Customer Reviews

Confessions of a Professional Hospital Patient: A Humorous First Person Account of How to Survive a Hospital Stay and Escape with Your Life, Dignity and a Sense of Humor

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For most of us, it takes little more than the mention of the phrase, "hospital stay," to set off a chain reaction of fear, anxiety and helplessness. Michael A. Weiss offers a perfect "how-to" survival guide cleverly disguised as a funny and often poignant memoir of a most amazing and inspiring battle against chronic illness and pain. Drawing from personal experience, Mr. Weiss prepares the reader for virtually every situation that a patient will encounter during a hospital stay. "Confessions of a Professional Hospital Patient," should be required reading not only for soon-to-be-patients, but for the medical professionals in whom they are about to place their trust.

I like reading books about health care and hospitals but I've never read a book about being a hospital patient so accurate and funny that I would recommend it to fellow health care professionals - until now. Mr. Weiss certainly has had his share of hospital hardships but he is even-handed in describing the experiences and provides such thought-provoking insights that even the most arrogant of physicians has to pay attention! I also appreciated the unique fashion in which he handles the nurse-physician and nurse-patient relationships. I can honestly say that while reading this book I learned a great deal about being a nurse - - and I learned all this from a patient! That in itself made this a very interesting and entertaining book - I only wish I had read it in nursing school!

This book takes an excellent look at life as a "medical" pateint.

It's view is open, honest, and overall very accurate. The author takes great pains to hide the names of those attached but it's clear that there is a serious problem with the way our chronically ill patients are treated.

The book is serious, humorous, and overall very informative.

I suggest this reading for anyone involved with the medical community

Who would expect a book on being a hospital patient to be laugh-out-loud funny? This book, by Michael A. Weiss, certainly is. Not only did I want to read to the end, but I learned more about hospital stays than I already knew (I wrote a book on it). The author's voice is a human one but not self pitying, even though he has a right to be. Weiss opens the door to managing a hospital stay with plenty of effective strategies on how to communicate with your doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff, how to gain attention for yourself as a patient in the hospital, something that is not always easy to do, and much more. He writes about how to deal with your health insurance and gives his first person account (he's an attorney) of how he did this. Examples of legal letters are provided in the book so if you have a problem, simply go to the Appendix and you'll find examples to help guide you through this process.
A great read and certainly an informative and helpful one. Highly recommended!

I read Michael A. Weiss' "Confessions of a Professional Hospital Patient" as a person with Crohn's disease and to research his experiences with the disease for my documentary I am filming.

I was impressed with the quality of writing given such a complicated and tricky subject to handle. At least in America, it seems as though one can only talk about digestive issues when trying to be funny around young people.

Luckily for Michael and the reader, he's a terrific storyteller. He manages to write about the life of a Crohn's patient with stories that make you laugh out loud one moment and then tear up with emotion the next. That happened to me on a few occasions.

There's also plenty of useful and practical information that I have taken to heart about preparing for a life of living with Crohn's, the resulting hospitalizations and bills.

In the end, Michael writes a book that is sincere in helping Crohn's patients survive mentally, physically and financially during their life long battle.

I have no complaints with the writing or book. The length was great for my tastes.

This is a well written book that has put a smile on my face.
As a person with crohns disease I can really relate with Mr. Weiss. I suggest this book to everyone who has IBD, has family with IBD and those who treat Patients with IBD. I can't wait for another one of his books.
L Homza

Being a Physical Medicine and Rehabiltation Specialist, I have treated thousands of hospitalized rehab patients who struggle with issues such as pain, fear, anxiety, loss of dignity and uncomfortable interactions with hospital staff and Michael Weiss discusses all of these in this comprehensive and compelling Book about "Being a Hospital Patient". As the Book is entertaining and easy to read, it is extremely helpful for anyone worried about these issues. The Book provides patients and family members with a "Patient Guide" of sorts and combined with Weiss's humorous style it will help relax patients and their families and make their hospital stay less anxiety-ridden- and thus more likely to be successful. While there is alot of incredibly useful information in the Book, I frequently laughed out loud while reading it as Weiss' anecdotes are hysterical and while I know those stories were likely difficult experiences for him- I found the Book heart-warming because he emphasized how he is able to laugh at these stories only because of the constant support he received from family and friends. Overall this Book is a valuable and entertaining Resource at a time when HEALTH CARE is in the national spotlight and needs this CLARITY OF INFORMATION. I highly recommend Weiss"s book to patients and colleagues!! Jonathan Tarrash MD

One would be hard-pressed to think of a topic less likely to make for an ENTERTAINING read than the chronicling of the strategies that an all-too-frequent hospital patient has found necessary to devise and employ in order to survive a hospital stay...actually - unfortunately - MANY hospital stays: nevertheless, "Confessions of a Professional Hospital Patient" was just that. Ultimately, of course, it's the quality and quantity and integrity of the information, advice and insight that author Michael Weiss provides that make this book invaluable, perhaps even a life-saver, whether you, a friend, or a loved one is on the giving or receiving end of medical treatment. He approaches a difficult subject with respect, humility, humor, compassion, a great deal of welcome (and critical) common sense, and what must be a helluva lot of painful honesty. It's all in the service of prepping a patient or patient-to-be (sooner or later aren't we all?!) both mentally and physically for every aspect of the often impersonal, anxiety-ridden hospital-going experience - as well as its often just as painful aftermath. I came away from reading "Confessions" a much better informed and enlightened "consumer," and that is essential no matter what goods or service one is buying.

I highly suggest to anyone who is going to be a patient,a family or friend of a patient.

With all that is going on in healthcare the author of this book, should be used as a consultant to fix the ills of our system. He has so much first hand experience at being a patient, and some how able to use humor to get through the trials and tribulations of the
hospital experience.

So before you step foot in the hospital, read this book, as it will help you get through your stay.

-G Brumer

Mr. Weiss' account of his experiences in hospitals is insightful and humerous. I'd highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a good laugh or as a gift for someone about to undergo a surgical procedure. During a time when one may be uptight or on edge, this book puts the reader's mind at ease, providing practical advice and a good laugh when it's needed the most!