When Breath Became Air Analysis

Future is a ladder towards self – recognition and achieves goals in life, but what if there is no longer a future or ladder to climb? Then is a life worth living when you face death? A storm of questions in Paul’s head as he flipped through the CT scan of his lung. Paul was thirty-six years old neurosurgeon in his final year of residence when he was diagnosed with lung cancer in its final stage. When Breath Becomes Air, a memoir of Paul that takes the reader on a journey highlighting remarkable memories of Paul’s life. Furtherer more, Paul highlighted in his book various medical issues, two medical issues will be illustrated in this book report which is lung cancer and premature labor.
The first medical issue that will be discussed lung cancer. Paul was in his final year of residence when he developed excruciating back pain, start to lose weight, and a cough that never goes away. At the beginning of symptoms, he knows deep down that he has cancer but he tried to comfier himself by thinking he has isthmic spondylolisthesis because of the symptoms is shown on him. However, when the pain became unbearable, Paul was admitted to the hospital where CT scan
Both of the issues in the memoir involve in adding an advance perspective to Paul and let him find more answers to his curiosity of what makes life meaningful. Through his illness Paul recognized that living life by the fully means and accept suffering is what cause life worth living in face of death. Also, made Paul view illness from the patient perspective. Meanwhile, Elena’s case made Paul come to a finale that life is just an instant and death is intimate. This book is a medical and emotional ride that makes the reader view life and death in a different point of views, make you think what really makes life worth