Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

When was the last time I read a fiction book?
When was the last time I read and cried? (not including the snip it of the article in Borneo Post that made me "famous" instantly. That was tears of hatred and disappointment)


She did not write a story, Jodi Picoult wrote a beautiful story!

The issue is not something new. It happens everyday and actually is happening right now while i am writing this post. The question? - If when you are pregnant and found out that the baby inside you is not as "perfect" as you wish for, will you?
a) abort it?
b) keep it?

Next question:-
Will you do like what Charlotte O'Keffe did; in order to "protect" the daughter she loves the most, will go full throttle even though it may caused her being called a "bad" guy, lost her best friend and spouse?

What will you do, how will you react if you in Dr Piper Reece's shoes?

Jodi Picoult elaborated and explored each of the characters in a such wonderful way. It makes you caught up in the middle. No black and white where I can see gray in most area. Where is the morale? Where is humane? Where is when it is only strictly business?


Its about a family, Charlotte and Sean O'Keffe with their other daughter Amelia, struggled in their own world when Willow, a child with severe Osteogenesis Imperfecta was born.

Was it easy for Charlotte, the mother to witness her daughter's misery when she will break a femur even sitting hard on a chair? or when she sleeps, she might breaks 1-2ribs? What will you feel if you can't even touch your own baby because even holding her might hurt her, might break her fragile bone? What kind of mother who can hug her own child? How every fractures that Willow has caused her heart breaks into pieces.

Was it easy for Sean, the father to provide the essential care to Willow financially, emotionally? How many trips to emergency hospital they had so far? and how many more in the future? How about remodelling the house so that Willow can move around with her wheelchair? How about those multiple surgeries that she may need? More expenses means more time at work and less time with families. How can he cope as being a good father and a good husband?

Was it easy for Amelia, their teenage daughter who is in the age of needing attention but less given when priorities are given to her pity little sister. How this rebel turned her into something she herself hate.

With tremendous pressure from all edges and corners, Charlotte decided to become a "bad" guy, with her own interpretation of a "good" mother. Even though this will caused her to loose her own best friend, Dr Piper Reece.

Dr Piper Reece is a good ObGyn practitioner whom happened to be Charlotte's best friend. Who will not get surprised when your own best friend for more than 6years ended up suing you, ruining your life for her own benefit? She was sued by Charlotte for malpractice when she was unable to detect abnormality in her ultrasound at 18th week of pregnancy. Because if she had noticed it earlier, it might give Charlotte a chance to let go. But, will Charlotte do that if she finds out that her baby is not as perfect as she wish it would be? If Piper had given the information earlier, will it make any difference?

Ugly? That is life.

I put myself in Charlotte's shoes. Uncomfortable.
I am not a mother. Not yet.
But just having the idea of becoming a mother make me nervous and scared. It is simple. I am not ready to raise a human child yet, neither I have the courage to have one. Babies are cute and I love babies. But for my own, I am not ready. I can't even take care of myself, I can't even answer all the question about the world, how can I take care of a small human being and tell him/her about how the world works?
Looking at Charlotte's character, I am not surprise if my mother will do the same thing. Not the abortion part but the sue. My mother has the same quality as Charlotte's when it comes to the actions to protect the children and to make the best for them. Ibu will go berserk if we not performing good in school. She will put her ego and dignity down for our best interest. She will find a way to make sure we all do good in our life. Don't ever think of cheating on her if you have a bad exam result, she will know it before you do.
So, I can talk much about how Charlotte's feel because I am not a mother.

I put myself on Dr Piper's shoes. I feel regrets?
Lesson to learn.
1) Never treat your own family. Its the Ethic. That is what they say? But ironically what my bosses told me is, treat your patient like you treat your family members. Which one is which? Simple question but difficult to answer. When you best friend come to you, pregnant, will you perform a vaginal examination on her? If you ask me, i will say it depends. If she is OK with it, I won't mind. But it definitely going to be very awkward. But what if you have to decide for much bigger decision between life and death, between surgeries and other alternative therapy when the chances are very hazy and prognosis are guarded? Can you still act professionally when your love ones are dying and suffering in front of you? Will it ever be easy? I personally never experience such a dilemma before. But if it comes one day, I myself not sure how will I react.

2) We are not perfect either. Even as someone nearly perfect like Piper still cannot escape mistake. But mistake is not an excuse. Being a doctor is scary. I wish I should have known it earlier. Not only the expectations from your patient that you are worried about but your own expectations too. It becomes more and more challenging in every ways. The administration, the system, the level of knowledge, the client satisfaction, the skills all come into account. AND the part of the saying, " The eyes won't see what the brain doesn't know". That is why I carry alot of books when I'm oncall. My computer and internet must be around too. I may not know everything in the world and may forget a lot of things. But as long as I play it safe, my patient will be safe too.
Despite those ugliness in this field, there is sometimes a ray of lights that keeps you going on.

Again, who is right, who is wrong? No one is totally right or totally wrong.
If you ask me which side I was on?
Of course Dr Piper's.


This is the first time I read novel from Jodi Picoult, makes me want to read more from her.


I recommend you to read is as well.