Book Review: It's Nothing Personal by Kate O'Reilley

It's Nothing Personal

Author: Kate O'Reilley
Paperback: 386 pages
Publisher: Kate O'Reilley; 1 edition (January 18, 2013)
Amazon Link

Kindle Edition
File Size: 533 KB
Print Length: 387 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0988663317
Publisher: Quandary Publishing, LLC; 1 edition (January 14, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Link

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Kate O'Reilley. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

Situation: You badly needed a surgery because there is something wrong in you that needs to be corrected so you entered the operating room (OR), trusted your doctor and the hospital only to find out one illness is gone but somehow in the middle of the surgery process, you acquired a new life-long, deadly disease/infection. What would you do? 

In It's Nothing Personal (based on true events), one of Dr. Jenna Reiner's patients got infected by Hepatitis C after the surgery. It was actually a cosmetic surgery, a bust lift. Imagine, the girl only wanted to improve her appearance but she ended up having that life-long/deadly disease. The infection came from a used syringe infected with Hep C by one of the scrub technicians Dr. Reiner trusted. Apparently, this scrub technician is a druggie and she's addicted to Fentanyl. So before every surgery, the scrub technician steals Fentanyl in a syringe and then substitutes one used and infected with Hepatitis  C syringe filled with saline in the anesthesia cart. Dr. Reiner wouldn't know about the switch because both Fentanyl and saline look the same.  

Okay, let's talk about the trust issues (only one of the many issues discussed in the book). It's a fact, doctors trust staff in the OR, because doctors trust the hospital who hired the OR people. Even I trust those OR people not because I know them personally but because I trust my doctor and the hospital. Even after reading this, I can't decide on the trust issues. It's been three days since I started writing this and yet I still can't finish the review. Oh well, I am about to see my doctor (my OB doctor of 7 years) today for a yearly check-up and maybe I'll ask her something so I can finally stop thinking about this!

Back to the book, the story flowed smoothly. It's like being told by a friend or someone I knew so I just kept on flipping the pages. Every page is interesting at the same time frightening. The protocol for every operation was discussed and I was shocked that the hospital didn't have a clear cut rules on the safekeeping part. I'm not going to say who is at fault, readers of this book can decide for themselves. 

There were too many memorable LOL moments in the question and answer portion (deposition). The questions were mostly brutal but Dr. Reiner handled it pretty well, the answers were intellectually funny. I've worked in two law firms for 10 straight years but never had the chance to be in an actual hearing, only read the hearing transcripts and there are some amusing lines from the defendants like this one. The story has too many interesting facts like the first medical thriller (Morton's Fork) I've read the other month. I really liked Dr. Reiner and her husband. His undying love and support to her made me cry at times. The book did not disappoint. I'm sure your money is well-spent on this one.


About the book:

On a chilly January morning, anesthesiologist Dr. Jenna Reiner made her daily drive to St. Augustine Hospital, completely unaware that her life was about to change forever. One of the surgical technicians has been stealing syringes and infecting patients with hepatitis C. The battle against the thieving surgical technician was only the beginning. Jenna Reiner was about to begin the fight of her life -- the fight for her reputation, her pride, and her sanity. Beautifully composed, and inspired by true events, "It's Nothing Personal" is a riveting, suspenseful, and emotional thriller which chronicles the story of faith and fortitude when an innocent woman finds herself surrounded by corruption and greed.

About the author:

Kate O’Reilley is a physician, specializing in anesthesiology. In late 2009, Kate was thrust into a painful battle in a high-profile, medical malpractice suit. The calamity that ensued nearly destroyed Kate and her family. After the suit ended and the wounds started to heal, Kate was urged by close friends and co-workers to document her experiences. The words flowed, and It’s Nothing Personal was born from Kate’s journey through her temporary hell. Kate’s second book, In Good Hands, is a moving, gripping, and tragic story of an anesthesiologist who dispenses her own version of justice after being the innocent victim of a brutal crime. Kate currently resides in Colorado with her husband and their beautiful daughter.