When Amy Scher, a die-hard eternal optimist finds her near-perfect 25-year-old body falling apart, she is met with pessimistic diagnoses and failed treatments. Stumbling through her "party years" with Ritz-Carlton-like hospital stays and specialists looking at her in stupefaction, her optimism remains, but the chance for recovery from late stage Lyme disease dwindles.
Admittedly living a life of clichés such as "there are signs everywhere," "nothing is by chance," and "this too shall pass," her life takes a U-turn after one serendipitous meeting in Maui. She falls into a conversation with a woman who has just returned from India after receiving radical medical treatment. Amy's love affair with "signs" from the Universe is all she needs to propel her research about this treatment--and from there, the adventure begins.
Free spirited and fiercely driven, she takes a leap of faith and travels to Delhi, India for an experimental embryonic stem cell treatment. Unsure if she has been given the equivalent of a never-ending ladder in the game of Chutes and Ladders, or is making a medical mistake that will kill her, she dives in, never losing hold of her humor and hope.
From the time she steps foot in the magical country of vibrant colors and endless honking horns, she valiantly defends herself against "Eastern philosophical bullshit," and those suggesting she can think her way back to health. She instead focuses on her place as the first patient with Lyme disease to undergo this treatment and manages to keep her eye on the prize of surviving. She quickly discovers though, healing is much more than just physical. She'll not only need faith in the stem cells, but also a healthy dose of self-introspect and lessons in the art of 'letting go.'Â
This country where pedestrians risk their lives crossing the street, but cars stop for sacred cows, wraps her in its spirit and becomes her greatest teacher. Armed with her self-created motto, "when life kicks your ass, kick back," she embraces her challenges with gusto and never looks down, reminding herself it's simply, the wrong way.Â
Scher's adventures are encountered with a fresh perspective and childlike curiosity. Her experiences are both hilarious and heartbreaking - from the Ayurvedic treatment where she details listening to the sound of her own thighs slapping together on an oiled wooden table; to her Taj Mahal road trip where people are poverty-stricken and unclothed, but goats are wearing sweaters and jewels; to the agonizing doubt she manages to overthrow as she struggles with a degenerative disease where no standard treatment path is paved.Â
Years after Amy's return from India, she finds her healing journey is far from over. With as much courage and grace as she can muster, she heads off in a different direction--and discovers a part of herself that she never even knew was missing. Amy's no holds-barred attitude will inspire you to see the hidden signs in your own life and challenge your deepest beliefs about healing. Why do some people heal from emotional or physical issues, while others don't? Through extensive research and her own recovery experience, Amy finds the most important piece for her own healing-the impact of unprocessed negative emotions on our physical bodies.
This powerful and uplifting story of sheer determination is for anyone who believes in--or doubts--the existence of miracles and the infinite power of self-healing.
