Swimming Upstream

As an experienced pediatrician, Sajjad Iqbal, MD, had long enjoyed using his medical expertise to treat children's illnesses and alleviate their parents' concerns. Suddenly, however, he was on the other side of the divide. As Iqbal began to battle severe facial paralysis, misguided and obstinate doctors became an obstacle to finding a correct diagnosis and treatment. Iqbal's doctors believed that he had Bell's palsy, a temporary, benign condition. But Iqbal rejected that theory. He knew enough about medicine and his own body to suspect a far more deadly cause-cancer of the parotid (salivary) glands. Initially, Iqbal couldn't convince the so-called experts to listen and his doctors rushed forward with a flawed treatment plan including unnecessary surgery. Given a 30 percent chance of living two years-he has survived 15 years, overcoming repeated recurrences of cancer by charting his own course of treatment. In this extraordinary memoir, Iqbal recounts how he advocated for his health and relentlessly fought for a correct diagnosis. As he reveals how he unraveled this medical mystery, facing repeated setbacks, you will be inspired to take charge of your own healthcare. Iqbal's experiences convincingly show the importance of speaking up and pushing back against medical professionals' apathy and arrogance.