Curveball: When Life Throws You a Brain Tumor Paperback 2007

by Liz Holzemer

Life seemed idyllic for thirty-two-year-old Liz Holzemer. Wife of Major League Baseball pitcher Mark Holzemer, Liz was enjoying a successful career as a journalist when an MRI revealed a baseball-size brain tumor she soon found out was called meningioma. Told with clarity and unwavering humor, this book is an inspirational and informative account of one woman's battle for her life. It shows how she emerged from this frightening diagnosis and two brain surgeries retaining her remarkable spirit of survival and renewed sense of purpose and hope. With practical information about meningioma and brain surgery, Curveball is a manual for people who face life-altering challenges and is also proof that one need not fight such battles alone.

Genres: Memoir, Medical

Unknown Binding

First published April 1, 2007

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about what's "normal" after brain surgery. I think this book would be helpful to anyone who's dealing with a brain tumor, either personally or as a caregiver. It's hopeful...

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

So happy to say that reading this book constituted a major milestone for me - the first book I've been able to complete since my own brain surgery. The book is simple, short and to the point, with some inspirational baseball quotes thrown in for good measure. It served it's purpose for me - it gave me insight into her story, let me know how meningioma mommas got started and reinforced that there is a community of people who have had similar experiences and that most of my challenges, issues, thoughts and feelings were not unique.
Grateful she is doing well, grateful to meningioma mommas, grateful a portion of the proceeds from this book supports that group and research into meningiomas and grateful to be on the mend myself. That said, if I didn't have one or know someone who did, I am not sure how interesting or relevant I would have found the memoir.

[Sandra Shanti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was diagnosed with a meningioma January 2012. I went into a tailspin of emotions and started to plan my demise. After the longest 2 weeks of my life I found out that unless the tumor grows it stays in. Or as my Neurosurgeon said, "You're young, get on with your life. This is an incidental finding. But if you have a seizure of lose motor skills on the left side of your body come right into hospital and we will perform brain surgery." Really...really.
This book gave me info, support and a survivors story for reference and grounded me back to earth.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, I'm happy to know that I am not alone. I've had two surgeries to remove two separate meningioma tumors. Until I was diagnosed I never realized how many people have been affected by brain tumors.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad that Liz Holzemer wrote this book. She is an inspiration. I read this book after I was released from hospital after brain surgery to remove my meningioma. This book should be mandatory reading for anyone afflicted with this condition and all that are close to them.

[Sary Fairchild · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story of brain tumor survival. I'd recommend it to anyone else currently struggling with this.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, it made me realize I was not alone in this journey! A great support in my own meningioma recovery.

[Claire Snyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me realize that the recovery after brain surgery takes time and that being diagnosed with a benign brain tumor can be a tumultuous time. I bought this book after I had brain surgery for my benign brain tumour. I wish I had found it after I was diagnosed, which was two years prior to my surgery. The sheer honesty of her words, with a sense of humour as well, described the journey from diagnosis to surgery to recovery in a way that allowed me as a survivor to know that my journey was OK - I was on the right track - I just needed to keep at it! Thanks Liz for putting your experience down in a place that gives other individuals going through the same experience a glimpse of hope and also such great resources at the same time. A great read!

[Gleenobly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Curveball: When Life Throws You a Brain Tumor and I loved it! I feel like I won the jackpot by finding this book because Liz covers topics that resonate so much with me being a meningioma brain tumor survivor myself, such as how to handle the emotional side of medical issues, specifics about meningiomas, and infertility. The research I have done and other brain tumor books I have read don't usually touch on all three topics at once. I was happy that Liz did just that and more. Thank you, Liz, for bring brave to share your story in a manner that is humorous and relatable. I also appreciated the information and resources you provided at the end of your book. Here's to friendship, laughter, and survival!
Cheers, Gleenobly Butterworth

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never would have picked this book up if it weren't a book club selection. It is a very well written account of a brave woman's journey through a brain tumor. It's written with humor and emotion and realism and I loved it. She lives in Colorado and is a contributor to local publications, so I will seek out her writing because I love her style.

[Denise O'Brien-Peterson]

I enjoyed reading this book. It was my first read post brain surgery, and it provided another perspective and confirmation that my experience with a brain tumor was somewhat similar to Liz's. Easy read!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have a brain tumor or know someone who has a brain tumor this is a good read. It helped me to understand better what my Father went through when he had his meningioma (brain tumor in lining of brain) removed.

[Stuart Gilkison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. Liz gives the reader an honest and authentic look into her journey.

[Andy Wiesendanger]

Reviewed before 2012:

"The story of a woman who deals with the news she has a brain tumor: mengingioma (sp?). She had a successful operation, and really has no lingering effects, at least at the time of the book. She did have some leaking from her brain tho, and had a 2nd operation a year after the first.

Overall, its a great story, but written in a boring way, for me at least. Her humor didn't strike me as funny, and the writing as basically what her life was/is like. Except for the brain surgery, nothing much to write about. I think it would be a great book for someone who just heard the news they, or someone close to them, has a brain tumor, as she talks about the things that you normally don't hear about, like what life is like after such a surgery. But if neither of those apply, I don't think it would interest you much."

[Ronald Barba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meh. That's all.