Whispers through the Fog: A Journey through a Brain Tumour: Acoustic Neuroma

by Amir Khesro

What if a single diagnosis changed everything you knew about your body, your identity — and even your voice?
Whispers Through the Fog is a raw and poetic memoir chronicling one man’s journey through an acoustic neuroma brain tumour. It is not a medical manual. It is a human story — of balance lost and found, silence that teaches, and love that holds steady through the fog.
Readers will find comfort, reflection, and hope in this deeply honest narrative. This book is living with invisible illnessCaregivers seeking understandingParents navigating fear while staying presentPeople “Will I ever feel like myself again?”Praise for the
“A brilliantly executed account — humbling, inspiring, and honest. I couldn’t put it down. The openness and humour made it deeply human, and the strength drawn from family and community shines through every page.”
— Andrea Wadeson, Acoustic Neuroma Specialist Nurse

“What makes this memoir so compelling is not just the gravity of what it describes, but the voice behind it gentle, insightful, and unflinchingly real. The author doesn't seek pity or glory; he simply tells the truth. And that truth stays with you”. — Adam, Editor and Brother

“I usually take weeks to get through nonfiction but I read this in one sitting. It was raw, real, and impossible to put down. A powerful memoir that doesn't try to be poetic, and yet is poetic in its honesty.” — Daman, Good Read Reviewer

If you have ever felt unseen in your illness — or feared you were no longer whole — this book will meet you gently and remind
You already are. Just differently.

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 12, 2025

About the author

Amir Khesro is a materials scientist turned storyteller whose journey began in a remote farming village and led to international research labs. After earning a PhD and building a career in science, a life-altering diagnosis of acoustic neuroma shifted his path inward. His memoir, Whispers from Fog, explores healing, resilience, and the power of questions when answers fall away. Now living in Stoke-on-Trent, Amir writes to bridge science and soul, offering stories for those navigating life’s uncertain terrain.

Reviews

[Sinan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m honored to have overlapped with Amir in Sheffield while I began my PhD in 2016, he was wrapping his up. Though our time together was brief, I vividly remember him as kind, intelligent, and genuinely social. Qualities that resonate deeply through his writing.

Whispers Through the Fog is his memoir chronicling life with an acoustic neuroma, a rare brain tumour, and his gradual rediscovery of resilience. Reading it was emotional; Amir’s voice speaks from uncertain, vulnerable moments, granting readers hope and clarity in the fog of illness.

This book is a lifeline for anyone feeling trapped physically, mentally, or emotionally. It’s a beacon for bedridden, depressed, or isolated individuals, offering not just insight but companionship on the path out of darkness. His scientific mind and storytelling warmth blend beautifully, making the medical feel deeply personal and the personal universally human.

I wholeheartedly recommend this memoir to anyone navigating illness, recovery, or even emotional hardship. Wishing Amir continued health and happiness. I’m sending all my support from Jordan.

[Megan Helmbrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have or have had an acoustic neuroma, I highly recommend this book. His story mirrors many of ours and provides comfort for all the emotional and physical impacts of this diagnosis.

[Dr Mati Ur Rehman Zakki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whispers Through the Fog is more than a memoir. It’s an intimate journey through uncertainty, pain, and resilience. Dr Amir Kherson writes about facing a brain tumour with a clarity that feels both vulnerable and strong. As a doctor, I found myself deeply moved by the way he describes the operating theatre; not just as a patient on the table, but as a son, a husband, a friend ; reminding us that illness never comes alone, it arrives with the weight of all our relationships. His reflections on the surgery, the prayers that carried him, and even the flashes of humor amidst fear, capture that fragile space between science and the human spirit. This book doesn’t just narrate a medical ordeal; it whispers hope through the fog of uncertainty, and leaves you quietly changed.

[Adam Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are memoirs that tell you what happened. And there are rare ones — like Whisper Through the Fog — that invite you into what it felt like. This book does not just document a medical condition (an acoustic neuroma); it captures what it is like to wake up one day and no longer trust your own body. To feel fog — not just in the mind, but in time, language, memory, and even love.

