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ssmart213's review against another edition
4.0
An inspiring memoir of a caring doctor that helps homeless teens with their everyday struggle. each of the stories broke my heart, form teens that get beaten to young ladies forced into prostitution. A very touching story of a doctors personal life.
mary00's review against another edition
4.0
This provided an eye-opening look at homeless kids in America. I thought the sections that discussed the medical treatment of these kids were the highlight of the book and should have been the main focus. I would have liked the book even more had less time been spent on the doctor's life and more time spent on the stories of the kids. But overall this was an engaging read.
lynnea713's review against another edition
5.0
I am not a doctor and know nothing about what it takes to take care of someone but this book makes me wish I knew so I could help him out! Randy Christensen's journey of his medical bus is an incredibly inspiring story that will make anyone wish they could get help out in some way.
This book is all about Christensen's journey of his medical bus as well as everything else that went along in his life. I knew the life of a doctor included long hours and heart wrenching tales but the stories of the homeless children and teenagers touched me deeply. As a teacher, I can completely understand wanting to help out as much as possible to make their lives better. The book chronicles how difficult it is to make kids seek the help they may desperately need and it makes people aware of the difficulties these kids face everyday. Most importantly though, it shows that these changes CAN happen and SHOULD happen. These kids are important to our future and they can be reached and helped, they just need someone to try and be persistent, like Dr. Randy (as the kids call him).
I highly recommend this book! It's a very fast read and it's one that you really don't want to end. The best part is, his journey is still ongoing. I'm hoping for a second book in the future!
This book is all about Christensen's journey of his medical bus as well as everything else that went along in his life. I knew the life of a doctor included long hours and heart wrenching tales but the stories of the homeless children and teenagers touched me deeply. As a teacher, I can completely understand wanting to help out as much as possible to make their lives better. The book chronicles how difficult it is to make kids seek the help they may desperately need and it makes people aware of the difficulties these kids face everyday. Most importantly though, it shows that these changes CAN happen and SHOULD happen. These kids are important to our future and they can be reached and helped, they just need someone to try and be persistent, like Dr. Randy (as the kids call him).
I highly recommend this book! It's a very fast read and it's one that you really don't want to end. The best part is, his journey is still ongoing. I'm hoping for a second book in the future!
kleonard's review against another edition
1.0
a trite and appallingly self-congratulatory narrative of a doctor who decides to play white savior in poor neighborhoods. The author is an ass, and his writing is abominably self-indulgent and repetitive.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
4.0
let me preface this review by saying that i used to work at a shelter for homeless youth. thus i found christensen's story intriguing.
he is a doctor that has set up a mobile unit in the phoenix and surrounding areas for homeless youth under the age of 25.
he discusses the highs and lows of setting up the practice and of learning how to assist these transient youth.
these are kids that fall through the cracks and are abused sexually, physically and mentally. not all of the stories end in tragedy and those that don't give you hope that perhaps having one or two people that show concern can truly make a difference.
dr. randy, as he is known by his clients, makes these kids feel like they matter simply because he shows up week after week and asks them, "how are you doing?"
i also like how he interweaves his personal life and the difficulties he and his wife experienced with getting pregnant. and once pregnant, the difficulty of the pregnancies themselves.
while the writing here is a bit ordinary, the stories themselves are compelling enough to keep you reading.
he is a doctor that has set up a mobile unit in the phoenix and surrounding areas for homeless youth under the age of 25.
he discusses the highs and lows of setting up the practice and of learning how to assist these transient youth.
these are kids that fall through the cracks and are abused sexually, physically and mentally. not all of the stories end in tragedy and those that don't give you hope that perhaps having one or two people that show concern can truly make a difference.
dr. randy, as he is known by his clients, makes these kids feel like they matter simply because he shows up week after week and asks them, "how are you doing?"
i also like how he interweaves his personal life and the difficulties he and his wife experienced with getting pregnant. and once pregnant, the difficulty of the pregnancies themselves.
while the writing here is a bit ordinary, the stories themselves are compelling enough to keep you reading.
shaunireads1's review against another edition
5.0
Dr. Randy Christensen operates a mobile doctor's office, converted from a Winnebago, that he drives around the Phoenix area to see to the medical needs of homeless children and young adults. I first heard about Ask Me Why I Hurt on NPR's Diane Rehm Show, where Dr. Christensen was a guest. I immediately requested his book from the library, and my husband Jordan and I read it aloud together. Jordan says Randy Christensen is his new hero!
This book hit close to home on a number of different levels:
1) We live in Phoenix, where Dr. Christensen operates his mobile clinic. It's one thing to read about children suffering on the other side of the world (e.g. Afghanistan), and quite another to discover how many children are neglected, abandoned, and even homeless in our own backyard!
2) Jordan will be starting medical school in a couple weeks, and even though his career will likely be much different from Dr. Christensen's, even if he goes into pediatrics, this book still gave us a good idea of what to expect.
3) In addition to describing his work on the van, Dr. Christensen also spends a good deal of the book discussing work-life balance, and how he and his wife Amy, also a pediatrician, learned how to manage the stresses of work while raising a family at the same time. It was comforting for me to realize that if we plan carefully and don't get involved in too many "extras," Jordan still will be able to be involved in our children's lives as they grow, even though medicine is such a demanding field. I love Dr. Christensen's suggestions for "How to Help" at the end of the book. The #1 suggestion is "Spend time with your children."
This is one of those books that I can't help but talk about with everyone. It seems to just come up in every conversation (i.e. "Have you heard of the book Ask Me Why I Hurt? It's incredible!") I hope it becomes a bestseller!
This book hit close to home on a number of different levels:
1) We live in Phoenix, where Dr. Christensen operates his mobile clinic. It's one thing to read about children suffering on the other side of the world (e.g. Afghanistan), and quite another to discover how many children are neglected, abandoned, and even homeless in our own backyard!
2) Jordan will be starting medical school in a couple weeks, and even though his career will likely be much different from Dr. Christensen's, even if he goes into pediatrics, this book still gave us a good idea of what to expect.
3) In addition to describing his work on the van, Dr. Christensen also spends a good deal of the book discussing work-life balance, and how he and his wife Amy, also a pediatrician, learned how to manage the stresses of work while raising a family at the same time. It was comforting for me to realize that if we plan carefully and don't get involved in too many "extras," Jordan still will be able to be involved in our children's lives as they grow, even though medicine is such a demanding field. I love Dr. Christensen's suggestions for "How to Help" at the end of the book. The #1 suggestion is "Spend time with your children."
This is one of those books that I can't help but talk about with everyone. It seems to just come up in every conversation (i.e. "Have you heard of the book Ask Me Why I Hurt? It's incredible!") I hope it becomes a bestseller!
murve's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5
I hate that the content of this book exists, but I'm thankful there are doctors out there like Dr. Christensen. There needs to be more awareness about how many children are homeless in the Unites States and the obstacles that they face. I'd love to hear a book from Jan's perspective about working as a nurse practitioner on the van.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Rape, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Child death, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Addiction, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault