Comfort for the Afflicted: A Deranged Christmas (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780578852904)

"I was undergoing all the conflicting frequencies and vibrations of this reprocessed, moldy-cheese laced cage we carelessly scurry about in. Frightened and bitterly scavenging for the filthy resins of all the recycled illusions we can shoot back into the veins of our unresolved lives. The cry of humanity. The 'Poor me, ' and the 'Fuck you!' BellaRae began cracking up, then I realized I was spouting this gibberish out loud... We were riding the same wildly weird wave. And stranger yet, there was a bizarre beauty and an insightful pain within these sufferings. Because tailing this grim consciousness was an enriching comprehension, that within our core resides a valid cure for our self-imposed ills. The excellence of love." (pg. 23)

Medically retired clinical psychologist, William P. Hyneezitzs exhibits no discernable signs of having survived an astonishing life. Unfortunately, he can't let go of a terribly disabling addiction. William obsessively wallows in the curiously strange and horribly hideous things he has observed. While the doctor knows better than to romanticize the nasty cruelties he has witnessed as a professional, it's his wife, BellaRae, who is the steel that keeps this skyscraper sturdy. Not only does he risk developing into the monster he fears most, but he could easily lose his loose grip on reality and become a patient himself.

-MATURE THEMES! ADULTS ONLY!-

-REVIEW-

This is an interesting story of the mental health struggles of a 'doctor of minds' himself. I love the descriptive way the writer tells the story. He paints clear pictures with his words. The doctor has a beautiful life with a good marriage and great kids. However, he lives between his reality and the traumatic reality of his patients. His relives, in his mind, his patients' difficult life experiences time and time again. He is compassionate and fully involved in their stories. The medical profession discourages emotional involvement with patients, but our doctor here is unable to adhere to this. It is a story that speaks to the humanity in all of us. Who 'doctors' the doctors? This book cannot be read half-heartedly. It will tug at your heart and soul. A great read. --Prof. Rose