The Blink of an Eye by Rikke Schmidt Kjaergaard 616 Kja

      The subtitle of this book is 'a memoir of dying-and learning how to live again'.  It is a given that none of us know when we get up in the morning what is going to happen that day.  I guarantee that the most pessimistic among us could ever envision a scenario like that which happened to Kjærgaard.  

    A new year is dawning.  She is young, smart (a scientist) and blessed with a husband(Peter)  and kids.  The day is spent celebrating with family and friends.  During the day she was hit by chills.  By that night she has a high temperature and no amount of blankets can warm her up.   Eventually her husband calls a doctor who comes to the house (they live in Copenhagen) and pronounces that, like many people, she has the flu and gives Peter a prescription for Tamiflu.  She was unable to keep it down because she was vomiting and her fever rose.  Peter called the Dr.'s office as soon as it opened. The receptionist called the Dr. who came immediately.  It didn't take him long to summon an ambulance.  Shortly after they arrived Rikke's heart stopped and they began CPR. 

      She was given 5% chance of living.  Peter stayed by her side constantly. When she finally begins to come out of her coma she is basically trapped in her body.  She has no idea where she is or why she is there.  When Peter and the staff realize she is awake they have no way of knowing what is left in her brain.  The only way she can communicate is one blink for yes and two for no.  

     An amazing and miraculous memoir.