Dirk Chase Eldredge is passionate about writing and the research that necessarily precedes it. Eldredge combines writing and speaking with entrepreneurship. Versatile, his over 50 years in business have included computer marketing, retail ownership, startup and sale of a successful wholesale travel business and a ten-year bank directorship. The heart of "You've Gotta Fight Back," consists of thirteen, riveting, in-depth stories of people who fought back with courage, humor, and a positive attitude. In doing so, they have provided valuable guidance for you, the readers of this inspiring work. The seriously ill, their friends and family will gain priceless advice.

You’ve Gotta Fight Back!: Winning with Serious Illness, Injury or Disability

When confronted with truly life-changing circumstances, such as serious illness, injury or disability, most people find the situation extremely overwhelming and horrifying. Most of us think that something of the kind will never happen to us or our nearest and dearest, and when it does we do not know where to turn to and how to react.

Mr. Eldredge’s “You’ve Gotta Fight Back!” is an inspiring and very much no-nonsense book about fighting back when confronted with such adversity in life. Through more than a dozen touching and encouraging true life stories of people afflicted by different diseases, conditions or accidents we learn about their way of dealing with their conditions. We learn about different approaches to life-changing events and how different people learned to accept the changes and/or learned how to fight back. One of the simple, yet very profound insights in fighting back and being happy again is the so-called triumvirate of happiness: someone to love, something to do and something to look forward to. Even if we are not in a perilous situation at the moment, we would do well to remember those three simple rules.

Some of the most valuable advice I found in this book dealt with coping with the situation and how to make the best out of it. While the book is never mindlessly cheerful and it never promises any miracles, it clearly illustrates how it is possible to find happiness and fulfillment even under such extremely adverse conditions. It underlines the importance of working together with the doctors and other medical professionals; of having a positive outlook and attitude, of finding ways and means to still live life to the fullest, of finding humor even in the worst situations and more. Another segment of the book that I found very valuable was all the parts dealing with the role of caregivers, who are oftentimes forgotten or at least overlooked in the struggle.

My favorite part of the book is the author’s affirmations which I’ve copied on a card to carry with me. I do not know anybody who could not benefit from this:  “I’m going to be a happy person. I will think happy, positive, enthusiastic thoughts and push out anxiety, fear, hatred, depression, and feelings of inadequacy. I’m going to enjoy life. I will try to make somebody else happy each day. I’m going to love my family and friends and know that they love me. I’m going to be a very confident person. I have a lot of successful experience, so I have every reason to be confident of myself and my ideas.  I’m going to remember always that happiness is a state of mind, not a set of circumstances. I make my own happiness in my own mind and my own unhappiness in my own mind. I choose to be a happy person.”

“You’ve Gotta Fight Back!” is an extremely valuable book for anybody needing encouragement and guidance while in a difficult situation. Written in a fluid, easy-to-read style, it should find a permanent home on your bookshelf – to help you, your family or your friends if help should be needed.