Sometimes Amazing Things Happen
Heartbreak and Hope on the Bellevue Hospital Psychiatric Prison Ward
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Sometimes Amazing Things Happen
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Narrated by:
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Bernadette Dunne
About this listen
Elizabeth Ford went through medical school unsure of where she belonged. It wasn't until she did her psychiatry rotation that she found her calling - to care for one of the most vulnerable populations of mentally ill people, the inmates of New York City's jails, including Rikers Island, who are so sick that they are sent to the Bellevue Hospital Prison Ward for care.
These men were broken, without resources or support, and very ill. They could be violent, unpredictable, but they could also be funny and tender and needy. Mostly, they were human and they awakened in Ford a boundless empathy. Her patients made her a great doctor and a better person. While Ford was a psychiatrist at Bellevue she became a wife and a mother. In her book she shares her struggles to balance her personal and professional lives, to care for her children and her patients, and to maintain the empathy that is essential to her practice - all in the face of a complex institution, an exhausting workload, and the deeply emotionally taxing nature of her work. Ford brings humor, grace, and humanity to the lives of the patients in her care and in beautifully rendered prose illuminates the inner workings (and failings) of our mental health and criminal justice systems.
©2017 Elizabeth Ford (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Sometimes Amazing Things Happen
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 22-02-23
Inspiring and made me count my blessings
I found this book compassionate, shocking and compelling. I admire Dr Ford's persistence and grit in such 'challenging' circumstances, and how in spite of the terrible sights and experiences around her she hung onto her optimism and humanity, in spite of burning out for a while, the more so as she continued working for as long as possible while pregnant. I felt for the staff struggling to cope and keep their own heads above water in what must have seemed hopeless and dangerous conditions much of the time, and could understand why some might feel hostility towards Dr Ford when she seemed to put patients' interests above their own. And she reminded me of the person behind the patient with her stories of individuals. It doesn't make me want to go out and volunteer to help them, but it gives me pause to reflect on how easy it is to write people and situations off without bothering to dig deeper. On the whole, the calm, steady narration balanced the emotion-provoking content . I wanted to know what happened afterwards, and whether Dr Ford was able to make significant changes at Rikers Island. Definitely worth reading/listening to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- S. R. Melly
- 27-08-21
Thoughtful and tactful insight
Dr Ford clearly really cares about her patients and genuinely trying to Improve their quality of life. An insight into systems most of us will never experience, but that manages to bring humanity to the hulking judicial system
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Happy Annie
- 22-09-21
Brilliant!
I loved this book, every word of it. a passionate tale. brilliantly read and written.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Bevvers
- 21-02-23
An important insight
The narration is sometimes a little robotic (or maybe just lacking in emotion?) but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book overall.
Very interesting to have an in-depth view into life inside an institution such as this, & the relationships between the medics, the public & the ‘in mates’ was fascinating.
Sad at times, it also made me angry that people are treated the way they are, but it's important for these things to be documented.
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- Ann
- 13-07-24
Riverting read
This book really made me think about the experiences from the patient, the Psychiatrist/medical staff and the prison staff, the physical, emotional and psychological elements. How difficult to work together with their professional fields all coming from very different perspectives. The portrayal of reality was raw and thought provoking.The narrator brought a sense of humanity and an emotional portrayal of the very human dilemmas encountered and the possibility of change, growth or healing, being held on a knife edge, with so many opposing factors. It was a stark reminder these people are human beings, they once had hopes and dreams or in some cases never had a chance in life with and without families who love them.
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- Lucie
- 16-10-21
An unexpected gem
I absolutely loved this book! What a truly incredible, kind, caring and compassionate woman Dr Ford is!!
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-12-22
Very interesting read
Elizabeth Ford highlights beautifully with this book, how everyone deserves human rights and respect... and how amazing things can happen when people who society has given up on, are just given exactly that.
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- justine king
- 29-07-23
Brilliant book did not want it to end
This is so interesting and insightful I definitely recommend this. Elizabeth Ford comes across as so knowledgeable, professional and caring would love to hear more from her.
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- Draco
- 06-09-21
Really enjoyable, albeit heartbreaking book
I went into this audiobook not knowing what to expect, but wasn’t disappointed. The author,whilst preserving the anonymity of her patients, was very thorough in explaining how each individual presented his condition. In addition, I have been disappointed in the past with female readers, but this was expertly (in my opinion)read,at a good pace. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
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2 people found this helpful
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- C Victor-Smith
- 17-11-21
very interesting and enjoyable
Opens your eyes to other lives less fortunate than one's own. Very well read and interesting to listen to.
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1 person found this helpful