Sarah Vallance

An Unflinchingly Honest Account of a Life

Sarah Vallance never felt afraid a day in her life. She approached living with a ferocity and confidence most men don't achieve.

Whether running a foot race, riding a bicycle or galloping on a horse, Sarah dove fearlessly into each activity without thought of pain or loss.

Until the time she was riding a horse, an untamed one at that, and pitched forward onto her head, hitting a rock and knocking her out cold.

Sarah's journey through the world of a person with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), begins with a frantic trip to the hospital. And almost ends several times before the age of fifty.

Prognosis is an emotionally brutal look at the suddenness with which the course of a life can change and the moments of sweetness that recovery bring.

Vallance writes brilliantly, drawing the reader into each painful realization, every stretch of paralyzing depression and pop-up panic attack. The bounteous beauty of this book is in the eternal hopeful nature of the human spirit.

Far beyond the solutions and conclusions of the medical establishment rise the courage and tenacity of one woman's resiliency. For sheer inspiration, Prognosis delivers and by next day air express. A five star book.… (more)

Minority Opinion...

I really, really wanted to like this book. Based on the blurb I expected a story about overcoming a devastating injury. What I read was a very long “woe is me” where the author blames her bad behavior on other people and her injury. I just don’t understand why she did not seek help earlier! Relying on newspaper IQ tests and Nintendo games to determine that you should end your life rather than suffer with dementia is just so silly! Ugh!! Also, there were so many gaps in the story and she is such an unreliable narrator that I had a hard time understanding how she went so long without work, but she was still able to buy houses and travel. She idolizes her father, but then mentions his abuse several times, but she tears her mother so poorly and then cannot understand why she has a distant relationship with her family. During the course of your life you seem to have the same issues with the way everyone treat you, at some point you need to take a look at the common denominator- you!
Bottom line, I don’t have much tolerance for people who throw the victim card down to explain every bad event in their life, especially if they absolutely refuse to take any initiative to heal themselves.… (more)