Here’s My Story

Hi I’m Shari Bookstaff, a tenured marine biology professor in the vibrant city of San Francisco, who has seemingly achieved her childhood dreams.But things were not that straight forward. My life took an unforeseen turn when sporadic dizzy spells and nausea unveiled a benign brain tumor. What I anticipated as a routine surgery turned into a prolonged ordeal, with a 9-day hospital stay stretching into 9 months of grueling rehabilitation.

A stroke post-surgery left me grappling with the loss of fundamental abilities – breathing, eating, talking, hearing, and moving. I was moved to a rehabilitation center away from home. My indomitable spirit found solace in the love of my 12 and 8-year-old children. My journey, chronicled in the book ‘When Life Throws You Lemons…Make Cranberry Juice!‘, is a testament to the transformative power of determination, hard work, and positivity in the face of tragedy.