Wise, approachable, and deeply inspiring.
Struthers debuts with an engaging blend of memoir, concussion advocacy, and pickleball evangelism. After decades of soccer-related head injuries, she found herself trapped in what she calls a world of “fog, fatigue, and frustration,” struggling with memory loss, exhaustion, and a medical system that repeatedly assured her she was fine. “Holy f— that hurt. I’m gonna need a sub!” she recalls after one devastating collision, though the real damage would take years to understand.
Writing with self-deprecating humor and considerable warmth, Struthers chronicles her eventual diagnosis with post-concussion syndrome and the surprising role pickleball played in her recovery. Along the way, she highlights the gender gap in concussion research, arguing persuasively that women’s symptoms are too often dismissed as stress, aging, or menopause. Karen Bryan’s moving guest narrative broadens the book beyond sports injuries and underscores the invisible nature of brain trauma. The neuroscience is simplified, but it’s the author’s sincerity that carries the argument. Most convincing is her portrayal of pickleball not as a miracle cure but as a vehicle for movement, cognition, competition, and community.
An energetic and compassionate account of recovery that gives a neglected patient population a much-needed voice.
***
Pub date April 17 2026
Print length 108 pages
ISBN 979-8255386956
Price $32.85 (USD) Hardcover, $13.99 Paperback, $4.99 Kindle edition
