Be Patient

Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

Standard price shown. Sign in for personalised pricing.

Send as a gift Get in the xigxag app

Added to cart

Continue shopping or head to checkout

View cart
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

'Darkly funny as well as deeply shocking, [Be Patient] is an antidote to This is Going to Hurt... This is what it's like to be on the other side of Britain's hospital wards.' ― The Times

'Tilly writes beautifully, with such compassion... the insight that she gives the reader is astonishing.' -Donna Ashworth, poet and author of Wild Hope and Growing Brave

'A story of perseverance, the importance of advocating for yourself and how the kindness of strangers can have a huge impact... A lesson to us all on what it is to have hope, even when we are at our most depleted. Shocking, brave and raw.' - Giovanna Fletcher, author, podcaster, actress and activist

'What a sensational read. A real, heartfelt, and insightful look into the lived experience of someone managing their chronic health issues.' -Dr Nighat Arif, author of The Knowledge

'I found this book both heartbreaking and uplifting all at once. A true story of resilience, hope and unwavering courage. A reminder to us all that life is worth living and that love really can conquer all.' -Frankie Bridge, presenter and author of Open

'An inspiring account of a patient journey. Recommended for all.' -Dr Ed Patrick, comedian and author of Catch Your Breath

'Nothing short of a literary miracle... I loved it.' - Abi Morgan (OBE), screenwriter and author of This is Not a Pity Memoir

***

It's the sleepover from hell that no one prepared you for. The doctors have gone to medical school, the nurses have gone to uni - but what about the patients?

Be Patient is a warm, darkly comic account of Tilly's desperate search for a diagnosis, against the backdrop of a hilariously funny, heartfelt and, at times, shocking insight into patient life.

A 'medical mystery' for over 20 years, Tilly has spent a lifetime navigating GP waiting rooms, A&E departments and hospital wards. She has been given a front row seat watching humanity at its worst (or its best, depending on how you look at it). Along the way, she has become highly qualified at two things: being a patient and being very patient.

Now, she is shining a bright hospital strip light onto a space that none of us want to occupy but one we know, with some certainty, that we will. Complete with 'survival tips' and fuelled with humour (the best medicine of all), Be Patient is an extraordinary memoir on resilience, hope and finding strength in the face of adversity.

Critics Review

A story of perseverance, the importance of advocating for yourself and how the kindness of strangers can have a huge impact. Having been aware of Tilly for a few years it's been fascinating to sit and read about her story in more depth. After years of not being listened to, I'm so glad Tilly is being heard now. A lesson to us all on what it is to have hope, even when we are at our most depleted. Shocking, brave and raw.
Giovanna Fletcher, author, podcaster, actress and activist
Tilly writes beautifully, with such compassion. She has a wise understanding far beyond her years. The insight that she gives the reader is in depth and astonishing. It is delivered in such a relatable way and even with humour. I think this is a really important book for all of us.
Donna Ashworth, poet and author of 'Wild Hope' and 'Growing Brave'
What a sensational read. A real, heartfelt, and insightful look into the lived experience of someone managing their chronic health issues.
Dr Nighat Arif, GP, medical broadcaster and author of 'The Knowledge'
I found this book both heartbreaking and uplifting all at once. A true story of resilience, hope and unwavering courage. A reminder to us all that life is worth living and that love really can conquer all.
Frankie Bridge, presenter and author of 'Open'
In becoming the expert that no one wants to be Tilly Rose turns the worst prize in the raffle into the best, wittiest, most painful, most human quest to find the answer to a medical mystery that no one else can solve. This is a triumph of spirit over adversity. I found myself not only falling in love with its author but also rooting for her to find a cure. To have written it from the battlefield of illness is nothing short of a literary miracle. This book, like its author is the dandelion that grows between the cracks. I loved it .
Abi Morgan (OBE), screenwriter, playwright and author of 'This is Not a Pity Memoir'
An inspiring account of a torturous patient journey. A recommended read for all.
Dr Ed Patrick, anaesthetist, comedian and author of 'Catch Your Breath'
Be Patient is a medical mystery. But it's also much more than that....The young woman who had ambitions to become a journalist if she hadn't been so ill went undercover from under the covers.... Darkly funny as well as deeply shocking, [Be Patient] is an antidote to This is Going to Hurt... This is what it's like to be on the other side of Britain's hospital wards.'
The Times
Tilly lifts the lid on the other side of the patient curtain with wit, warmth and humanity. Her experiences are shocking, uplifting and everything in between, and her determination to turn her pain and resilience into change for the healthcare sector is remarkable. This is a book for anyone who's been a patient, knows a patient or will become a patient - and that's all of us.
Bethan Rose Jenkins, Features Editor, Good Housekeeping
Written like a fictional novel... one of the best memoirs I have ever read
Jade Bowler, author, YouTuber, podcast host

About xigxag

Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.