Tenacity: A Memoir

by Jonathan Lessin

Tenacity is the true story of one man's courageous battle with Parkinson's disease. At the height of his career as a successful cardiac anesthesiologist, Jon is given a diagnosis that changes his perspective and alters the course of his life. Rather than be overcome by fear, Jon chooses to fight. His journey takes you from the wilds of the Arctic tundra to the heights of the Rocky Mountains as he learns to seize control of his life and his future.

116 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 11, 2015

About the author

An adventurer at heart, Jonathan Lessin was the cardiac anesthesiology residency director at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, as well as an assistant professor of anesthesiology at Georgetown University Medical School in Washington, D.C. He was the first recipient of the Lessin Award, given by the residents of the University for inspirational leadership in preoperative care. Jonathan was diagnosed with Parkinson's at age thirty-eight and received his Deep Brain Stimulator (DBS) at age forty-three. He became a cyclist and avid sportsman just to prove he could, despite his diagnosis. In 2012, several years after his diagnosis, he voluntarily stepped into retirement to pursue life fulfillment. Jonathan now finds happiness encouraging his fellow "Parkies" to attempt things they thought they could never do. He currently lives in Chevy Chase with his wife and two daughters. Tenacity is his first published work.

Reviews

[Maya Hillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars and not just because my uncle wrote it!