‘The Corporation’ and ‘Laura Rise – Detained’

I am very glad to let you know that Ildiko has in her reading list my two latest books (non-fiction and fiction).

Written in The Stars

Work in Progress

(if you don't have a sniper's vision, find the excerpt below in English)

Every writer's dream is to make a living with writing. I'm modest. All I want is a little house in the Bahamas. So I'm working hard at my writing. And maybe so this little country will come closer to me.

Generally, writing inspirations seek me out when I'm busy with other things – sleeping, taking a walk, reading or showering. But there are some topics that strike me, and our encounter is so violent that I find it hard to think of anything else; and when this happens, I write as if possessed, as if I am struggling in the dark and searching for light or struggling for air. 

The engine, though, with these topics is always the same - the outrage. That's how ‘The Corporation’ came into being. The whole text is actually an outrage, and a call for others who feel the same to join me, with the aim of initiating the change.

Interacting with jobber-doctors (money-grubbers) and lackadaisical-doctors (bland, uncaring) served as inspiration for ‘Health Care Failures’, a non-fiction book about unpleasant experiences at the doctor's, about why it is important to ask for a second medical opinion and what to look out for when receiving a treatment plan.

The Argeș Magazine allowed me to publish an excerpt in its pages, for which I am particularly grateful (and special thanks go to Mrs. Simona Fusaru).

If you want to read the full issue (in Romanian), you can find it here. 

Below you can find the English translation of the excerpt that was published in the magazine:

Jobber-Doctors and Lackadaisical-Doctors

 

I’ve been living with the feeling of helplessness in dealing with doctors from various specialties over the last few years and if I could, I would have given anything to avoid the unpleasant experiences I have had. Talking to people, I discovered that I am not alone. That other people experience some things, as my dad would say, that boggles the mind. That others suffer too and feel terrified by their illness, terrified that they can no longer trust doctors and their advice. I have learned (from experience) or understood that it is better not to practice self-medication because then you can create even worse health problems. But in a world where there is this growing feeling that you are being ripped off or being treated just to pay good money, without any care for the patient or decency, how much trust can you put into doctors anymore?! In an increasingly ageing society in need of medical care, can we afford to lose faith in the health care system and hide the fact that some doctors are doing great harm, both to patients and to the health care domain?

I have been carrying this indignation with me for years and, unfortunately, it is growing, because around me doctors are no longer behaving as they should, but more like speculators or jobbers whose only aim is to build that villa with a swimming pool and not to give the best advice to patients. And in the end, the villa with the pool would not be a problem, except that it is already clear to me that they are not sparing their efforts only for themselves, but also for their future generations, and we patients are just good cows to milk.

A stinking and dangerous slime is spreading everywhere in medicine, and I am afraid we are all beginning to have the same reaction as we would regarding some corrupt politicians – they stole, but at least they did something for the community.

This book has as anti-heroes the doctors focused on making money, the jobber-doctors, and the blasé, uncaring doctors, namely the lackadaisical-doctors.

The heroes are the patients who have gone through more or less traumatic experiences and who have paid dearly and very dearly, i.e. at the expense of their health, for falling victim to the above categories of doctors, believing that they would consider the Hippocratic oath - which encompasses the moral duties of doctors in the exercise of their profession and which can be succinctly explained as Do no harm!.

……

 

Periodontitis

According to the statistics, 8 out of 10 Romanians suffer from periodontitis, being the sixth most common disease in Romania. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of cases of periodontitis in young people, although a few years ago this disease was only attributed to elderly people.

What is periodontitis?

Periodontitis is the inflammation of the tissue that supports and anchors the teeth. The disease is manifested through inflammation and infection of the gums, and in advanced cases, pus pockets can also develop, which destroy the gum tissue and affect the structure of the teeth, which begin to wobble and fall out. As there is often confusion between periodontitis and gingivitis, it is important to understand that gingivitis is a superficial inflammation of the gums that, left untreated, can lead to periodontitis.

There is an explosion of periodontal treatments, as well as naturopathic treatments, and here too, speculating on Romanians' fear and confidence that they can heal themselves, various miracle solutions are being promoted that can completely regenerate your gum tissue and solve advanced periodontitis. Of course, there are also marketing gimmicks. A simple Google search for herbal treatments led me to the product title tincture for periodontosis, but the product label clearly, albeit small, mentions tincture for gingivitis.

Another wonder-product I found is a gum-regenerating solution, but the product's English-language label claims that the solution is recommended to be used only after dental procedures (scaling, tooth extraction, etc.) for gum pain relief. So, scams go hand in hand everywhere, and if you are gullible or desperate enough, you try them all, sometimes causing more harm. I'm not discounting the importance of herbal treatments for certain mild conditions, but I understand that severe ones cannot be treated with hawthorn tea, for example.

We also learn about miracle solutions from TV commercials. For example, certain toothpastes that promise a cure, or in the case of periodontitis, this is impossible with just using toothpaste.

I was terribly amused by a dialogue from the Argentinian TV series "Envious", which I reproduce below.

Mom: She's beautiful now, but you'll see in some years that beauty doesn't last. You know, don't you?

Son: Mom, it's not about that.

Mom: Oh, but it is! You think everything stays in its place?! No. I'm telling you, everything goes down. All of it! You know what’s the only thing that goes up?! Gums!

