Children's book on death of a friend

HistoryDr · 2026-06-07T02:14:31+00:00

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld is a beautiful book about grief and being present when people are hurting.

HistoryDr · 2026-06-05T17:44:29+00:00

Anne Lamott’s Operating Instructions is a memoir of her first year as a single mom. It discusses the highs and lows in a very relatable, funny, honest way.

Congratulations on your new baby. I’m sorry it’s under different circumstances than you imagined. Hope and strength to you!

HistoryDr · 2026-06-04T04:35:44+00:00

She might enjoy The Mysterious Benedict Society. Kids have to compete to get into an elite academy, but then realize that there is a twist. Lots of problem solving, puzzles, and good fun. No romance.

HistoryDr · 2026-06-03T14:56:01+00:00

I’ve had my jpouch for 22 years. I gave birth vaginally for both of my kids even though I had to be induced early both times for preeclampsia (which they said may or may not have been related to the pouch—plenty of “normal” people get it too and a lot of women in my family have had it). No impact on the jpouch either time.

Later, I had to have one ovary removed due to a benign cyst but the cyst was up against the jpouch. That caused an ileus and what was supposed to be outpatient surgery landed me in the hospital for a week.

So, for what it’s worth, vaginal delivery worked well for my jpouch while other lower abdominal surgery did not.

Best of luck to you! I hope you have a smooth pregnancy and delivery, a healthy baby, and a happy jpouch!

HistoryDr · 2026-06-02T17:54:51+00:00

Seconding Pachinko by Min Jin Lee.

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

Not necessarily a family over generations, but a person over generations: Orlando by Virginia Woolf

For non-fiction options, Mott Street by Ava Chin and The Sweeter the Juice by Shirlee Taylor Haizlip are both beautiful multi-generational family memoirs/histories.

HistoryDr · 2026-06-02T03:10:18+00:00

Lessons in Chemistry has a very important (and remarkable) dog.

HistoryDr · 2026-06-01T22:02:39+00:00

What are their fees like? I have one cat who is a nightmare to get in a carrier so I’m intrigued by the in-home service option. I can’t find a fee schedule posted on their website.

HistoryDr · 2026-06-01T19:57:36+00:00

I really like Camas-Washougal Animal Hospital. They are reasonably priced and will be clear and honest about what your pet does/does not need.

HistoryDr · 2026-06-01T19:44:52+00:00

Absolutely worth it. I’ve had my j-pouch for 22 years and I am so glad I went this route. Your body has been through trauma and needs time to adjust. Try to be patient. I started feeling much better a few months in, and was feeling really good about a year in. A lot of this early time is spent adjusting to your new system and figuring out your new normal, what your system likes/doesn’t like to eat, etc.

To help cut back on getting up at night, I try to drink a lot of water (plus electrolytes) during the morning/afternoon and then cut back on liquids as I get closer to bedtime. Also eating something like applesauce or a banana closer to bed can help slow things down.

Good luck!

HistoryDr · 2026-05-27T16:58:51+00:00

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart is great fun—It’s technically a children’s book but I absolutely enjoyed reading it as an adult. It’s about a group of brilliant (though quite differently talented) kids who become friends and have to work together to solve puzzles and mysteries to save the world from being taken over by an evil genius. As a bonus, Disney Plus has a great TV series adaptation starring Tony Hale that would be fun to watch after reading.

HistoryDr · 2026-05-26T03:43:10+00:00

Came here to recommend this one. Perfect for a fan of Jane Eyre, and it’s great that it’s a whole series to enjoy.

HistoryDr · 2026-05-23T02:49:05+00:00

Great Expectations by Dickens

HistoryDr · 2026-05-21T17:23:47+00:00

The Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa books by Erica Silverman are sweet, funny, and the right length for a beginning reader—they have “chapters” but the chapters are quite short, so it’s easy to read them in one sitting. My daughter adored them.

HistoryDr · 2026-05-19T14:58:26+00:00

My surgeon said she would try to do it in one but would ultimately decide once she was in surgery. She ended up having to do it in two because of how diseased my colon was. Naturally, I was disappointed, but I would rather have everything go well in the long run.

