Incurable Optimist: Living with Illness and Chronic Hope
Channel: Jennifer Cramer-Miller
Date: 2023-08-01

JENNIFER CRAMER-MILLER was a twenty-two-year old with a promising job, charming boyfriend, and cozy Seattle apartment. Then she was diagnosed with an incurable autoimmune disease, and suddenly, rather than planning for a bright future, she found herself soaking a hospital pillow with tears.

That day, Cramer-Miller crossed over from wellness to chronic illness; from thriving to kidney failure. Her chances of survival hinged upon expert doctors, selfless strangers, and benevolent loved ones—how do you let go of the life you've planned and accept the one you've been given?

Spanning two-plus decades and four kidney transplants, this family love story explores the tightrope of uncertainty, the will to survive, and the determination to find joy.

". . . a knockout memoir . . . "openhearted. . . . "There's plenty of wisdom in these pages."  —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review

"This book is an inspiration." —DELIA EPHRON, author of Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life

"Incurable Optimist reminds us of the incredible power of positivity, hope, and never giving up. . . . readers will be moved to find a path forward and embrace each and every day." —JESSIE DIGGINS, Olympic gold medalist and author of Brave Enough.