Vincent Michael Vassolo is a 65 year old man who has managed to survive a lifetime of Crohn's and craziness. During his 53 years as a casualty of Crohn's disease, he's undergone 18 surgeries (only 5 bowel resections, though), and too many hospitalizations and medical procedures to recount or recall. Despite that, he considers himself to be the healthiest Crohn's patient in America. But his war with Crohn's is only half the story. The other half is about his turbulent decades as the short side of a toxic triangle in a poisonous nuclear family that blew up every single day. (Remember Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? He's the son George and Martha never had.) All that domestic craziness on top of Crohn's made for a rather chaotic existence, which is reflected throughout much of this book. But the heart of the story is about the rewards of gradually breaking free of the past, meeting the challenges of the present and struggling toward post-traumatic growth in the future. That's why this book is filled with everything from insightful observations to useful psychosocial techniques that can help almost anyone cope with almost anything. So no matter what your challenges may be, if the notion of truly thriving rather than simply surviving appeals to you, read on.