An Otherwise Healthy Woman

The poems in An Otherwise Healthy Woman delve into the complexity of modern health care, illness, and healing, offering an alternative narrative to heroics and miracles. Drawing on Amy Haddad's firsthand experiences as a nurse and patient, the poems in this collection teach us to take a moment to stop and acknowledge the longing for compassion in each of us, what ought to be the immediate human response to suffering. The poet isn't afraid to explore her own fears and failures or to find joy and humor in the many roles women play. An Otherwise Healthy Woman presents the intimate experiences of a nurse, the vulnerable perspective of a patient, and the lessons of caring for family.

Amy Haddad is professor emerita in the School of Pharmacy and Health Professions at Creighton University. She is the author of the chapbook The Geography of Kitchens and has published poetry in a number of journals, including Aji Magazine, Persimmon Tree, and DASH Literary Journal.