Saving Sammy: Curing the Boy Who Caught OCD

( 16 )
Marketplace (New and Used)
Hardcover
from
$2.71
$23.99 List Price (Save 89%)
Usually ships within 1-2 business days
All (20)  
Used (11)  
New (9)  
Close
Sort by
Page 1 of 2
Showing 1 – 10 of 20 (2 pages)
$2.71
(Save 89%)
Better World Books
Seller since 2006

Feedback rating:

(49867)

Condition:

New — never opened or used in original packaging.

Like New — packaging may have been opened. A "Like New" item is suitable to give as a gift.

Very Good — may have minor signs of wear on packaging but item works perfectly and has no damage.

Good — item is in good condition but packaging may have signs of shelf wear/aging or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Acceptable — item is in working order but may show signs of wear such as scratches or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Used — An item that has been opened and may show signs of wear. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Refurbished — A used item that has been renewed or updated and verified to be in proper working condition. Not necessarily completed by the original manufacturer.

Very Good
Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy!

Ships from: Mishawaka, IN

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$2.71
(Save 89%)
Better World Books
Seller since 2006

Feedback rating:

(49867)

Condition: Good
Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy!

Ships from: Mishawaka, IN

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$2.71
(Save 89%)
Better World Books
Seller since 2006

Feedback rating:

(49867)

Condition: Very Good
Former Library book. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy!

Ships from: Mishawaka, IN

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$2.89
(Save 88%)
BBS Books
Seller since 2006

Feedback rating:

(3167)

Condition: Like New
0307461831 Great Book at a Great Value. Our Customer Feedback rating speaks for itself. We take pride in our customer service. Some of our book may have a publisher mark. Ships ... from TN. Read more Show Less

Ships from: JEFFERSON CITY, TN

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
$2.98
(Save 88%)
Ukazoo Books
Seller since 2006

Feedback rating:

(9936)

Condition: Very Good
Book is clean and tight, and has minimal or no wear.

Ships from: Baltimore, MD

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$2.99
(Save 88%)
acsbooks
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(562)

Condition: Good
HARDCOVER, Withdrawn and Cancelled library book with usual markings, A5 Shipped with delivery confirmation.Please select Expedited shipping for faster delivery.

Ships from: Brunswick, OH

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$3.18
(Save 87%)
BookHouse COM LLC
Seller since 2011

Feedback rating:

(224)

Condition: New
Hardcover New 0307461831 FROM A COMPANY YOU TRUST, HUGE SELECTION. RELIABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE! ! HASSLE FREE RETURN POLICY, SATISFACTION GURANTEED****

Ships from: Philadelphia, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$3.20
(Save 87%)
Vitalbooks PA
Seller since 2012

Feedback rating:

(3)

Condition: New
Hardcover New 0307461831.

Ships from: Southampton, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$3.21
(Save 87%)
Urbookstore1
Seller since 2010

Feedback rating:

(281)

Condition: New
Hardcover New 0307461831.

Ships from: Philadelphia, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$3.59
(Save 85%)
Ebooksweb
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(1557)

Condition: New
9/22/2009 Hardcover 1 New 0307461831 Ships Within 24 Hours. Tracking Number available for all USA orders. Excellent Customer Service. Upto 15 Days 100% Money Back Gurantee. Try ... Our Fast! ! ! ! Shipping With Tracking Number. Read more Show Less

Ships from: Bensalem, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
Page 1 of 2
Showing 1 – 10 of 20 (2 pages)
Close
Sort by
NOOK Book (eBook)
$9.99
BN.com price

Available on NOOK devices and apps

  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for iPad
  • NOOK for iPhone
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK for Android (Tablet)
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for PC
  • NOOK for Mac

Need a NOOK? Explore Now

Overview

The summer before entering sixth grade, Sammy, a bright and charming boy who lived on the coast of Maine, suddenly began to exhibit disturbing behavior. He walked and ate with his eyes shut, refused to bathe, burst into fits of rage, slithered against walls, and used his limbs instead of his hands to touch light switches, doorknobs, and faucets.

Sammy’s mother, Beth, already coping with the overwhelming responsibility of raising three sons alone, watched helplessly as her middle child descended into madness. Sammy was soon diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and later with Tourette syndrome. Unwilling to accept the doctors’ prognoses for lifelong mental illness and repeated...

