Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

Haematemesis is an autobiography written by Henry G. Sheppard. In 2007, Henry Sheppard is told by an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist that his illness is all in his head and that he should seek out psychiatric help. Two weeks later, Henry is diagnosed with leukemia and undergoes a barrage of tests and scans, all while wearing various ill-fitting gowns which create a full moon each time he wears one. At the end of chemotherapy, Henry is given the wonderful news that he is in remission. Eight years later, his symptoms return with a vengeance and Henry vows to never again go through the horrors of chemotherapy, citing the reason that he didn’t enjoy it the last time. After fully befuddling the doctors with his reasoning, Henry finds himself, once again, undergoing a barrage of tests, biopsies and scans, filling the hospital with countless additional moons due to more ill-fitting gowns. Regardless of the gown inadequacies and odd hiccups in administrative areas (resulting in accidental appointment cancellations), however, the medical staff are thorough in their investigations and treatment of Henry’s illness, instilling within him an incredible trust of the staff who'd had the health and well-being of the patient as their top priority at all times.

While many of the events are traumatic, the story which Henry Sheppard presents is blended with humorous puns and anecdotes of the detailed processes involved during different testing and treatment phases inside a hospital, whilst referring to each of the medical and administrative staff by easily identifiable nicknames. After being dismissed as insane by the first specialist Henry had been referred to – something which I have personally gone through myself – further investigations revealed that his illness was not a phantom one and required urgent medical intervention. Henry Sheppard was determined not to become jaded, and chose to put his life in the hands of those who did take him seriously so that he might possibly, some day, return to full health.

I had never heard of Haematemesis before as a diagnosis, but am grateful to have had the pleasure of reading about Henry’s journey, from the first page to the last, while having the difficult procedures explained in an easy-to-understand fashion. Although his experiences brought up many unpleasant memories of my own, Henry Sheppard’s wit, carefully injected into the events that took place, gave an untold lightness from within, showing the author’s true inner strength. The additional medical advice to readers about blood loss is an invaluable addition to Henry Sheppard’s recovery journey. I very much enjoyed reading Haematemesis, and recommend it to readers who are about to undergo their own hospital journey or have somebody in their lives who needs support and understanding as they go through their own.