Joseph [Paperback]

Joseph Stirt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1992

Life-death atmosphere of a child's premature birth.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Stirt, an anesthesiologist on the faculty at the University of Virginia, chronicles the anguishing first months of his daughter's life. Born prematurely in 1984, Caroline seemed to have no serious medical problems. But two days after her birth she developed neonatal enterocolitis (NEC), a serious and often fatal disease that strikes newborns. As their infant hovered between life and death, Stirt and his wife Judy, a nurse, were on the receiving end of the medical profession, experiencing the frustration and heartache of having little or no say about Caroline's painful treatment and ultimate quality of life. Written in diary form, Stirt's memoir includes doctors' and nurses' notes documenting his daughter's condition and eventual recovery. Although there is some medical jargon, it never stands in the way of the book's powerful emotional impact. 25,000 first printing.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: New Horizon Press; 1 edition (January 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882821113
• ISBN-13: 978-0882821115
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,671,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm the world's most popular blogging anesthesiologist -- and I do it on a treadmill (blog, not administer anesthesia -- at least not yet).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Other Side of the Coin, November 27, 2001

By 

Jen Rako (Charlottesville, Va.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joseph (Paperback)

For Joe Stirt, his daughter's struggle to survive the first few months of life forces him and his wife to view the hospital at which they work from the patient's point of view. For the reader, this book is a look into some of the true ins and outs of the medical profession. Foremost in all of this, however, is the stinging reality that their daughter's life, teetering on the brink of collapse, is not in their hands.

For anyone whose loved ones must pay the hospital a visit, this book is a must-read account of what strings one father and mother pull to try to save the life of their premature baby daughter. And for those familiar with the medical profession, this story is a humbling awakening to attitudes and practices of the medical profession from the patient's standpoint.

Stirt's flowing style and unfeigned suspense makes Baby impossible to put down. I recommend this book to all readers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Baby by Dr. Joseph Stirt, November 27, 1999

By 

CarySternick (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joseph (Paperback)

This book is a masterpiece. Dr. Stirt gives a wonderful portrayal of a parent with a critically ill child.His heartfelt comments interspersed with the medical record is a marvelous touch that I have never seen before. I only hope that someday he continues his writing career.