My Enemy, My Friend Paperback - 2010

From the publisher

'My Enemy, My Friend is the touching and inspirational story of a broken girl in a wheelchair who found strength and comfort despite her life changing disability. Diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 2, Lauren's anger towards her disability drove her into a rapid downward spiral of self-destruction. Adolescence filled with broken promises and a suddenly deteriorating disease led her to borderline anorexia, depression, drugs and other tremendously traumatic experiences; Lauren recalls these experiences for the first time within this book. My Enemy, My Friend describes this tragic time in her life and how she found the strength and determination to live life on her terms...'

In this most honest and poignant account of a lifetime of illness spanning twenty-five years, the author explores unspoken subjects, such as the deep, underlying emotional issues that ensue through a physical illness and affect everyone close to the person with the illness, not just the person suffering physically. Lauren Vaknine talks openly about this issue and stresses the need for emotional support or counselling to be offered to families of children with chronic illnesses. In Lauren's case, her family had to find their own way, with no guidance whatsoever and here, she takes a deeper look into how this affected each of them, including herself, where she learns that it was the resentment towards her illness that led her to the darkest of times.

She also illustrates why homeopathy should no longer be considered 'the last resort'. From a wheelchair-bound eighteen year old taking conventional medication, to a healthy twenty-five year old on nothing but homeopathy and supplements, it raises a few very controversial questions; is it the 'placebo' effect and the belief that works or is there more to these time-honoured remedies than we give them credit for? And have Lauren's spiritual beliefs helped along the way at all? The author tries to understand why she is the only person in her situation with no joint deformities, joint replacements or organ damage. Is it a coincidence?

Whatever your views on spiritual growth and integrated medicine, one thing remains true, Lauren Vaknine's depiction of emotional and physical pain will make it hard for you to put down this book and any parent, child or person who has ever been ill, will be able to relate to the issues so honestly touched upon in this book.