 

Periodontal Flap Surgery

If we are talking about periodontitis that has already passed the incipient stage, dentists recommend periodontal flap surgery. This involves subgingival cleaning of dead tissue, tartar deposits and possibly pus pockets. Because this procedure is quite invasive, and the gums need time to heal afterwards, it is not recommended to do it too often, possibly every five years. But when money is at stake, what does the fragility of gum tissue matter?

 

Excerpt from ‘Health Care Failures’, a book about jobber-doctors and lackadaisical-doctors

In My Thoughts

 

Happy Easter!

The Man Who Forgot His Wife – John O’Farrell

I was delighted to discover his fabulous humor in "The Best A Man can Be", and since then I've made it a point to buy John O'Farrell's books with the confidence that comes from knowing that reading a book will give you exactly what you're looking for.

And it has. The pleasure of reading his books is masterfully underpinned by fine humor that can't help but put you in a good mood. "The Man Who Forgot His Wife" is just what the doctor ordered when you need a reminder to take things less seriously.

John O'Farrell's books should be in every reader's bookcase, for we all need to be reminded how important it is to laugh.

And now, a few excerpts.

 

“…

As the judge entered the room, I was struck by the fact that he was not wearing the traditional headpiece. ‘Oh, no wig!’ I heard myself blurt out. The judge heard and looked at me. Now I was suddenly worried that he was in fact wearing a toupee, and that saying ‘no wig’ might not have been the best way to get on his good side.

‘Divorce judges don’t wear wigs, Vaughn – it’s not Open Court,’ my lawyer whispered. And we both attempted a polite smile at the judge, but my willpower was not quite strong enough to hold eye contact with him and I glanced momentarily at the top of his lushly carpeted head.

… 

 

…

Maddy and I are on a train. It is before people have mobile phones, because no one is shouting, ‘I’m on a train!’

…

‘This is a passenger announcement … ‘ (Back then we are only ‘passengers’; it is before we are regraded as ‘customers’ so that we can be that much more indignant when we don’t get what we paid for).

…. 

 

…

‘Do I know what it’s like to lose my identity?’ she spat in disbelief. ‘Are you serious? Before I married you I was “Madeleine”. Not “Vaughn’s wife” or “Jamie’s mum” or “Dillie’s mum”. I existed in my own right as me. I was Maddy the photographer who earned her own money doing something she loved. But then suddenly there was no time for that and nobody wanted to talk to me about me any more. It was all, “What does your husband do?” And, “How old are your children” or, the double-whammy, “So will your kids go the school where your husband teaches” So do I know what it’s like to lose my identity? Yes, I do. Every bloody wife and mother has known that since the dawn of fucking time-’

…. 

“

Long May They Live!

First Impressions about My New Novel, Laura Rise – Detained

I jumped around the house filled of joy, while listening to the wonderful words Alexandra complimented my novel with.

You can watch starting with 14:35 (only in Romanian) by clicking here.

What’s your name?

I'm used to getting in trouble because of my last name, but the first name has never been a problem. Okay, I must admit, it happened once when someone insisted on calling me Iulia, mentioning that it's much easier than Emilia.

But it seems to get complicated with my first name, too. I was in a taxi and the driver asked me out of the blue.

‘But is your name really Emilia?’

‘Sorry?’

‘Is your name really Emilia?’

‘Yes, that's my first name. Yes.’

‘Oh, my name is Emanuel and I thought that maybe you didn't want to write your name as Emanuela and put Emilia, because it's easier.’

‘.... (or as a friend of mine would say, you can hear the crickets chirping!)’

About writing

 

Curiosities about my new novel ֦Laura Rise - Detainedʺ

You can read the script below, under the video.

Hello! I promised you some curiosities about my new novel ֦Laura Rise- Detainedʺ.

Every novel is an entity. It has its own story, but also curiosities, as is the case with this novel. Let me tell you some of them!

1. I didn't find out until after publication that there is a writer called Laura Rise. A dear friend asked me if I was inspired by her life. No!

2. The gorgeous cover 1 has the figure of a man and a woman, and this is harmoniously interwoven with what appears on cover number 4, the review written by a woman and one written by a man. It's a perfect circle, even by chance!

3. After I published the previous video explaining the motivation behind the writing of the novel, I also received compliments on the clothing chosen to match the novel's cover. That was also purely coincidental, but it's good to be fashionable. I am very curious to find out what curiosities you have discovered in my new novel, and if you'd like to find out more information or purchase a copy, please find the link in the first comment (https://www.bookworm.ro/product-page/laura-rise-detinuta-emilia-muller ).

A Recommendation from Friends

 

What does growing up look like

For a few years now I've noticed a change. Regarding colors. I stopped looking for or finding preferences for other colors. I still stick to yellows, emerald-greens and purples (mauves, for friends).

Instead, I'm very keen on fir trees. I delight in looking at them and have been itching to get them close. As much as I can. Actually, very little - with the help of a mug.

And delighting in this closeness, I sat and wondered if I had not reached maturity (there are some who are waiting for it, I still have reservations), if this certain steadfastness cannot be called that. What does maturity look like?

And I found the answer. When you order a mug, but you also buy another one, to keep it as a spare. You hide it somewhere good, so in case you break one, you can easily replace it. If that's not growing up, I don't know what is!

Review for 'The Corporation'

It's almost Friday, as the guys from the Morning Glory morning show say in order to lift up our spirits. If you're looking for a book to cheer you up and make you feel you're not alone, then 'The Corporation. Typologies and Survival Guide' is your pick.

Thank you so much, Alexandra, for your review!