Notes Left Behind [Hardcover]

Brooke Desserich (Author), Keith Desserich (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2009

This is the true story of a six-year-old girl named Elena and her battle against brain cancer. In her last days she showed a community how to love and how to live. Written through the eyes of her parents, Brooke and Keith Desserich, as a remembrance to Elena's younger sister, Elena's story is one of humility and inspiration as she lives each day, one day at a time. In her short time she painted a masterpiece that would hang in an art museum, she accomplished a truly spectacular series of wishes that she alone created, and she inspired a cause that today helps children everywhere in their fight against brain cancer.

In Notes Left Behind Elena's parents struggle to negotiate their contradictory impulses to both fight Elena's cancer at all costs and to realize the inevitable outcome that awaits their daughter. The journal is candid and sincere in its treatment of deeply personal and tragic events and is a reminder to parents everywhere to appreciate and savor every precious moment they have with their own children.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A Cincinnati couple bravely and lovingly recorded the last months of their six-year-old daughter's life after she was handed the devastating prognosis of terminal brain cancer. A trip to the doctor's office to treat Elena's strep throat resulted in an MRI that revealed a large tumor lodged within the walls of Elena's brain stem—in the worst place with one of the worst tumors out there. The kindergartener, who also had a younger sister, Grace, was given three to six months to live. A miracle was what the family hoped for, traveling to Memphis for six weeks of an experimental treatment involving intensive radiation, chemotherapy and tests; already Elena's speech, mobility and ability to eat had been affected, symptoms of the tumor's progression that would recede and recur over the next several months. The parents kept this diary from November 29, the beginning of their daughter's treatment, until her death August 11, Day 256, written in alternating POVs (mostly Keith's; Brooke's is rendered in italics), even recording some of Elena's own musings, such as that all she wanted was to be normal. The parents remained resolute in her treatment, even upbeat despite the anger Keith felt at the unfairness of this disease. Instead of planning their daughter's future, the Desseriches sadly found themselves counting [her] days. This heartbreakingly forthright journal helped the authors push back that second-worst day—when the memory of their daughter would be forgotten. (Nov.)
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Review

“This is a stunning story that teaches us how precious children, family, and life are, and that the sacrifices we make are worth it. I won’t forget the Desserich family, and neither will you.” (James Patterson, bestselling author )

“Elena has left behind a story of resilience, hope and most of all, love. We can’t help but take her into our hearts, and carry the best of her into our own lives.” (Jeffrey Zaslow, coauthor, The Last Lecture )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (October 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061886394
• ISBN-13: 978-0061886393
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #528,552 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Very Sad but Poignant Story - Not just for Parents., October 3, 2009

By 

mom2sarah... (Windy City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Notes Left Behind (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Sadly, this is a true story of a sweet little girl, Elena Desserich, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the tender age of 5. Her parents, Brooke and Keith Desserich wanted to document the next 135 days for their younger daughter Grace as she was too young to really understand what was going on at the time. They published it on the web for their family to read but soon thousands of strangers were writing them, expressing their sympathy. Keith, the father, is a natural writer and did most of the chronicling. It is unfortunate that they had to learn some valuable life lessons in such a hard, cruel way but I am thankful that they have decided to share the wisdom they have gained with us : "We all waste our time and our lives when we should aspire to do more. What we all wouldn't do for just one more day when it comes to an end. The loss of a child represents every lesson we should learn and every moment we should cherish. But instead, we follow the foolish, ignore the clock and cry victim when consequences fall. Yet these children get no such warning. Elena was never foolish, never ignored the clock, and she is in batter for her life. She becomes a lesson for us all." It is no surprised that I shed many a tears reading this beautifully written journal. No parent should have to bear the pain that Elena's parents were forced to bear. We, not just parents, but as human beings, often take life for granted. Reading this book will help you to realize that every moment, even if you are having a bad day, is a GIFT and should be cherished. It will help you to slow down, look around, and if you have children, to see them, not as a duty, but as a gift to be cherished every single moment of the day.

I do want to address the "spiritual" aspect that another review mentioned. I, too, am a Christian but found it "truthful" and "honest" for Keith to admit that he does not and never will understand why this happened to his daughter. And I don't think it is fair of us, blessed with our healthy children, to tell him to go seek a spirtual answer. This is his story and as such, his feelings are valid and don't need to be further explained to us.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Memoir of how childhood cancer devastated a family, September 18, 2009

By 

Clementine Dare "Clementine" (Gilbert, Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Notes Left Behind (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

This book is written in the form of a diary alternating voices between a mother and a father as they progress through the treatment and ultimate loss of their daughter to an aggressive form of brain cancer.

I read this book in two days, it's very sad of course. I cried throughout the book. I felt like the parents made great efforts to include the exhaustion and the small details of how they kept their family together. They describe what it is like to make repeated trips to the hospital, the facilities and support they encountered as parents, the challenges of parenting their two girls during this soul-crushing time.

Why would you want to read this book? Well, hopefully you would only read it to help you remember how precious life is, or to get motivated to fight pediatric cancer or just to learn more about their charming daughters Elena and Gracie. This book can help you understand what a child suffering from cancer needs to live her life with dignity and a sense of being a child.

Brooke and Keith Desserich emphasize the shift in their awareness from the ordinary to the extraordinary in the days after the diagnosis. How reading the biggest bedtime story and playing with their children and enjoying every second moved to the forefront of their consciousness. So many parents are guilty of letting the drudgery of parenting interfere with the joy of childhood. This book will definitely help you keep your perspective where it should be, if you are lucky enough to be blessed with health and an intact family.

I think this was a wonderful book and I hope it brings a comfort to the Desserich's to know that I fell in love with both of their little girls too. I'm sorry for the loss of Elena. She deserved to live a full life and it sounds like she was brave and amazing.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreaking, Enlightening, and Inspiring Story..., September 23, 2009

By 

Kat "kttykat16" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Notes Left Behind (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

When writing a book review, I often write about the strengths and weaknesses of the author's message; how the story is unraveled, how the events are depicted, and how neatly everything is tied together in the end. With Notes Left Behind, I don't feel as if I could review this book as if it were a book...I felt as if I had picked up someone's journal and sneaked a peek without permission. Some events were told without necessary background information. The story ended abruptly without any real epilogue. It was evident what was going to happen at the end of the story.

This is what made Notes Left Behind so brilliant. Keith Desserich's account of the final months of his daughter Elena's life was inspiring. It wasn't a book documenting the decline of Elena as much as it was a celebration of her life. Desserich's intimate writing will leave you with an appreciation for how little time even the healthiest of people have on this planet and how we need to enjoy our loved ones' company and make the most of each day. This is a tragic story but wonderfully written by parents that felt the need to share their daughter's inspiration, strength and love. No one can read this story and not be changed.

My heart goes out to the Desserich family - this is a book that every parent should read. Highly, highly recommended.