Thanks for the replies.
Well, the crime was my mom's mom getting murdered when my mom was about 12. Thematically it is relevant to my story because the first plot point is my mom abandoning me when I was also around 12. There is an ironic connection between the murder and the abandonment because growing up my mom always complained about how difficult it is/was not having a mother. Even if I don't use the murder as the opening scene, it still will at least get mentioned as backstory because the trauma shaped my mom's actions in other important scenes.
My 2nd plot point is a medical malpractice incident that I suffered. The 3rd plot point is a radical life/career change from crime to the "straight and narrow." The 4th and final plot point (or climax) is getting hospitalized years later as a result of the medical malpractice incident, forcing me to quit my job.
I'm still honing in on the main themes/messages. Some things that are on the table include: taking a hands on approach to your health when dealing with the medical industry, family and social support networks should not have regulations or narrow definitions.
So far I have just been writing chronologically. However, with my first plot point being abandonment, I was planning on just setting that up by some foreshadowing scenes and some examples of happier times as well as scenes hinting at the cause of the abandonment (which is not revealed until the end of the book). None of these "set up" scenes are that dramatic, so I don't know if they will hook the reader, hence why I am considering using a scene from around my hospitalization (which was an extremely dramatic and action-packed time) then rewinding back to the beginning.
The crime parts are very interesting.
Here's how I think I would try to set it up. Start with the murder and the impact it had on your mother for not having a mom. This leading into your personal abandonment at such a young age is tragic, emotional and gripping. If it shaped you and led you to a life of crime I would follow with that. If there is any correlation between your life in crime and the crime that occurred within your family then that would be good to mention as well. Then finish with your life in crime and eventual redemption, which it seems there is one. Then you could finish with the climax of being hospitalized and losing your job. Is the first malpractice relevant to the story as a whole outside of there being two? Does it add a lot? And is it interesting.
I personally think your third plot point is the most interesting one from the face of it though without knowing the details. Stories of redemption are good. Especially if the loss of your job changed things for the worse, or made you revert to your old ways.
I had a botched knee surgery that almost killed me because of a staph infection and was speaking with lawyers, but never pursued it because I survived and my medical bills were covered, but even if I had gone after the doctor I don't think it would have been very interesting. The second one, however, does seem interesting because of the repercussions of the loss of your job.
If you feel the need to skip to something later that's more exciting maybe you should just start with that, but I think starting with the tragic murder of your grandmother is gripping enough to keep someone reading if it ties into later parts of the memoir.
That would make for a good story. The malpractice happened, but it needs to be able to fit into the main story and be relevant, memoir or otherwise.
I think you have something good on your hands. Good luck. If nothing else writing about tragedies like this is cathartic.
I'm sorry for the tragedy you've endured.