The Situation: A Radical Journey Thru Sisterhood (EPUB)

“The official FDNY response time to 9/11 was ?five seconds. ?Five seconds. That’s how long it took for FDNY, for NYPD, for Port Authority, EMS to respond to an urgent need from the public. ?Five seconds. Hundreds died in an instant. Thousands more poured in to continue to fight for their brothers and sisters.

The breathing problems started almost immediately and they were told they weren’t sick, they were crazy. And then, as the illnesses got worse, and things became more apparent, “?W?ell?,? okay, you’re sick?,? but it’s not from the pile.” And then when the science became irrefutable, “?O?kay, it’s the pile, but this is a New York issue. I don’t know if we have the money.”And I’m sorry if I sound angry and undiplomatic. But I’m angry, and you should be too, and they’re all angry as well and they have every justification to be that way…Your indifference cost these men and women their most valuable commodity: time. It’s the one thing they’re running out of.”
– Jon Stewart’s testimony before Congress

Jon Stewart’s testimony before Congress reminded America – in scathing terms – of their responsibility to 9/11 first responders, but the effects of that day spread to nearby residents as well. Carolyn Glasoe Bailey owned an art gallery in lower Manhattan, and years later in Los Angeles, she was diagnosed with brain cancer. Her doctors told her it was mostly likely due to her proximity to Ground Zero. When Jon Stewart took to CSPAN, it moved Lila Glasoe Francese, her sister, to finally release the book she wrote about Carolyn’s journey.

When Carolyn is diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer, Lila is unaware of the complexity of the diagnosis and unprepared for the devastating path to come. When she was told she had cancer, Carolyn opted into treatment, even knowing it might change her personality. At that time, Lila went to search for a book to help her understand what her sister was going through and what her family should expect. She couldn’t find anything to support her. So she wrote the book she needed at the time to support others in their own journey.

The Situation takes readers on an emotional and intense journey that explores the lifelong bond between siblings and the aching loss of deep relationship. Like When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi and Being Mortal by Atul Gawande, it deals intimately with the choices terminal patients face, and the effect of those choices on those who love them.