Patrick Yay was born in Burma during a time when the people of Myanmar felt helpless and frightened while living under the rule of a brutal military junta regime. While growing up, Yay had a few seemingly simple wishes: to be valued and respected, to have rights and freedom of choice, and to be treated as a human being. Unfortunately there appeared to be only one way he could achieve his greatest desires and that was to escape his native land.
In a compelling retelling of his younger life experiences, Yay leads others through his childhood and several years beyond as he matured and began attending medical school. While detailing the many difficulties he endured under an unethical administration of senior doctors, Yay provides a penetrating look into his growing frustrations instigated by the corrupt Ne Win military regime. But it was not until his younger brother's arrest and imprisonment during the U Thant funeral in Rangoon that Yay felt he had no choice but to begin planning an escape that would not come without sacrifices.

Agony to Agony shares the fascinating story of a Burmese man as he attempted to pursue his dreams and escape a country held captive by ruthless dictators.