Major spoiler alerts, be warned

[altarflame]

So I'm just minding my own damned business, reading a totally innocent seeming book - a book about a knitting club in New York City that draws women from all different walks of life together every week. There's the yarn store owner and host, Georgia; her 12 year old daughter who makes the baked goods for the meetings; the old lady friend who invested in the start up capital; the college student who starts out cynical about knitting being something women controlled by the patriarchy do. Whatever. One woman is going to give single motherhood a go but hasn't told her parents yet, even though she's already 42.

So Georgia, main character woman? Her x shows up, the baby daddy, and they gradually get back together, and her old x best friend comes back around and says I'm sorry for betraying you, and there is plenty of totally innocent plot for me to enjoy without any ill effects.

When suddenly, 3/4 of the way through the fucking book, Georgia is diagnosed with Ovarian cancer that necessitates a total hysterectomy and a small bowel resection to get all the cancer out. The author of course has to vividly describe her drugged up and trying to act normal for her daughter, while in a haze of pain, and all the antibiotics and the struggle to act normal at home afterwards, and it's just shit.

So she's tolerating chemo well, the worst is over, the x moves in, the x-best friend is getting closer, the 42 year old single mom goes into labor, the book is almost done - and Georgia suddenly doubles over with ab cramping and it turns out she had a blockage from the surgery and she dies in the hospital with her daughter standing there.

Cue Tina sobbing on the soccer field, cursing the author of this book.

I just finished the stupid thing a few minutes ago as I nursed Jake. The now 13 year old daughter is moving on with the dad she's reunited with, the single mom's baby is keeping her up, the store is doing good with the old lady investor running it. The college student has abandoned her angst and is knitting with the rest of them now. There is a whole chapter that just says, "Everything was going well. Except that Georgia wasn't there."


I swear I am going to be a wreck for the next month because of this book. It's absolutely pathetic what it takes to have me squeezing Jake, praying thanks that it seems I'll be there for his 3rd birthday, and back to Square One with the whole tummy tuck idea - Square One being the "I will die if I ever get on an operating table again, if not before" square.

Comments

[julierocket.livejournal.com]

I got chills reading that. I hate when shit sneaks up unexpectedly. Jesus Christ, it's a book about KNITTING!

I'm sorry, babe. I know stuff like this is hard for you, and I completely understand that. <3

[lizziebennet.livejournal.com]

Oh Tina! I read that book and it seriously made me cry/made me mad, with none of the stuff you've gone through....

Don't know what to say, and I haven't been commenting here, but I can imagine how you might feel, having read the book, so I'm thinking of you.

[lizziebennet.livejournal.com]

Oops, meant to reply to the main entry...

[mommydama.livejournal.com]

Oh shit. And I'm the one that sort of got you to buy that book.

I'm so sorry. I had no idea what it was about. And...I'm never going to be able to read it now. And I'm going to go to bed praying for you and wake up in the middle of the night praying for you and....ugh.

I love you, Tina.

[sevenmicks.livejournal.com]

((HUGS))

I'm so sorry. I, too, recently read a book where the story mimicked something that happened in my life in an upsetting way. I hate it when that kind of thing happens with no warning.

[sevenmicks.livejournal.com]

Oh, *DUH*, Paige just pointed that out just above my comment. I should read the comments.

[altarflame.livejournal.com]

Would it do any good for me to remind you to try to work out your junk BEFORE you get into a relationship where it gets in the way - ? No, didn't think so :p


I actually really need to talk to you. I tried calling your old cell number the other day but I guess you aren't using it anymore.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_delphiki_/]

Books need trigger warnings.