"How do you explain to someone with a head injury the reason why he has to stay in hospital?"
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The Three Birds by Christine Russell Trafford Publishing
book review by C.D.
On March 19, 2007 while loading a truck, Derek Russell fell fifteen feet to the ground and sustained a traumatic head injury. For the next five weeks, he remained in the hospital undergoing a variety of tests, operations, treatments, and therapies in an effort to advance his recovery. In a lovingly detailed account, Christine Russell chronicles the anxious moments and agonizing days that followed in the aftermath of her husband's accident. Readers are quickly drawn into the daily routine of the author's life and bedside vigil, as she moves in a revolving door sequence between home and hospital. Russell's clear and concise writing lures us into the experience. With a blend of fear, frustration, humor, and hopeful expectation we follow Derek's progress. Along with Russell, we await word from doctors, listen for the food trolley at every meal, step from the room as nurses tend to Derek's needs, and soothe our souls with countless cups of tea.
Clearly this book is as much an odyssey about surviving against the odds, as it is a heartfelt love story. In an effort to help others facing similar circumstances, Russell emphasizes a positive attitude, faith, and the help and support of family and true friends as the key factors in getting thru such an ordeal. While The Three Birds may seem an unusual title for the overall premise of this story, the final pages bring to light an insightful revelation of its significance. Ultimately it proves a most fitting appellation, and its discovery makes Russell's intimate memoir an even more enjoyable and worthy read.