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https://theconversation.com/an-alternative-health-treatment-killed-hannahs-cousin-now-shes-on-a-mission-to-warn-others-286758>
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Review: Wormhole: My journey into the dark heart of alternative medicine by
Hannah McElhinney (Affirm Press)
Wormhole begins quickly. Hannah McElhinney’s cousin, who has travelled to
Malaysia for a medical treatment, has sepsis. She’s in a coma. One page later,
she’s dead. The pacing of the book’s opening matches the quick, often uncertain
feeling of experiencing a medical emergency with a loved one.
Then the book rewinds, revealing McElhinney’s relationship with her cousin
Lauren. Diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) around 16 and
fibromyalgia a year or so later, Lauren became convinced, in her early 30s, she
was suffering from chronic Lyme Disease.
The disease’s existence is hotly contested in Australia, despite many people
reporting symptoms. (Local ticks do not carry the bacterium responsible for
it.) Lauren, like many others in her situation, struggled to find the support
she needed from traditional medical systems in Australia.
The trip to Malaysia was not her first dip in the alternative medicine and
wellness pool. Over a single Christmas lunch, she had told McElhinney about poo
transplants, fermented foods and coffee enemas.
She also tried drinking bleach, among other things. While McElhinney unpacks
her cousin’s journey after her death, she discovers communities online that
have formed around trying to find answers for their Lyme Disease symptoms."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
