UNCERTAIN TOMORROWS

Three of Miriam's siblings were affected by Fanconi Anemia (FA). One died when she was very young, two of them passed away when she was in high school. FA is a genetic disease that causes victims to develop cancer and bone marrow failure. Many of them also have congenital abnormalities of the limbs such as missing or extra fingers, endocrine problems, and sometimes learning disabilities. The narrative is brutally honest, sometimes chronicling Miriam's adolescence at its most self-absorbed, sometimes depicting her heroic stretching past her limitations to become 'the nice person' she wants to be. The author mentions that she wrote this memoir for her parents. And truly, they exhibit incredible reservoirs of strength and emuna, as they struggle through the suffering and eventual deaths of three children. Even more eye opening is how, in the midst of all this darkness, they also remarkably parent their 'normal' teen as well. You'll need tissues for this one and one pack just won't do. This is not an easy read, but it will linger in your thoughts long after you close the last page.