Tired...one woman's work

A poignant memoir about medicine, identity, and family secrets, narrated by a distinguished obstetrician-gynecologist, unraveling the mystery of her grandmother's mysterious death, while reimagining women's health care through a mobile clinic. These memoirs are directed to readers of the books “Beauty in Brokenness” and “Between.” In her book Childbirth: A Woman's Work, Dr. Mary Afsari takes us on a deeply personal and inspiring journey through her life as an obstetrician-gynecologist. Set in Portland, Oregon, and Shiraz, Iran, this poignant memoir blends the complexities of her professional life with the hidden truths of her family's past, exploring the intersection of medicine, identity, and the relentless pursuit of independence. The story begins in the bustling hallways of an Oregon hospital, where Mary devotes herself wholeheartedly to her patients, often to her own detriment. At the same time, Mary uncovers a long-buried family secret: the tragic story of her grandmother Mehri's death in Iran in the 1950s. This discovery pushes her on a journey to unravel the threads of her family history, and confront the forces that have shaped her identity and professional mission. As Mary grapples with the reality of an oppressive industrial medical system and increasing attacks on women's reproductive rights, she chooses a path of bold defiance. Inspired by her grandmother's legacy and commitment to compassionate care, she decides to take her business from the hospital to the road: she converts an RV into a mobile women's health clinic. This innovative work allows her to provide vibrant, personalized reproductive health care services throughout the Pacific Northwest, building community and solid friendships along the way. “When women don't have a choice, bad things happen,” Mary writes. “Work” is an intimate and immersive personal story, a resounding cry in a post-Roe v. Wade world, and an inspiring example of what women can do when they have a choice. Mary's story, rich with the voices of her patients and the vibrant cultural fabric of her Iranian heritage, enriches our vision of rethinking the boundaries of health care and restoring the autonomy of women's bodies and lives. With warmth, insight, and humor, Action offers a vision of change, resilience, and the power of regaining one's path and saving the lives of others in the process.