Reading log 6

Reading log 6

My sisters keeper

My sisters keeper in a 2004 novel written by Jodi Picoult it tells a story of 9 year old Anna who sues her parents for medical emancipation. When she is forced to donate a kidney to her sister Kate, who is dying from Leukemia. This story takes place in Rhode island  in 2004, Anna Fitzgerald's older sister Kate suffers from a blood and bone marrow cancer (acute promyelocytic leukemia.) Anna was born to save her sister as her older brother wasn't a match Anna was the one to save Kate  at first this was successful but continued to spread through Kate's body as  she got older .

Anna was always willing to give things up for Kate, but when she turned 13 she is told she has to donate one of her kidneys due to Kate's kidney failure. Anna petitions for medial emancipation with the help of  Campbell Alexandra, so she will be able to make hr own decisions regarding her medical treatment and the donation of her kidney. This is done on the advice of Julia Romano whose job is to decide what would be better for Anna, Meanwhile Jesse Kate's brother who has spent most of his life being ignore in favor of his ill sister Kate and spends most of his time setting things on fire in abandoned buildings with homemade explosives and using illegal drugs. During the trial it is revealed that Kate originally told Anna to sue for emancipation because Kate didn't want Anna to give her kidney up as Kate was ready to die. but their mum Sara didn't seem to understand why Kate would give up so easy and not want the kidney because Kate already know he is ready to die, the judge rules in Anna's favor and grants Campbell medical power of attorney.

As a teenager this makes me sad to think that her parents only had Anna to save Kate, as Jesse wasn't a match. several times Anna would be pinched and poked for many years until she can finally stand up for herself and to have a say in what goes on with her body without her mum telling her otherwise, for example when Anna was younger many doctors would hold Anna down to get what they needed for Kate until Anna realized she no longer wanted to continue. At the same time i know that Sara only did what she could in order to make sure Kate was healthy and alive but with Sara doing this she never really had a proper relationship with Jesse for example as Jesse got older he became more vulnerable and sensitive as most of the attention was on Kate, which is why he was never home and doing illegal stuff with his friends, as Kate was the their main priority