See more details below

More About This Book

Overview

The summer before entering sixth grade, Sammy, a bright and charming boy who lived on the coast of Maine, suddenly began to exhibit disturbing behavior. He walked and ate with his eyes shut, refused to bathe, burst into fits of rage, slithered against walls, and used his limbs instead of his hands to touch light switches, doorknobs, and faucets.

Sammy’s mother, Beth, already coping with the overwhelming responsibility of raising three sons alone, watched helplessly as her middle child descended into madness. Sammy was soon diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and later with Tourette syndrome. Unwilling to accept the doctors’ prognoses for lifelong mental illness and repeated hospitalizations, Beth fought to uncover what was causing this decline. Racing against time as Sammy slipped further from reality, Beth’s quest took her to the center of the medical community’s raging debate about whether mental illness can be caused by infection. With the battle lines firmly drawn, Beth searched until she found two cutting-edge doctors who answered that question with a definitive yes. Together, they cured Sammy. Five years later, he remains symptom free.

Driven by her desire to help others, Beth Maloney has infused every page of this triumphant journey with heart and passion. An important story, Saving Sammy is part manifesto, part medical mystery, but is at its heart the empowering and inspiring story of a mother’s determination to save her son, take on the medical establishment–and win.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Starred Review.

Maloney's debut chronicles her son, Sammy, and the illness that, almost overnight, transformed him from a sunny, bright boy (described by one teacher as "the purest math mind the school had ever seen") into an antisocial stranger "so dominated by obsessions, compulsions, and rules that daily life becomes impossible." Sammy's descent into mental illness was diagnosed as severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Tourette's and a number of other ailments, all promising a lifetime of disability; it wasn't until a family acquaintance, whose son exhibited the same symptoms for 10 years, urged Maloney to have Sammy tested for Strep that they learned his condition was treatable. Describing herself as "part courtroom lawyer and part detective," attorney Maloney perseveres with ferocity and sharp storytelling instincts, making this medical mystery-meant to inform families dealing with mental illness-a tear-wrenching crowd-pleaser.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780307461834
  • Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
  • Publication date: 9/22/2009
  • Pages: 272
  • Product dimensions: 5.70 (w) x 8.56 (h) x 0.97 (d)

Meet the Author

BETH ALISON MALONEY is a successful Maine attorney and guardian ad litem. Before moving to Maine, she was an executive and attorney in the motion picture and television business in Los Angeles. Saving Sammy is her first book.

Read an Excerpt

Daniel A. Geller, M.D.
Director, Pediatric OCD Program Massachusetts General Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Yawkey 6A
55 Fruit Street Boston, MA 02114

Dear Dr. Geller:
Enclosed please find the completed registration forms for my son Sammy. As you know, we are coming to see you next week on the advice of Dr. Catherine Nicolaides of Marlton,
New Jersey.

I thought it would be helpful to provide you with this overview of Sammy's history and current behaviors. The problems suddenly started sixteen months ago, shortly after he turned twelve. Among other things, he stopped eating and lost twenty pounds.

Sammy does not seem to have obsessions, but he certainly has compulsions. His compulsions fall into two categories: rituals and avoidance.

He likes to start the morning with something he calls "the usual." When he asks for the usual, that means he wants five drinks: milk, orange juice, apple juice, pink lemonade, and grape juice. He pinches his nose when he sips and drinks them in a certain order. The drinks do not all have to be at the same level in the cups. They do not have to be in any particular cups. He just needs all five juices, every morning.

He has to go through a series of complicated motions before he'll go into the bathroom, before he comes back into the house from being outside, when he first gets into the house, or when he walks through a parking lot—in short, everywhere he goes.
This might involve swirling his legs, ducking, crawling, rolling his head on his neck, stepping sideways, or high-stepping over a nonexistent barrier. At our home, he has to do these in the exact same spot each time. The ritual itself might be different, but the spot does not vary. It is a major effort for him to walk upstairs in the house. He has to hold his breath while he runs up the stairs,
stopping midway on the landing to duck his head into a cabinet and gasp for air. When he needs to do a whole series of compulsive behaviors, we have to leave the room. I don't know if this is so that we don't see him or so he can give the routine his full attention—and thus do it exactly right.

There are many things he avoids, including all mats, doors,
and faucets. He does not shower or brush his teeth except at the hotel where we stay in New Jersey (when we go to see Dr.
Nicolaides). Even then, he does not use soap. He told me that he is going to try to take showers at home, at noon, on Saturdays,
beginning this weekend.