As Amir’s brother and editor, I came to this story with deep personal investment. But as a reader, I returned to it for something else: the quiet, profound questions it asks — the kind we don’t know how to voice until life stops us in our tracks.

This book is woven with questions — sometimes direct, sometimes implied — but always deeply human. Here are just some of the reflections Amir poses across his journey:
• What remains of me when I lose a sense that once defined my experience of the world?

• When the body stops cooperating, who continues on my behalf?

• Am I still a good father if I can’t lift my child, chase her, carry her to sleep?

• How do you explain a quiet illness to people who only notice loud ones?

• When my voice weakens, what speaks for me instead?

• Is silence a burden, or can it become a teacher?

• What if the recovery I long for never arrives — and this new version of myself is here to stay?

• If a tumour is benign, why does it still change everything?

• Can I trust joy again when my own body feels unreliable?

• What does healing look like if there’s no finish line?

And toward the end, when Amir turns his gaze toward others walking similar paths — patients, caregivers, readers — the questions become an offering:
• What do you need that you haven’t asked for?

• What is your body asking of you right now — and are you listening?

• Have you allowed yourself to grieve the version of you that’s no longer here?

• Do you know what questions to ask before you say yes to surgery?

• Who holds your fear when you’re busy holding everyone else’s hope?

• What would it look like to forgive your body for breaking down?

These aren’t rhetorical. They’re invitations.

The brilliance of Whisper Through the Fog is that it never pretends to answer all of them. Instead, Amir Khesro gives you a space to breathe with them, hold them gently, and walk alongside someone who knows what it’s like to rebuild your life — slowly, quietly — in the wake of a diagnosis.

Yes, the book is about acoustic neuroma — a tumour that took away the author’s hearing in one ear, blurred his balance, and stole his certainty. But it’s also about fatherhood, vulnerability, the guilt of needing care, and the quiet persistence of love. It’s a meditation on invisible illness, and how much strength it takes to show up daily in a world that only sees what’s visible.

This is a book for:

• Anyone navigating a medical condition that doesn’t scream for attention.

• Caregivers who feel invisible in their support roles.

• Parents trying to stay present while managing fear.

• Educators, immigrants, and professionals reconciling identity with limitation.

• And especially those who no longer feel like “themselves” — and are wondering if that’s okay.

If you have ever asked, “Will I ever be whole again?” — this book gently, tenderly replies:

You already are. Just differently.

Buy this book if you are looking for memoir that’s tender, intelligent, poetic, and deeply honest. It doesn’t just tell a story — it gives you the tools to begin your own reflection.

[Daman Nadeem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m usually drawn to fiction, and it often takes me a long time to get through non-fiction—especially memoirs. But I finished this book in two hours. Not because I had to, but because I couldn't stop reading. It was raw, heartfelt, and deeply human.
From start to finish, I felt everything the author described. His words painted vivid images and conveyed emotions with stunning honesty. What stood out most was the simplicity—it didn’t try to be poetic or overly polished. It didn’t need to be. The power of the book lies in its authenticity.
As someone who has gone through surgery myself, I could relate to the forgotten parts of recovery—the pain, the helplessness, the small daily victories. And it also reminded me of how the people around us suffer silently too. This book doesn’t just tell his story; it reflects all of ours in different ways.
What truly moved me was how courageously the author shared emotions most men are told to suppress—fear, anxiety, vulnerability. It made me think about my own family, my father, my grandfather… the things left unsaid.
Most of all, it gave me hope. The support he received—especially from his wife—was beautiful and inspiring. It reminded me that kindness and strength often come quietly, from unexpected places.
This book is not just for those who’ve faced illness—it’s for everyone. It’s about healing, resilience, love, and the power of human connection. I’ll carry this story with me for a long time.

Thank you to the author for having the courage to write it. You’ve created something truly important.