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One afternoon in late 2003, Lynne Melcombe attended a parent-teacher meeting at her daughter’s high school and tried to sit in a chair opposite the teacher. That simple, random choice changed her life.
Doctors told her she should be fine in a few days. Months later, she still was not fine. Self-employed, she had no choice but to continue working as much as she could through almost unbearable pain. Over the next several years, she tried every medical and alternative approach available to get back to her normal life. She learned more than most people ever know about why some people recover from concussion quickly while others never fully recover, how acute pain evolves into chronic pain, how chronic pain spawns depression, and any vision tests should play a much larger role in diagnostics. The denial of her insurance claim led to pursue a personal injury lawsuit, which at times was almost absurdly surreal. And she tried to understand the long-term impacts not only on herself, but her family and friends.
Praise for No Such Thing:
“With devastating detail, No Such Thing shows the enormous damage a single concussion can cause, be it from a simple fall, a common car accident, or (as in my case) a few seconds of street violence on a sunny afternoon.” Havard Gould, award-winning CBC journalist.
“Beautifully written with raw honesty … a vital call for empathy and understanding. Julia Nunes, author of “The Next Hit,” in Impact: Women Writing After Concussion.
“In this painfully personal but powerful memoir, Lynne Melcombe recounts her journey to heal after a random choice leaves her with a “mild” traumatic brain injury—a concussion. From the gaslighting, indifference, and ignorance of too many healthcare professionals to the gotcha tactics of the shareholder-driven insurance industry, No Such Thing is a must-read for anyone who might one day make a similar choice. Which is to say all of us.” Stephen Kimber, award-winning journalist and author, co-founder of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction at University of King’s College, Halifax.
“I literally couldn’t put this book down. … It combines compelling storytelling, great research into current physical and psychological knowledge, and deep understanding of the human side of illness and pain…. I’m sure this book will help thousands of readers.” Katherine Morton, professional editor.
No Such Thing “is not only a very good read, but a very important investigation of a faulty system, which [the author] so skillfully exposed. It is a poignant personal story that will resonate with many, I’m sure, but also a journalistic tour de force.” Renee Pellerin, CBC producer and author of Conspiracy of Hope: The Truth about Breast Cancer Screening.
About the author
Lynne Melcombe has been writing and editing professionally for 40 years. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Nonfiction Writing from the University of King’s College in Halifax, Canada. No Such Thing is her first book.
