and premature babies. Christensen sees his wife as one of the rocks in his world, and often weighs the value of telling her about the often heartbreaking stories he hears and sees while on the van, knowing she's also seen unfortunate situations at work and still comes home to be Mommy to the kids and keep the household running.A few patients recur throughout the book, including Candy, a young girl who first visits the van with multiple STDs from her work as a prostitute and returns frequently with new infections; Mary, another girl, who lives in a drainage ditch, which is fine during the dry season but life-threatening if a sudden rainstorm blows through, after suffering years of abuse at the hands of her father, who is temporarily in jail but is eventually released and begins seeking Mary out; and Daniel, a mentally challenged teenager found by a minister on the church steps, who was given by his father a one way bus ticket to come live with 'cousins' but also show signs of abuse that call into question whether Daniel was abused because he was born 'slow' or his mental deficiencies are a result of the trauma. Dr. Christensen was a fully trained doctor prior to starting up the van, but he got a world of education in areas he never could have imagined from patients such as these, as did the nurses, volunteers, and young doctors who have worked with him over the years. I enjoyed the book thoroughly and applaud Christensen's efforts to bring attention to a frequently overlooked subset of our needy population. Terrific book! Dr. Christensen cares for these children like they were his own, and their stories break your heart. The transition from desiring to become a doctor, to realizing that dream, to the results of that choice is smoothly done. The reader is pulled into the experiences of the mobile medical unit, and feels the hopelessness of seeing the needs of these teenagers, yet not being able to always "fix" their problems. Well-written, and a great read!
What do You think about Ask Me Why I Hurt: The Kids Nobody Wants And The Doctor Who Heals Them (2011)?
Story is a 5, but I have a hard time giving memoirs a 5. Amazing story that inspired me.
—Amanda
Anybody want to start a mobile medical clinic??? I'll be the social worker, promise
—iheartkitkat
Sad and inspiring. An important book written by a remarkable human being.
—justjeanne1949
Amazing story, but it reads like a long rambling email to his mother.
—rjmct
