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Leaving La-La Land
Escape to Reality
by
Robert K. Bosscha
Rob is working on renovating his condo when his life is turned upside down. One fateful day, his contractor hears him collapse from the other room. When Rob awakens in the hospital, little does he know, his life—and brain—have changed forever . . . . Leaving La-La Land is the astounding memoir of a man afflicted by a rare brain condition known as encephalopathy. Over the course of his three-month hospital stay, doctors speculate all kinds of hypotheses for what Rob might be dealing with, which shows itself through both psychological and physical symptoms, putting him through a barrage of tests. Meanwhile Rob, who has lost his sense of who or where or when he is, and his abilities to accomplish even the most basic bodily functions, finds himself afloat on a sea of encephalopathic dreams that try desperately to make sense of his new reality. Through these remembered dreams, in which he believes himself to be part of a secretive muay thai tournament or the head of a family and husband to a resentful wife in Japan, Rob’s hospital experience is half-revealed to him, while medical staff’s scrupulous note-taking helps fill in the blanks. Against all expectations, Rob will eventually find himself able to partially recover from his encephalopathy, regaining a life of relative independence, though he will never be the same. Imaginatively told, at times harrowing, and always profoundly illuminating, Leaving La-La Land is a story of survival and perseverance in the face of incredible odds.
"A disturbing and frightening but highly informative tale, with encouragement for fellow sufferers." —Kirkus Reviews “The narration is vulnerable . . . it reflects on personal unraveling and rediscovery of oneself. . . A philosophical memoir about post-illness discovery, Leaving La-La Land is about recovering a lost grip on reality.” —Foreword Clarion Reviews "This book offers a rare, honest look into the confusion, memory loss, and emotional isolation. . . Robert writes with raw honesty about the daily realities of recovery. . . Robert’s voice adds a vital human perspective to a condition that is too often misunderstood or hidden — making this not only a compelling read but an important one." —Michelle Shahbazyan, MS, MA, Executive Life Coach and Counselor “This complex memoir is well organized. . . This story of survival provides insight into a world that is little understood. . . A disturbing and frightening but highly informative tale, with encouragement for fellow sufferers”. —Kirkus Reviews
Rob K. Bosscha is an author, organizational development specialist, and survivor of the life-altering encephalopathy journey described in this, his first book. With Leaving La-La Land, he hopes to fill in the gap of encephalopathy information as told from a patient’s perspective, providing hope for (partial) recovery to those—or those with loved ones—facing similar odds. Outside of his writing, Rob enjoys many activities that keep his mind busy, from learning about stock trading to completing jigsaw puzzles. He continues to live with encephalopathy at an independent living retirement community in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Interested in getting in touch? You can find Rob at www.RobertKBosscha.com or on Linkedin and Facebook.
Contributors
- Author
- Robert K. Bosscha