He is very careful about what he touches and what touches him. Hugs are out of the question. He does not flush the toilet. He does not wash his hands. He does not touch light switches. He does not touch his food. He uses either utensils (only those with a silver handle) or a paper towel or napkin to hold, for example, a slice of toast. He will not open a door (house or car). He will not step on a rug. He avoids or jumps over the white stripes in a parking lot.

He has started answering the telephone, using a tissue to grasp the receiver, but he holds it away from his ear and shouts.
At the computer, he previously covered the mouse with a napkin,
but lately he touches it directly. He prefers to run outside to urinate, rather than enter the bathroom (about which he thinks I don't know). But because he cannot touch a door handle, he must find someone to open the outside door. If he can't find someone, he will use the bathroom because I make certain the door is always left ajar.

He will not wear a coat or jacket. If it's raining, he gets wet. If it's freezing, he gets cold.

Last year he would not wear socks or shoes. Now he wears socks all the time, wears shoes whenever he goes outside, and cringes if anyone is in bare feet. Consequently, we must all wear socks at all times. Even sandals are a problem. The issue is primarily bare toes, but heels are also troublesome.

He only likes to wear certain colors—preferably khaki and green. For a while he wore the same clothes for months, but thankfully he now changes them at least once a week.

He would never hurt himself or anyone else.

If he thinks he is being too demanding, he gets teary-eyed.

He used to ask me to do certain rituals (such as carry his food a certain way), but I wasn't especially cooperative. He no longer asks.

I'm tired just from typing all this loopy stuff, so it must be a full day's work for him to keep it straight.

He is not able to attend school. A tutor comes to the house.

He stands and moves in the shape of an upside-down L.

Prior to the onset sixteen months ago, Sammy did not exhibit any of the behaviors outlined above, with one exception.
Four years ago, in the winter of third grade, he started having a tough time. He would curl the fingers of his left hand up and into his sleeve. We eventually figured out that he had a learning disability in reading. With a special reading program in place to address this challenge, the hand gradually dropped down and out of the sleeve.

I have enclosed a chart tracking Sammy's medication history.
Thank you very much, and we look forward to meeting you.

Odds are he'll be the one wearing the khaki pants and green shirt.

Beth Maloney Kennebunkport, Maine

cc: Dr. Catherine Nicolaides Dr. Conner Moore

Customer Reviews
Average Rating 4.5
( 16 )

Rating Distribution

  • ( 9 )
  • ( 4 )
  • ( 1 )
  • ( 2 )
  • ( 0 )
If you've bought this product, tell the world how you liked it.
Write a Review
Sort by: Showing 1 – 19 of 16 Customer Reviews

  • Posted May 18, 2010

    Saving one person at a time.

    Anyone who has suffered, or seen someone suffer, with mental illness should pick up this book immediately. The descriptiveness of Sammy's symptoms and the family's frustrations are so clear and accurate that you find yourself immersed in their life as if you were there praying for a cure along with them. I read this book in one long sitting because I simply had to know how they came out from under the weight of OCD and regained a normal life.

    SAVING SAMMY is a heart-wrenching account that will take you from the agony a son and his mother suffers to the bright light of day as his mystery is solved. What Sammy (and so many other children) has been through is torturous and his mother's strength and tenacity pulls them both through.

    This is potentially going to be a lifesaver for those with the same problems as Sammy's who have gone unware of the link of OCD to infection. It is also an eye opener to all mental illnesses and their potential link to a physical cause, something that has not had enough attention brought to it as yet. Is this the case for everyone? Not likely, but possible. It's that possibility of helping just one person that makes this a worthwhile read.

    SAVING SAMMY is also a very important reminder to continue advocating for your child, or yourself, in matters of health until you have found a solution. Questioning experts is no easy task, but following instincts and being persistent as Beth Alison Maloney was for her son may have life-changing results. Follow in her footsteps and get the solution you need, whatever it might take.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 5, 2010

