When Breath Becomes Air Audiobook [Free Download by Trial]

When Breath Becomes Air

The readers can download When Breath Becomes Air Audiobook for free via Audible Free Trial.

Summary

When Breath Becomes Air Audiobook by Paul Kalanithi, Abraham Verghese-Foreward is a memoir of Kalanithi. The book was written when he was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. The book was published ten months after his death in the year 2016. It has a foreword by Dr. Abraham Verghese and an epilogue by his wife Lucy.

In the last year of his neurosurgical residency at Stanford University, Dr. Paul Kalanithi starts experiencing negative health issues like weight loss, chest pain etc. He confides these symptoms to his wife Lucy and together they decide to go for a medical checkup. The CT scan shows organ systems being compromised due to cancer. They search for best possible medical help and decide to begin the treatment with Dr. Emma Hayward. Paul is helped by his family to make the transition from being a doctor to a patient. Paula and Lucy visit a sperm bank and decide to have a child.

With the ongoing treatment, the symptoms reduce and Paul starts feeling healthy again. The new CT scans showed reduced tumors in his lungs. Paul starts his profession as a surgeon again. Paul and Lucy have a baby due later. Slowly, however, Paul’s health starts worsening again. After few months after his last CT scan, Paul takes another CT scan which shows a big tumor in his right lung. This comes as a disappointment to him and Lucy, but instead of breaking down, they look for medical options. Paul starts undergoing chemotherapy. His body does not respond well to the chemotherapy and his health worsens further. With his body failing to respond to chemotherapy Paul does not have much hope left and is even given a timeline for survival by his doctor.

Review

When Breath Becomes Air Audiobook by Paul Kalanithi, Abraham Verghese-Foreward is a remarkable story of a man struggling with cancer and documenting them in his memoir. The book was a New York Times Best Seller for more than 51 weeks. The book is an honest and heart-wrenching reflection on the life of Paul Kalanithi and his life journey while battling cancer. The readers become attached with Paul Kalanithi and experience his life and the pain which he and his family go through in the ordeal. This is a must-read book for all categories of readers.