Bitmo Sunday book review

Sunday Book Review – The Winding Road: A Journey of Survival by Miriam Hurdle #Cancer #Memoir

Published on by dgkaye

Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. Today I am thrilled to be sharing my review for Miriam Hurdle’s – The Winding Road: A Journey of Survival – surviving near fatal cancer. This book is both, a heartfelt and heart-wrenching journey, bravely told by Miriam, and miraculously she was gifted the opportunity to live. Not only is this book a tale of Miriam’s diagnosis and her physical fight for survival, but a testament to her diligence and being her own advocate to push through the medical system.

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Blurb:

In the summer of 2008, Miriam Hurdle was diagnosed with melanoma-an aggressive and invasive cancer in her internal organs. The survival rate before 2008 was low. Besides risking harsh treatments for a slim chance of survival, Miriam had hoops to jump through. By the time she received treatment at the beginning of 2009, her cancer had progressed from stage II to stage IV. It was a rough and uphill winding road. But alongside her was support and encouragement. Accompanied by the love of her family and community, this is Miriam’s journey of faith and miracle. It is a heartwarming story of resilience, courage, and the will to live.

My Five Star Review:

A courageous journey defying all odds, Miriam Hurdle is a true warrior woman.

Hurdle takes us through her journey of discovering an almost always fatal cancer. She’d already soldiered through several operations to remove fibroids and ultimately, a hysterectomy, when she thought she was moving on, only to be told they found a rare melanoma growing within her internal organs. It wasn’t enough what she’d already endured and her frightening future, but this woman fought all the way through the medical system just to get the experimental and low odds of life saving treatment she would need to live.

This book is a raw accounting with pure honesty and love, of the author’s journey and her unrelenting spirit to get the help she needed for just a chance to live longer. She fought the red tape of the system as her cancer was quickly progressing and her request for treatments remained in a pile of other requests, and her faith and love for her family and determination to live no matter how small the chances were of the horrid experimental treatments and their proposed side effects alone that could have killed her, did not deter her from.

Her story is not only about the journey through hell, but her thoughts and feelings as she approached each hurdle and roadblock along the way, as well as the financial burdens involved and finding willing and compassionate people in her field of teaching who aided in helping to fund her journey. Written with extreme courage and offering anyone hope to know that persistence is always worth it, despite the odds.

This book is not only about Miriam’s journey through cancer, but also, the importance of faith, family and community who came to the her aid and cheered her along, and the miracle that she is still here with us today.

©DGKaye 2023

117 thoughts on “Sunday Book Review – The Winding Road: A Journey of Survival by Miriam Hurdle #Cancer #Memoir”

    2. Thank you very much for your kind words, Cindy! Cancer is a common disease. A friend’s husband has just been diagnosed with tongue and throat cancer. Thank goodness the doctors moved fast. He’ll have many surgeries removing one-third of his tongue and the tissue graph will be from his arm. The throat surgery will be from his neck, the graph from his leg, and removed lymph nodes in two areas. After the surgeries, he’ll have the tube in his stomach for 8 months. I may send my book to his wife.

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  5. Thanks, Debby. It must have been difficult to read and review Miriam’s book in your case (and I think it will bring memories to many people, be it because of their personal circumstances or those of relatives and/or friends), but thanks for sharing this great review. I am sure many people will feel inspired by Miriam’s book and her courage, both, fighting the illness and the system, and also telling the story. Congratulations to Miriam and thanks to her as well.

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    1. Hi Olga. You are so right. It was a difficult read for sure, yet, I was so taken in by Miriam’s courage and fight I couldn’t put it down. This book is truly inspiring and offers hope to those struggling on the same journey. Thank you. ❤

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    2. Thank you very much for your kind words, Olga! One coordinator in my writing group got choked up when we critiqued each other’s writing chapter by chapter. She was reminded of what her husband went through, but she never talked about the details with people. Initially, I wanted to write and pass it on as a family legacy. This group encouraged me to share it with a larger audience.

