Over this past summer, I was given the chance to read the book Against Medical Advice. I was not very interested in reading the book at first, but it proved me wrong and turned out to be a phenomenal read. This novel tells the story of a boy named Cory who suffered from tourettes syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. He faced hell for years, but came out on top in the end. "He has been to the bottom of the abyss, but he has been to the top of the mountain as well" (Patterson and Friedman pg.269). He had a battle with his brain and was triumphant in the end, thanks to his fearless courage. In this read, I have strengthened my knowledge about people like Cory and also learned a lot from Cory 's journey. Three things I learned about myself from the book are how fortunate I am, that anything is possible, and that there is always room for improvement when it comes to tolerance for kids with special needs. One of the first things I learned about myself while reading the novel was that I am very lucky and …show more content…
The second thing I learned about myself is that I can do anything if I am determined to do it. For years, Cory was on and off a ton of pills, and had no real drive to change his life. But when Cory made a change, which was going to Salt Lake City, he gained the courage to turn his life around. He told his mind he was going to change and he did. This showed that no medicine or other person can really change you, it is you that has to put your mind to it if you really want to meet your standards. "I am stronger inside and out and have gotten past fears that none of the medicines I 've taken could conquer" (Patterson and Friedman pg. 212). In my life, there are many goals that I have not reached because of my lack of determination. This book has given me determination to reach my goals because if Cory did it, I can too. Who am I to not try to make myself the best human being I can be. This book has been my change and I now have a greater