A Slow Death: 83 Days of Radiation Sickness

gave me severe emotional damage and made me cry at the end 10/10 would use an entire box of tissues again

This book, which was a quick read, tells the story of Hisashu Ouchi, a nuclear power plant technician who lived for 83 days after being exposed to lethal levels of radiation. It details the horrific suffering that Ouichi endured as the radiation destroyed his DNA and reduced his white blood cell count to insanely low levels. After initially experiencing some swelling and vomiting, his condition steadily deteriorated as he starts losing skin and radiation rocks his internal organs. What’s as equally interesting is the discussion of how his team of doctors treated his case, which everyone know had a 100 percent mortality rate. Yet the team of doctors continues to do every treatment possible, even though these are long-shot measures that are simply prolonging his suffering - to then point where Ouichi cries out that “I will not be a guinea pig!” As the doctors proceed to do everything possible, the nurses treating him wonder whether the doctor’s efforts were just worsening and prolonging his suffering. I must say I was a bit baffled by the doctors’ statements that they feel obligated ethically to do whatever was possible depots the long odds of some of the measures working. Ouichi’s family, although wanting him to survive and fight, don’t seem to be the major force behind these treatments. It’s the doctors. This is an interesting case study in medical ethics - and a strong argument for euthanasia. Something stuck me as wrong in the doctors’ unwillingness to face reality. I think anyone reading it would think “gosh if I were in his shoes, I would want to die as soon as possible”.

Very interesting book. I read it rather quickly (3 - 4 hours) even if I haven't been the most prolific reader in the last year.I came across the story of Mr. Ouchi a year ago and it stuck with me due to some graphic pictures online (not included in the book). Nuclear plant accidents like Chernobyl have always interested me because of the effects of something pretty much invisible. One mistake and it causes horrible consequences to the human body. Almost feels like scifi.So of course I had to read this book. I will say I really enjoyed it. As I said I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down and I cried my eyes out at the end.But said that, as someone familiar with this story I do feel their attempt at not pointing fingers at the Doctors involved and I assume their attempt at keeping the book from being too gore-y made me feel like Mr. Ouchi's real suffering wasn't conveyed faithfully. He was truly a guinea pig, be it out of hope to save him or not. The pictures online of his last days truly paint a very different picture.I felt bad for him as he was left unable to communicate and even after his death his suffering was portrayed as milder than it was.A truly heartbreaking story.

Double edge sword, to work drastically to save a patient based on patient family wishes or to let the suffering end. I see great perspectives from the doctor, nurse, and family view. Doctors attempt to save the patient, family have hope of possibilities, and the nurse note drastically change and question if what they were doing was the right thing.

This is a book about a man named Ouchi whose chromosomes were destroyed by a blast of neutron rays while working in unsafe conditions in a uranium processing facility. For 83 days, a crack team of doctors, nurses, and medical experts from several countries try to keep him alive. Because Ouchi's chromosomes have been destroyed, his body cannot generate new cells to replace the dead ones. His skin falls off. His mucus membranes disappear. He is in constant pain. He suffers massive internal hemorrhages and the medical staff have to constantly pump fluids and nutrients into his body to keep him alive. His organs fail, one by one, and their functions are taken over by various medical apparatus. At various points, Ouchi's doctors and nurses question whether or not what they are doing is the right thing to do. That is to say, are they actually helping him, or are they just endlessly prolonging his agony?This is a slim but tough book.It goes into gruesome but necessary detail about the deterioration of a human body afflicted by neutron beam radiation. It is told in a straightforward reportorial style that goes into thoroughgoing technical detail but not so much that the average reader cannot follow along. It also gives space to the emotional turmoil the medical staff underwent as they battled to keep Ouchi alive.In some ways, this is a book about the dangers of atomic radiation, but it is also a strange kind of existential novel where the main character's mental state is largely unknown at the height of his suffering. Ouchi was under heavy sedation for much of his sickness and he was unable to communicate in any detail what his thoughts and feelings were. The book seems to suggest that had he been awake his suffering would've been monstrous. The medical staff did what they thought was best even in the face of a hopeless situation.This is harsh story taken from real life and told in harrowing but necessary detail.

This was a 2 day read for me (and I don’t read that often!). It was compelling, tragic, disheartening, and honestly scary. The author does a great job of dumbing down complex science facts for laymen.Humans are so full of themselves that they think they can outsmart the laws of nature (JCO). At first I really thought the medical care team had a God complex but after reading their accounts I have more sympathy.Rest In Peace Hisashi Ouchi and Masato Shinohara. You two have made the world a lot safer, know that your suffering was not for naught!

Excellent writing that goes in depth in an understandable way

As an engineer working in this field I found this a very good reminder of just how horrific the impacts can be on the human body. There are some good lessons to be picked up, especially about people not knowing the dangers of what they are working with. The book is short but covers a lot and leaves the reader asking questions around the morality of what happened post event. A good read overall.

A stunning retelling of the incident in Japan in 1999. This is more of a humanitarian book with regards to the battles faced by the two patients who were involved in a criticality accident at a fuel reprocessing plant in Tokai. It focuses on the man who received the highest dose of radiation in the accident and his slow, mostly painful, death. But this really does absolutely focus on him and his family and there steadfastness for him to live and his amazing attitude through the whole ordeal.Some of the book is graphic in description and the contained photos provide a stunning visual representation of the problems faced by the doctors (including bone marrow transplant pictures and the results of the radiation on these areas).It is a short book - but absolutely worth your time.

stark and uncompromising account of the horror that a human being endures when accidentally exposed to radioactive substances. the book is short and very direct in its descriptions of the changes and destruction that occur to this poor mans body. which very sadly can only end with a fatal outcome. the book also describes the feelings of the medical team who try to help the patient during his long days of suffering. very grim reading which is all the more horrific because this is an actual true real life account not a work of fiction.

The book unfortunately came in damaged with the cover ripped and bent, also the pages were bend, was looking forward for this and was disappointed :(

Gripped from start to finish