Book Review: The Fog Lifted
Part-memoir, part-advice, The Fog Lifted explores the challenges and triumphs of a nurse with ADHD.
A Clinician’s Victorious Journey with ADHD
Fog Lifted; $14.99
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Kristin Seymour is a clinical nurse at Washington University’s Heart and Vascular Center, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. It was her dream to be a nurse since she was a little girl, and, ultimately, it was her ADHD traits that helped her to meet her goal. Her story is, alternately, heartbreaking and hilarious. She wrote the book to give hope to people with ADHD and their families.
Seymour’s story is like that of many adults with ADHD. She couldn’t sit through class or focus on homework in elementary and middle school. Teachers blamed her poor performance in school on her impulsive behavior and willfulness. Her supportive, loving parents didn’t know how to help her.
At one point, her dream of becoming a nurse seemed unachievable. Poor college grades and dangerous behavior — her partying, drinking, smoking, and going out with guys — led her parents to have Seymour evaluated by a team of specialists. They diagnosed her as having ADHD and started her on Ritalin. This inspired the book’s title, “The Fog Lifted.”
[Born This Way: Personal Stories of Life with ADHD]
Seymour got back on track, working for a year, loving the order her parents imposed, then re-starting college to pursue her nursing career. With medication and learning techniques that she developed, she was able to stay at the top of her class and graduate.
The Fog Lifted is a mixture of biography and advice. Seymour emphasizes the importance of support and relationships for people with ADHD. She gives us insights from ADHD experts and inspiring quotes that have guided her.
Women diagnosed late in life will recognize themselves in these pages, and will enjoy the feeling that, for once, they aren’t alone.
