Introduction

“A world-changing book on health and wellness for this millennium”—Living Now Book Awards

Sometimes, in the blink of an eye, the unthinkable can happen; events in your life that cause you to ask: why me?

  Inspired, and inspiring, award-winning author Jane Enright’s extraordinary uplifting memoir of surviving three life-altering events in the span of a year, losing almost everything, and coming out the other side stronger, more resilient, and happier than ever before is compelling and thought-provoking. A feel-good story that everyone can relate to and learn from, Butter Side Up shows there can be happiness and joy after the unexpected—and a super awesome life, too.

Butter Side Up is the Winner of the 2022 Canadian Book Club Award for Best Book, Spirituality, Health & Wellness. Silver Medalist, Living Now Book Award for a World-Changing Book on Health & Wellness and an Eric Hoffer Award Finalist.

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Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

Why Does My Head Hurt So Much?

“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as great and sudden change.”

—MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

Everyone is so nice here. I can’t remember who anyone is, but you’re the nicest and the prettiest.” I’ve just arrived at the ICU step-down unit before morning rounds. I’m in room fourteen, the one closest to the nursing station, the one with a window. I smile warmly. “I was here yesterday. How are you feeling?” Mr. C was transferred from emergency and has been hospitalized for almost ten days. I take his hand. His arm is swollen and blue, hopefully from unsuccessful IV attempts and not sepsis. His blood pressure is stable but just barely. “I have such a headache. My head hurts so much. Why do I have such a headache?” He has kind, twinkly-blue eyes, a warm smile, and a PhD from a very prestigious business school. On top of that, he is a full-tenured professor and CEO of his own research firm.

Mr. C’s head hurts so much because he experienced two traumatic brain injuries within a forty-eight-hour period. Ten days ago, he was in a car accident, which, unbeknownst to him, caused a small bleed in the front temporal region of his brain when his head hit the steering wheel. Fourteen hours later, Mr. C fell backwards from a standing position onto the concrete cement floor in his garage. The fall caused his brain to ricochet to the left, then right, with severe bleeding on both sides. To add insult to injury, he also has a fractured skull just above his brainstem. Had that fracture been a millimeter to the left, Mr. C would be on a ventilator. Now, despite all this trauma, Mr. C is full of questions.

I look at the vitals monitor; his heart rate is still irregular, and he is hypertensive again. The doctor on call last night decided to suddenly cut Mr. C’s pain meds. With this type of injury, they don’t like to sedate a patient too much. The result is crushing headaches. “Are you a nurse?” Mr. C doesn’t know it yet, but today is going to be a tough day.

Quite frankly, if it were up to me right now, I would hand him a forty-ouncer of scotch and an Egg McMuffin for breakfast, and let the day happen. For a moment I ponder whether or not to spill the beans. After what seems like an eternity, I gently brush back his hair, stroke his stubbled cheek, and say, “No, I’m not a nurse. You’re Clayton, but sometimes I call you C. I’m Jane, but sometimes you call me J. We live together. We’re engaged. I’m your partner.

Sudden, unexpected change can occur rapidly, at any moment.

Dear friends and family,

I am writing to share that unfortunately; C has suffered a very serious head injury. Doctors think he may have suffered a seizure, which triggered a subsequent serious fall in the garage this morning. I found him semi-conscious and bleeding and called 911; he was taken by ambulance to hospital. He has a fractured skull and a significant bleed in his brain, which may require surgery to fix.

We don’t know exactly what happened because he can’t tell us. He is non-verbal and altered, and there is significant damage to the car, which cannot be explained. It suggests he may have had a car accident sometime beforehand. He is on anti-seizure meds and is being closely monitored by the neurology team. He is receiving excellent care, and the nurses and doctors are fantastic. He will be given a number of CT scans to monitor any changes.

We will know better how things will shape up over the next few days and if he requires surgery. Please forgive my email rather than a call. It is a very emotional time, and I thought this would be the best way to reach out to everyone who cares about C to let you know what has happened. Please keep us in your prayers, and I promise to provide updates as I receive them.

Love to all . . . Jane view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

From the author:

What was your initial reaction to Butter Side Up?

Share a quote or passage from Butter Side Up? Why did this quote or passage stand out and why was it meaningful to you?

If you were making a movie of Butter Side Up, who would you cast and in what roles?

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