Sandra Glahn - Informed Consent

Dr. Jeremy Cramer is a young doctor on the verge of a cutting-edge medical discovery. But his research is derailed when Cramer's son is infected with a rare fatal disease. Now as he races against time to save his child's life, Cramer will make a decision that could shatter his career.

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Jeremy Cramer is a third year resident in a hospital. His dream is to one day be able to unravel the secret why the chances of adult drowning victims are so small compared to children under the same circumstances. His drive is a personal matter because he lost his father when he was a small boy.
One day however, while working the emergency room, he accidentally bumps into a nurse that was just about to pick up a used needle that fell to the floor. She pricks herself and soon fells sick with HIV that progresses fast into AIDS and a constant stay in the hospital.
Ridden by shame and self-reproach he agrees to shift his research into the AIDS research to secure funding for what he thinks might be a possible treatment for both HIV and the drowning patients.
His success however is soon overshadowed by another accident he's blaming himself for:
His young son Jak wants to see the lab his father is working in and in a moment of distraction Jeremy doesn't look at what the boy does and the next moment he's got a used glove he took out of the contaminated bin in his mouth. Weeks go by with the boy being under close watch until he falls terribly ill.

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Informed Consent feels like a window that opens into a families daily life, letting the reader watch through their daily struggle, doubts, trust issues, love, self-reproach, hospital life and a lot more. With so much going on it is difficult to just keep the thoughts to the main plot.
I enjoyed the book very much and later thought a lot about the bigger issues mentioned in the book.

Sadly Jeremy's discovery is nothing more than fiction from an author who's lost friends with AIDS herself. But the idea is wonderful. She easily shatters the stereotype belief that HIV patients come from a certain social background, prolonging life and prolonging death.

Overall a fantastic fiction novel very thought provoking if the reader dares to peek behind the curtain.

Rating:
Visit Sandra Glahn.

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition (August 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1589191099
ISBN-13: 978-1589191099