    A Clear, Concise Voice for Suffering Children and Families

    I wish I had the money to buy cases of these books to give to every school principal, guidance counselor, pediatrician, child psychiatrist and psychologist. Beth Maloney has provided a phenomenal picture of reality that comes with this heartbreaking story AND gave us a happy ending on which to focus. As another mother who has been part of this "club" of parents watching helplessly as a fully functioning, perfectly normal child "disappears" virtually overnight with PANDAS I could hardly believe that this story could so accurately mirror what our family has been living since 2007. Maloney has given parents like me a beacon of hope and a place to meet so we can walk on together. PANDAS is real. It is a nightmare when no medical professional will help because pediatricians are only interested in sending the poor child on to the psych folks, in spite of years of perfectly normal medical checkups and no previous history of psychiatric issues. Meanwhile, the psychiatric community comes back with "sorry, OCD just doesn't happen overnight, clearly this is a medical problem." It is horrible when no medical professional will help because it is "someone else's problem." And then you are alone. And your child is a mess. And you wonder just how you will go on, who will help, or how the future will turn out. Read this book. Then tell everyone you know that fully functioning children don't suddenly just lose the ability to use their hands, develop OCD, and a host of other problems for no reason. Look for strep. Seek aggressive antibiotic treatment. Saving Sammy is a quick and compelling read. Again, PANDAS is REAL. Thank you, Beth.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted November 23, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    A startling look at one family's experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder and how a mother's unwavering quest for a cure slowly brings about change within the medical community. Touching and well-told. This is a story with a purpose.

    I picked this book up, read about ten pages and then could not put it down. I finished it in just a few sittings. Anyone with a child can relate to the difficulties of dealing with a sick kid. There is nothing worse than seeing your son or daughter struggle through an illness, be it flu or something more serious. In this case though, Sammy is struck with obsessive-compulsive disorder and it hits him out of blue. One day he is well, and the next day he isn't. It's starts with little quirks. Sammy's need to touch a wall as he passes, or his need to enter a room a certain way. His mother, Beth, chalks it up to being a kid. Sometimes kids do weird things. As time passes though, his need to do things a certain way become compulsions which take several hours to complete. Simple activities such as going to school because extremely complicated when it takes over two hours just to get him dressed and out the door.

    After taking Sammy to psychiatrist with no success, Beth discovers through research and a conversation with a friend, that Strep is sometimes related to OCD. This prompts additional testing and an elevated strep titer is discovered which leads to a diagnosis of PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal). However, since the condition is fairly new, many of the doctors that Beth encounter, do not want to treat it as such even though Sammy seems to improve dramatically when the strep is treated.

    This book was a bit of an eye opener for me. I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder a few years ago and the doctors at the time believed it to be caused by strep as I had an undiagnosed strep infection and the symptoms of the auto-immune disorder came on suddenly, nearly overnight. However, I didn't believe that to be the cause and although I was treated for a common strep infection and went through one round of antibiotics, my symptoms did not improve and they began to treat me for Lupus. Over the course of a year I have been treated off and on for strep as I have had three strep infections and no symptoms of strep, silent strep is what they call it. I've also been treated for Lupus though and now I seem to have a handle on it, but was strep really the cause? After reading Beth's book, I tend to think it may have played a role in it.

    What impressed me with this book is that no matter how dire the situation, Beth remained positive. Sure, she had doubts but she displayed incredible patience with not only Sammy but her other children as well. Her entire household was turned upside down by this and her willingness to put it all on the line for the sake of getting Sammy well really struck a chord with me.

    What stuck out a bit for me was the lack of a father figure in most of Beth's story. Sammy's father does come into the picture towards the end of the book but with all that was going on, and with all that Beth had to endure, I kept waiting for the Sammy's dad to make an appearance. They are divorced at the beginning of the story but with Sammy's condition being so severe, I expected a bit more involvement from the dad.

    Overall, I feel that this is a valuable story for anyone that is dealing with a sick child, even if their child's illness is not OCD. The perseverance that Beth displayed and the textbook comments from most of these doctors really make you question Western medicine as a whole.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 16, 2009

    Every Physician Should Read

    My son is currently going through the same thing Sammy did. We also had a difficult time finding doctors and even family members that supported our family. Hopefully, this will cause doctors and researchers to take a more in-depth look at PANDAS.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 14, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Mom's intuition strikes gold!

    Beth Maloney is truly a warrior mom. I am so ecstatic that Ms. Maloney made her son's illness a quest and found the answers that helped her cure her son . Beth's battle was tough but in the end she won a prize noone could ever match, she got her son back. As a mom and educator, it is absolutely inspiring to see such determination to take on the medical establishment and WIN! Pandas is an illness that happens to many kids and I believe that parents who had no clue about it will now have a prayer answered!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 23, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 20, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 16, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted September 23, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 31, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 16, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 24, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 23, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 7, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 23, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 27, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 12, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 15, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 9, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing 1 – 19 of 16 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)
500 character limit