A Darkness of Her Own: Living with the Consequences of Medical Malpractice

"A Darkness of Her Own" chronicles what happens when a couple's most joyous occasion-the birth of their first child-goes horribly wrong. A riveting personal story and compelling court room drama, it begins on the day that Ken and Lorraine Zarecor meet for the first time. The story follows them through their courtship, marriage, and birth of their only child, Heather-and the shocking and heartbreaking events that followed. Heather suffered severe brain damage at birth. While trying to preserve her life and dignity, her parents encountered many obstacles. The tragedy caused turmoil in their lives and their marriage. They found the medical professionals and governmental agencies largely impotent, intolerant, or unwilling to offer assistance. These failures forced the Zarecors to turn to the courts to discover the cause of Heather's brain damage, to redress the consequences of medical malpractice. Over the course of ten years, they encountered many obstacles, including missing or altered medical records, and attorneys who misstated facts attempting to protect guilty parties. Their goal was to insure that Heather would have the best possible care for the rest of her life, and, in the end, to see that she got justice.

Kenneth Zarecor was born in Nebraska. A graduate of Brooklyn College, he lived in New York most of his adult life. Ken enjoyed a long and varied working life, finally retiring from a career as a special education teacher. He currently resides, with his daughter, Heather, in Grand Junction, Colorado.