Tree Barking: A Memoir

by Nesta Rovina

As a home health therapist, Nesta Rovina has seen and heard it all: a stroke victim who learned to roll off her bed at night to avoid getting caught in the crossfire of rival gangs and drug dealers: a man who lived off grass and bugs for a week while fleeing his native Laos; a sixteen year-old gunshot victim who was left for dead by a man targeting prostitutes; a heroin addict who - when her left hand was amputated after becoming infected from frequent injections - began 'popping' on her right hand.
In telling their stories, Rovina's own story begins to emerge: her upbringing in South Africa, her family tragedy in Israel, her decision to become a health-care worker. Confronting Amerca's bruised and battered health-care system, she shows compassion and understanding for her housebound clients, many of whom - no matter their circumstances - carry on with faith, humor, and kindness

Genres: Medical

196 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Nesta Rovina was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. She received a degree from Rhodes University, in Grahamstown. During her eleven years in Israel, she spent eight years on Kibbutz Ein Dor and received a degree in occupational therapy in Jerusalem. Rovina has lived and worked in the Bay Area since 1980 and she completed her masters degree at John F. Kennedy University in Orinda. Her essays have been published locally and in England. She now works as an early intervention home health therapist."

Reviews

[manatee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I re-read this book recently because I remember loving it so much. I gave it to my sister and the other day I overheard her telling a guest at a holiday party how much she loved it and promising to save her a copy. I was still taken by the simplicity of the writing on the 2nd go round. I also find myself telling people about incidents in the book all the time.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!