In this vulnerable memoir, a New York Times columnist recounts his five-year battle with a disease that officially doesn’t exist, probing the limits of modern medicine and the hidden truths revealed through suffering. In the summer of 2015, as he relocated his family to a picturesque Connecticut farmhouse, he fell victim to a mysterious illness that left him sleepless and in excruciating pain. After months of consultations, he learned he had chronic Lyme disease, a condition that devastates many lives yet lacks official recognition and a medically approved cure. His once-dreamy home became a prison, and his quest for help led him beyond conventional medicine into a realm filled with unconventional treatments and self-experimentation. Gradually, he came to understand that many labeled as "cranks" might actually be victims of an indifferent medical system, and that profound insights often lie beneath the surface of everyday life. This narrative explores the harsh realities of illness, the limitations of medical professionals, and the resilience discovered in adversity. It ultimately reveals that sickness, while devastating, can also teach appreciation for ordinary life, challenge established norms, and uncover inner strength and hope in the darkest times.
