Book excerpt: A decade ago, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. She was vivacious and selfless and joyful, and cancer took her from me. But it was not just the disease; it was intense medical malpractice and negligence, a case that should have garnered millions of dollars in lawsuits but could never bring back the person I loved most.We fought for her for months, and right until the end, we did everything we could to save her from the disease and the medical mistakes that were slowly killing her. This memoir should serve as the story of my family, the fraying threads in a tapestry that held together at all costs, but also as a guide for anyone who needs to fight for the person they love. This book is dedicated to all the patients, families, loved ones, friends, nurses, doctors, lab technicians, x-ray technicians, aids, and everyone who finds themselves either working in or needing help from an imperfect system.