An Account of Brave Rebuilding of Life

Review by Ronica Wahi 

Playing with House Money: An Addendum to Land of Allusions

By Andrew Davie

Published: January 26, 2022, Independently Published.

Pages: 45.

ASIN: B09R39GXCQ

Andrew Davie continues relating with honesty his own experience as a survivor of a ruptured brain aneurysm in Playing with House Money: An Addendum to Land of Allusions. It’s a fit addendum: it takes forward the story of his own journey, with his unique challenges, struggles, progress in the same straightforward style with ample references-with-explanations – again, as with Land of Allusions, not mere allusions – to movies and TV shows.

Davie details his experience with the aneurysm and his miraculous recovery in Land of Allusions, the review for which can be read here. He makes use of some space in that memoir for reflecting over the meaning of life. In Playing with House Money, he takes such reflection much further by trying to understand what he went through and realizing that he has been given a gift, a sort of bonus.

At the end of this short book, he writes, succinctly putting forth his view of the new life he has now and simultaneously elucidating his interesting choice of title:

“In gambling parlance, this would be the equivalent of playing with house money: you’re no longer risking your own money; you’re gambling exclusively with winnings.”

There are many struggles that Andrew faces – physical and emotional. He says, “…most of my physical ailments continue to be nuisances rather than problems, and I’ve incorporated the changes such as balance or vision issues into my daily routine.” But emotional recovery has been a real problem, more so since the pandemic just magnified it.

He finds it difficult to foster emotional connections and even shares his having lost the understanding about “the cultivation of friendships, which included such things as having realistic expectations”. Though he has had a lot of support, some of his experiences haven’t been of the kind that other people could have possibly helped him sail through and he has had to help himself, despite feeling overwhelmed by everyday life for a prolonged period. This fact makes him feel isolated at times.

Understandably so, Davie’s priorities are different now. The goals have changed because some are unattainable for him while others are no longer worth pursuing. The future he now looks to, of course, isn’t the one he had planned for himself before his aneurysm, but he is surely moving forward the best way he can. With consistent efforts, he has ensured that the uncertainty doesn’t overwhelm him anymore; among other steps, he is seeking help from a therapist, trying to restart dating, and trying to restart career through enrolling for another degree even.

Despite the many continuing challenges and despite the many adjustments he is still making, he is appreciative of the fact – as mentioned above – of his recovery. To come to this idea that his survival is part of a grand design and he is alive because he was at a certain place at a certain time under certain circumstances, he has not only consciously and deeply meditated over the sequence of events but also has looked at works of various thinkers and philosophers. This portion wherein he explores ideas of fate, chance, free will is really interesting.

Playing with House Money is – like Land of Allusions – inspiring because Davie shows gratitude towards life, the ability to rise against extreme adversity, and the will to remain optimistic. He’s looking to help other people – through being there for those who also suffer and through sharing his story through writing.

 

Check out the Kindle edition of Playing with House Money on Amazon India:  https://amzn.to/3gTyiCV

Also check out Land of Allusions (Kindle edition) on Amazon India: https://amzn.to/3AyeTjt

 

To know about Andrew Davie’s recovery from ruptured brain aneurysm in his own words, and learn more about his writing and music podcast, do watch his interview here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB4oAD3JHRo

 

 

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