This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Vernita Naylor for Readers' Favorite
Your health is important. Each one of us has various types of challenges whether it's losing or gaining weight or being genetically predisposed to various diseases or illnesses that tend to control our lives. In this humorous yet candid work, Welcome to the Zipper Club: Surviving Heart Surgery and Beyond, author Bruce Ballister gives us a blow by blow account of his journey in surviving heart surgery. He recommends that if you are in the position to become a part of "the zipper club," not to look at bypass or quadruple bypass surgery on YouTube for how the process goes because it can become unsettling. If Youtube does become your resource, he states that one must remember each medical facility is different and besides you want to be amongst the 98% that survives - looking at these YouTube images may not be so smart. Bruce not only gives definitions to many medical terms but 'a word of caution' is to hold on to your seat because the ride will be bumpy. But you will learn a lot about heart surgery.
I enjoyed Welcome to the Zipper Club due to the blow by blow account of how Bruce was not only able to survive heart surgery, given the pros and cons of the process but kept his wits about him through it all. Humor and laughter are good for the soul and help to heal and I'm sure that this contributed to his survival. The important thing that the author points out is that the whole process is contingent upon your pre-existing condition and the type of care that you receive at the hospital. And I found it fascinating to learn that there are 800,000 survivors that join "the zipper club" every year. Did you know that? This book is highly recommended and a must-have for any library.
