Aimee Mackovic almost died at least twice. The first time was as a three-year-old, choking on a Life Saver candy, until her mother helped expel it. The second time, as a 40-something English professor and poet, she suffered heart, liver and kidney failure, having just days to live.
Then, thanks to the immeasurable kindness of organ donors and extraordinary doctors and nurses, Aimee embarks on a life-saving journey where her family, friends and spiritual beliefs carry her through the physical and emotional trauma of surgeries.
Now, in her inspiring memoir, CONTAINS RECYCLED PARTS: My Triple Organ Transplant Journey and the Science of Gratitude, she writes:
A nurse asks me what my pain level is on a scale of one to ten and I thrust both of my hands and all my fingers out and mouth: TEN! My side feels like it has been devoured by a carnivorous beast and my now mangled entrails are on the outside. I mouth to my mom through sobs:
"Please get me morphine!"
Throughout this riveting memoir, Aimee recounts her extraordinary journey surviving a triple transplant-heart, liver, and kidney-narrating her harrowing experiences with humor, gratitude, and unwavering resilience.
All while she explores the gift of exceptional medical care, the loving support of her family and friends, and deep connections with organ donors and their families. Her inspiring story-which includes journal entries and Facebook posts that chronicle the experience in real time-weaves a rich and inspiring tapestry of science, gratitude, and a lighthearted spirit in the face of life's gravest challenges.
This book is a must-read for anyone facing a health crisis, as well as for anyone who loves an engaging, entertaining read that will make you laugh, cry, and cherish life with optimism, love and gratitude.
Industry Reviews
"This wonderful book is a remarkable autobiographic tale of the life of a modern heroin, detailing without self-adulation the extent of adaptation, bravery, humility, and utter love of life that allowed a young girl and then young woman, with the help of supporting family and friends as well as a whole hospital staff, to pursue 'normalcy,' to the point of requiring the transplantation of her heart, liver, and kidney ('recycled parts').
There is enough detail about her medical/biological limitations to allow non-medical readers to appreciate what she experienced as personal limitations, with important and pertinent insights into the medical care-related challenges facing a very sick patient, for whom the most 'expansive' of medical interventions was successfully undertaken. Her lows make you cry and want to run to her side to help, and her highs make you appreciate what modern medicine can actually achieve."
-Dr. Randall Vagelos
Heart Failure Cardiologist
Professor of Medicine
Stanford University
"Aimee's book is a testament to her strength and resilience-going through not one, but three, organ transplants. Chronicling the story that started with her unwelcomed heart condition at birth, the reader experiences the impact her journey has had on her and her family. Her writing style takes you on a fun and engaging ride through the heavy topic of her transplants and grueling recovery.
Contains Recycled Parts is a tale of persistence and grit that is relatable to anyone who has gone through a major life struggle, medical or otherwise."
-Kristy Sidlar
Author of Change of Heart
