Hope in the Face of Trials: The Story of My Life of Suffering and Hope by Amel S - Al-Hadith Edition

Back cover:

This autobiographical book is the poignant and moving story of a young Muslim woman who has faced many trials and experienced extraordinary difficulties. Tested in her physical and mental health, Amel endured some of the hardest pains one can experience: long and painful years of illnesses, suffering, misunderstandings, misinterpretations, visits to specialist doctors, incorrect diagnoses, medical incompetence, hospitalizations, self-reflection, but also moments of hope, self-discovery, faith, family support, and love.

Through suffering and repentance, through experienced misfortunes and rediscovered values, through fluctuations in faith, Amel experienced in her own flesh and understood that life is a test through which Allah tests those He loves, as our noble Prophet (peace be upon him) has taught us.

These are the memoirs of a great soul in a tested body, a message of hope to anyone tested by misfortunes and illnesses.

This is Amel's story, the story of hope, the account of a sister whose name means "hope."

Excerpt from the introduction:

This book is a first for me, I write to express my distress. I believe that some people will recognize themselves through my humble contribution. I need to share what I feel, what I experience deep within myself, and what I am subjected to. I am in a battle with myself, my family, and especially with medicine.

"It's all in your head" is the most terrible phrase a doctor can say to a patient. From that moment on, patients feel dissatisfied and distrustful of doctors. Our pain is reduced to a psychological problem. It's as if an ordinary person is incapable of distinguishing intense pain from simple passing or somatic pain. "It's all in your head"! These five words that constantly come to mind and ignite the fire. It's sad to see that doctors stop at the analysis and reading of the requested exams. Indeed, if the X-ray or scan reveals nothing abnormal, there is no need to worry. Further research or samples are not necessary, even irrelevant. What future do we, patients without a definitive diagnosis, have? Must we wait to slowly die before hoping to one day discover our illness? The same phrases keep coming back and resonate like a drum:

"Madam, there's nothing wrong with you", "you're fine", "everything is normal". No, no, and no. Nothing is normal. On the contrary. Now, my suffering is twofold. On one hand, the physical pain that intensifies day by day, and on the other hand, the subtle and invisible insidious suffering that I must face, namely the lack of understanding, humanism, credibility, and negative judgments within the medical community.

I knew a long battle awaited me, but I did not lose hope and placed my trust in Allah...

- Table of Contents:

Preface from the Editor

Introduction

How it all began

My first surgery

Back home

I can't stand anyone anymore

Welcome vacation

Job hunting

A hospitalization and a battery of tests

Back to my job at the daycare

My poor parents

I meet an exorcist

My third pregnancy

A trip and new adventures

I give birth to my third child

My son saved by a miracle

New trial and new miracle

Return to Belgium and return of the pains

My surgery

Hope in the face of trials

An inexplicable event with serious consequences

Spots on my face

My puvatherapy

The operation for my herniated disc

My urinary infection

The gastric probe accompanies me home

Tossed from doctor to doctor

My daughter fails her school year

My son's alopecia

Our money problems

An unnatural naturopath

Back to my first nephrologist

My operation to remove the parathyroid adenoma

I leave the hospital with my medical records

I meet the mayor of my municipality

I change my primary care physician

I decide not to see any more doctors

The revelation

End of 2019-beginning of 2020

Acquiring Paradise

Conclusion

Since writing this book