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  7. I agree, this is a terrific book and you said it well: “Written with extreme courage and offering anyone hope to know that persistence is always worth it, despite the odds.” A perfect review of Miriam’s book.

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  9. Thank you so much for your beautiful, thoughtful, and insightful review, Deby. It’s my honor to be here on your lovely blog to share my journey with your readers. I’m grateful to have survived to tell my story to my family and friends and the people around me. I appreciated all you do to support this blogging community. ❤

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    1. Miriam, it was a beautiful book – although, the subject matter wasn’t. You not only expressed all your thoughts and emotions through your journey of roadblocks, yet you triumphed! Your book is full of hope and I know it will be inspirational for those especially on their own same journey. ❤

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  10. Reblogged this on The Showers of Blessings and commented:
    I’m humbled and honored that Debby Gies (D.G. Kaye) featured me on her blog and shared a thoughtful and insightful review of The Winding Road: Journey of Survival. She read my book with her heart and mind. She went along with me through my journey and felt what I felt every step of the way. What else could I ask for when a reader understood me? Please visit her blog to read this heartfelt review.

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    2. Thank you very much for your wonderful support and review, Jacqui! Is it getting hot in Southern CA yet? I missed the sunshine but enjoyed the shining faces of the grandkids.

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  16. I went through a range of emotions when reading about the challenges and Miriam’s ability to maintain her spirit throughout her journey. Thanks for highlighting her book. It deserves each of those five stars.

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  20. What a great review, Debby 🙂 This was such a powerful read, that took us to the darker side of life, but Miriams faith and strength left me with so much hope.

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    1. Thanks for dropping by Denise and leaving your thoughts on Miriam’s book. Absolutely it was a gut wrenching journey, but Miriam certainly knew how to fight for the light. ❤

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  21. I am so fortunate to have been able to keep prostate cancer at bay without the terrible treatments and suffering Miriam endured. Cancer is a horrible thing–only the treatment for it nears the agony. The one hopeful thing is that the death rate from the various types is declining with the advance of medical technology. Writing about and sharing one’s own victory over it is a wonderful act to provide hope to others.

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    1. Thanks so much John. Let us pray that medical advancements keep on improving. I think it’s important to share these journeys, especially for people going through the same because Miriam does offer hope. We all need inspiration in terrible times. No different than me searching out books and groups on grief because us survivors relate to what other survivors go through and to to find a path to healing. ❤

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      1. You’re right, Debby! Your voice on griefing will be valuable to many individuals and groups. Some people grieve but don’t know words to express it. Only when they recognize it, express it, and accept it, they can move on to their lives. The grieving cycle makes sense. ❤

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    2. Thank you so much for sharing your own experience, John. I appreciated your words very much. When I lost all the muscle mess and had a faint breath left, I cried myself to sleep many nights praying to get through it. It was a miracle I did.

      You’re right, the medical technology improves by leaps and bounds. It’s wonderful.

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    2. Debby writes wonderful reviews, Teri! She went through the journey with me every step of the way. I had a multitude of support around me, but in a sense, it was lonely in the darkest hours because only I could fight for my own life. I appreciate very much your reading my book. 🙂

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  24. Great review of a great book, Deb! I read it several months ago after we met in Portland. Her journey was much harder than mine was. She handled it like she handles life, with graciousness.

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      1. Warriors abound, don’t they? I enjoyed visiting. Sorry I don’t get around more often but I couldn’t let Miriam slide away without a comment. We moved again, and are in the middle of another remodeling project, plus the one in our Scottsdale condo so my blogging time has gone down to one post per week and as many visits as I can squeeze in each day.

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      1. We definitely will. I need to get to Portland more often. How are you liking it now that you are settling in? We should at least talk on the phone and get caught up!

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  26. What a wonderful review of Miriam’s book! I know it took courage to write about her journey, but not nearly as much courage as it took to walk the journey. Thank you for sharing, Debby, and best wishes to Miriam! I know her book will touch many lives!

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