Because I Deserve It: What Chronic Illness Taught Me about Finding My Voice in the Healthcare System

I requested Because I Deserve It from LibraryThing because of the subtitle "...Finding My Voice in the Healthcare System." I chose this book because I wanted Kenitra to teach me how to stand up for myself when it comes to my own wellbeing. I knew there would be so much to learn. For example, why is it that women become apologetic or mute when dealing with a medical professional?
The best part of Because I Deserve It is the clear recommendations at the end of each chapter. I appreciated the section about navigating the myriad of questions a patient should ask and when. I also loved the idea of an audio journal to document how you are feeling every single day, whether you have an appointment with a provider or not. Finally, the advice to show more research your medications! Just because a white-coated professional prescribed a medication does not mean it is the right one for you. You are not Alice! You don't not have to swallow what they put in front of you.
In additional to advocating for women of color, Kenitra also advocates for self-described introverts. She was spot on when describing an introvert's characteristics which gave credence to her information for all women.
The only criticism I found with Because I Deserve It was the repetition in some areas. Saying the same thing too many times gives the impression the author has run out of worthwhile things to say. Stressing a point is one thing, but echoing information over and over is quite another.
All in all I am glad I requested Because I Deserve It because I learned a great deal. I will refer back to her advice the next time I need to advocate for my own wellbeing. show less