Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippincott

    Having a disease doesn’t limit what you are able to do. Being sick or having a medical problem does nothing but push you to be a stronger person. When the whole world was experiencing the Covid-19 pandemic, it did nothing but teach us more than harm us. In the book Five Feet Apart, Stella and Will have a disease called cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that causes a build-up of mucus in your lungs and organs. This causes difficulty breathing since the mucus is blocking part of your airway. Although cystic fibrosis isn’t covid, the disease still reminds me of each-other. It’s ironic that the book is called Five Feet Apart, but it’s recommended that people with cystic fibrosis stay six feet apart from other people with cystic fibrosis. It was also recommended when Covid was a big thing that we stay six feet apart from others as well to prevent us from getting Covid. What’s the extra foot really going to do anyway? 

    Over time, Stella and Will begin to fall in love with each other. Since they can't be within six feet of each other, it is kind of hard to have a relationship if they can't be by the other person. This did not stop them. They went ice skating and held on to a six-foot stick to try to feel the connection between them while still being apart. Everyone shows their love differently in this world, and this was one of the ways that I thought was really powerful to see. Throughout the book, Stella is also on the waiting list for a lung transplant. When she finally gets her new pair of lungs, Will decides to leave the hospital to give Stella a chance at a new and healthy start in life. He does not want any chance of contaminating her since their love and bond has grown so much. This was a really heartbreaking time in the book but was really heartwarming to see what Will would do to make Stella have a better life. Stella also has a best friend named Poe in this story. They have been in the hospital with each other for quite some time. They also have never been able to hug each other or anything being best friends since Poe has cystic fibrosis as well. One day Poe ends up going into cardiac arrest and passes away. This was another very heartbreaking time in this story since Poe and Stella have never been able to hug each other or be within six feet of each other. This part of the story really made me realize how lucky I am to be able to interact with my loved ones and being able to hug them as well. 

    Throughout my life I have decided that I want to pursue in a career in the medical field. I know I want to be a nurse, but I am not sure what kind. Nurse Barb in the book is a respiratory therapist. I think having her job would be a really good one to have. She treats her patients like her own kids and makes them feel comfortable while still being in a hospital. She especially looks out for Stella and treats her like her daughter since Stella has been in and out of the hospital for so long. She doesn't want to risk Stella's disease getting worse, so she is extremely strict about Stella being anywhere near Will. She is always watching and looking out for them. This book overall really opened my eyes about friendships, diseases, career paths, and what the past has taught us for the future.