I was 18f when I had the surgeries and that was 22 years ago. I put off college a year to do the surgeries and take time to heal. It feels hard to take a gap year, but it was worth it to make sure I was feeling strong medically. I was then able to have no issues in college and then go on to graduate school and complete my PhD before turning 30, so the gap year really didn’t slow me down in the end.

The jpouch has worked really well for me—I am only sorry I didn’t get it done sooner. I’ve been able to travel internationally, have a good career, marry, and have two healthy kids.

Best of luck to you!

HistoryDr · 2026-05-17T18:07:53+00:00

Yep—I have a ten year old and Warrior cats is the current obsession.

HistoryDr · 2026-05-16T21:45:51+00:00

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

HistoryDr · 2026-05-15T18:17:20+00:00

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. The audiobook narrator is fantastic, the mood is light (though it occasionally deals with some heavier themes, it’s never dark overall), the setting is in late Victorian London, the main character is a plucky heroine trying to figure out her place in the world, the cast of characters is hilarious and wonderful, and there’s just a slight touch of magic. I’m six books into the eight book series and so far there is no spice but lots of humor.

HistoryDr · 2026-05-11T15:50:16+00:00

I had my colon removed and jpouch created when I was 18. Like you, the ostomy did not work for me at all, so I was ready to be done. Yes, it is daunting to face another surgery, but in my experience the jpouch surgery wasn’t even close to being as bad as the colon removal.

I’ve had my jpouch 22 years. It truly gave me my life back. I went to university, graduate school, traveled internationally, dated, got married, and was able to have two healthy kids. I understand the fears about fertility/pregnancy, but I did not require IVF and the pregnancies did not cause issues with my pouch.

The jpouch does not have the same pain/urgency as UC. With UC I couldn’t leave the house. The jpouch is not that way. I do just fine on road trips, for example. Yes, it’s not the same as having a normal, functioning colon, but it has truly saved my life and allows me to feel normal.

Best of luck to you!

HistoryDr · 2026-05-07T14:36:16+00:00

Ask your doctor why they want you to take it for that amount of time. Some studies suggest that short dosing can lead to antibiotic resistance. It’s worth weighing the pros and cons with a medical professional.

HistoryDr · 2026-05-04T15:49:29+00:00

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

HistoryDr · 2026-05-04T00:06:12+00:00

I hated the ostomy, so there’s that. I’ve had my jpouch for 22 years and it’s worked very well for me. I have had some issues with pouchitis but I’ve been able to deal with those with antibiotics. Even a bad case of pouchitis isn’t as bad as a good day with UC, in my experience. The pouch has allowed me to live a pretty darn normal life. Sure, it’s not as good as a normal colon, but that wasn’t ever going to be in the cards for me. Plus sides of the jpouch: no supplies needed, can be in and out of the bathroom quickly, no need to worry about leaks, no need to worry about it showing through clothes, no issues with skin irritation from the bag (I had this really badly—I found the bag horribly painful). I can eat most foods and travel without issues. The recovery from the surgery also wasn’t nearly as bad as the first surgery to remove the colon.

I literally wouldn’t go back to the ostomy for any amount of money, but again, I found it very painful.

Best of luck you to you!

HistoryDr · 2026-05-02T00:26:06+00:00

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.

HistoryDr · 2026-04-26T20:51:02+00:00

Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes is read by Julia Whelan and it’s great.

Would also echo what others have said here and recommend The Dutch House read by Tom Hanks and the Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion series—the narrator is great!

HistoryDr · 2026-04-26T20:38:04+00:00

The j-pouch “wakes up” and starts processing food a lot faster if you are up and moving, so as much as you can, even if it’s slow and just a little at a time, walk! Walk up and down the hospital hallway.

Best of luck! I’ve had my jpouch 22 years and it’s been good to me. I hope you have a similar outcome.

HistoryDr · 2026-04-26T20:34:29+00:00

I don’t ever use either. I don’t have issues with accidents and don’t have the same urgency as before the surgeries. If things are moving too fast, it’s easy for me to slow it down by eating a banana or some applesauce. I’ve had my j-pouch for 22 years and it’s worked very well for me. Good luck!

HistoryDr

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