Living Library: Bringing Stories of Women’s Health to the Forefront Oral Interviews Collection
In February 2024, McGoogan Library hosted virtual and in-person events open to the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine community and the public. Attendees at both events selected living books to speak with and hear their perspective on a variety of women’s health topics.
Each book was also interviewed and shared some of the most common questions they receive and/or questions they wish people would ask them. Below are links to each of their oral interviews.
We encourage you to view these videos and share with your network, friends and family.
“This project centers diverse voices in storytelling and information sharing to enact McGoogan Library's mission of connecting the past, informing the present, and building the future.” – Emily Glenn, dean of McGoogan Library
“Our hope is that this project sheds light on areas of women’s health that our students, faculty, staff and the public may not be as familiar with and provides an opportunity for learning and growth.” – Jess King, education and research services librarian at McGoogan Library and principal investigator for the “Living Library: Bringing Stories of Women’s Health to the Forefront” project.
Members of the “Living Library: Bringing Stories of Women’s Health to the Forefront” project team include:
The “Living Library: Bringing Stories of Women’s Health to the Forefront” project was funded in part by a grant from Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment and sponsored by McGoogan Health Sciences Library.
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01 - A Journey through Complicated Pregnancies and the Impact of Birth Trauma
Leigh Cook and Jess King
Book synopsis
I am a nurse practitioner working in maternal mental health and have experienced my own struggles with complicated pregnancies and the impact they have on the family unit. Within a period of three years, I experienced three pregnancies. One ended in miscarriage, one resulted in a premature delivery due to pre-eclampsia and the other resulted in inpatient bedrest for many weeks with a premature delivery due to placenta previa. I hope that sharing my experiences will help decrease the stigma associated with complicated pregnancies, prematurity, and maternal mental health.
About Leigh
Leigh Cook, APRN-NP, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C
Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Psychiatry, Reproductive Psychiatry at Nebraska Medicine
Assistant Director of Nursing Workforce Development at Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN)
Clinical Instructor in the College of Nursing at UNMC
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02 - One but Also Many: Living Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder
Wyn and Jess King
Book synopsis
I was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID, formerly multiple personality disorder) and feared that my life as I had known it was over. Now I am embracing a lifestyle called ‘functional multiplicity.’ This means that I have different, distinct personality states (called alters), but we work together as a cohesive team. This is the story of how I grew to love all parts of myself, and I hope that by sharing my story I can make the world a safer and more understanding place for people like me.
About Wyn
Senior Patient Access Associate at Nebraska Medicine*
*Position at the time of the recording.
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03 - Near Death to Bring Life Hyperemesis Gravidarum during Pregnancy
Andrea Swett and Jess King
Book synopsis
Only 3% of pregnant women have hyperemesis gravidarum which is morning sickness to an extreme level. When I experienced it with my first child, I was told it was unlikely to happen again. However, I experienced it with my second and third pregnancies as well. I was told there is not much you can do. I felt hopeless. I hope to share the story of how something difficult can bring life into the world and how my mental/emotional road to recovery is still in process.
About Andrea
Andrea Swett, M.S., NASM-CPT
Director for the Center of Healthy Living and Central Scheduling at UNMC*
*At time of recording.
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04 - A Researcher’s Perspective on Urinary Incontinence in Women
Abbey Klein
Book synopsis
I am a faculty member in the College of Nursing, and I research urinary incontinence in women which impacts approximately 50% of women throughout their lifetime. Urinary incontinence is so common, yet it lacks social recognition as a problem worthy of fixing. Women need the knowledge and power to advocate for themselves and I hope that the story I share will encourage women to seek care, equip them with knowledge, and provide them with language to advocate for their health.
About Abbey
Abbey Klein, PhD, RN
Assistant Professor at UNMC College of Nursing–Omaha Division
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05 - Pediatric Cancer: Survivor, Physician, Mom
Ashleigh Kussman MD and Jess King
Book synopsis
I am a survivor of high-risk pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia and now work as a pediatric hematology-oncology physician. Through my own battle with cancer and long-term side effects, I have felt uniquely gifted with the ability to relate to others, help them feel validated in the myriad feelings they experience, and provide a much-needed aspect of healing: being understood. With just six months left of my pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship training, my firstborn son was diagnosed with brain cancer. I hope that sharing my story will increase the understanding and empathy for pediatric patients and their families.
About Ashleigh
Ashleigh Kussman, MD
Pediatric Hematologist and Oncologist and Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Physician at Children’s Nebraska and UNMC
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06 - "Are you sure it's not all in your head?" A Journey to Diagnose Endometriosis and Adenomyosis
Georgia Ryba and Jess King
Book synopsis
After years of chronic abdominal pain, numerous tests that showed no abnormalities, and being told that it was “just menstrual pain,” I finally found a doctor who diagnosed my endometriosis. However, years later my symptoms worsened, and I learned of endometriosis’ ‘evil cousin,’ adenomyosis, which led to a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at the age of 32. I hope that sharing my arduous journey towards receiving a full diagnosis and treatment will contribute to more awareness of these conditions and remind women of their right to advocate for their health care.
About Georgia
Georgia Ryba, BM
Respite Care Associate at UNMC’s Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI)
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07 - A Triple Negative Breast Cancer Diagnosis during My Pregnancy
Lauren Sigmon and Jess King
Book synopsis
I am the mother of two young children and have worked as an oncology nurse for ten years. When I was pregnant with my second child, I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the 11-week mark. My child and I survived 16 rounds of chemotherapy together and now, three years after my diagnosis, my child and I are both thriving. I hope that by sharing my story I can help inspire and encourage others who may be experiencing similar struggles.
About Lauren
Lauren Sigmon
College of Nursing Graduate Research Assistant at UNMC
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08 - You Are Not Alone: Pregnancy Loss and Grief
Kirsten Hepburn and Jess King
Book synopsis
I was a Bereavement RN at a large women’s health clinic for four years and in my work, I met thousands of women experiencing pregnancy losses. Despite how common pregnancy loss is, it can be isolating as many people are not open about the experience. It is heartbreaking that we live in a culture that places the weight and blame of this on women—so much so that the first question they would often ask me is, “What did I do wrong?” I hope that by sharing my experience I can bring awareness to pregnancy loss and create an open dialogue.
About Kirsten
Kirsten Hepburn
PhD graduate student in UNMC College of Nursing
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09 - Gaining Clarity through My Autism Diagnosis
Maggie Thompson and Jess King
Book synopsis
After years of feeling weird, quirky, being bullied and misdiagnosed with a host of other conditions, I was able to finally gain clarity through my autism diagnosis. Autism shows up differently in women than it does in men, and most screening tools are geared towards the male presentation of the condition. Because of that, I remained in the dark about my condition for more than 30 years. I began connecting with other autistic women who were able to provide me with much needed validation. I hope that by sharing my story I can pass that along to others.
About Maggie
Maggie Thompson
Senior Organizational Development Partner and Culture Advisor at Nebraska Medicine