I am pleased to share with you news of the publication of my beloved partner’s book. Dorothy Stoneman wrote a dramatic and well-told story of our family’s journey preparing for and living through our daughter’s heart surgery when she was age five–how we engaged her in many decisions, navigated the medical system, handled our own emotional stress, and came through it all stronger and more connected as a family.

This happened 40 years ago. When Dorothy submitted an earlier draft to publishers years ago, they said that our parenting ways were too unconventional for the average reader, so she shelved it for decades. A few years ago, the pandemic swept the world, and Dorothy was diagnosed with and successfully treated for cancer (lymphoma), so the issues of life and death were front and center. So, we think the timelessness of this story is ripe for sharing. So far, friends who have read it have said “It’s gripping!” or “I couldn’t put it down!” or “Incredible story. I learned so much!”  This is not just for parents facing major medical treatments of their children, or for medical professionals caring for such children, but for anyone who loves a good story with lots of twists and turns that ends happily.