Living in the Labyrinth
A Personal Journey Through the Maze of Alzheimer's
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- 4,49 €
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- 4,49 €
Publisher Description
Living In The Labyrinth is the story of how one woman found the strength and the courage to cope with a devastating disease that has afflicted five million Americans. Far from being an exercise in self-pity or a standard autobiography, this is an unflinching and ultimately uplifting look at a debilitating illness from the inside out.
“Somewhere there is that ever-present reminder list of what I am supposed to do today. But I cannot find it. I attempt to do the laundry and find myself outside, in my backyard, holding soiled clothes. How did I get here? How do I get back?”
Only forty-five when she first began to struggle with the memory lapses and disorientation that signal the onset of Alzheimer’s, Diana Friel McGowin has written a courageous, stirring insider’s story of the disease that is now the fourth leading killer of American adults.
Diana’s personal journey through days of darkness and light, fear and hope gives us new insight into a devastating illness and the plight of its victims, complete with a list of early warning signs, medical background, and resources for further information. But Diana’s story goes far beyond a recounting of a terrifying disease. It portrays a marriage struggling to survive, a family hurt beyond words, and a woman whose humor and intelligence triumph over setbacks and loss to show us the best of what being human is.
“A stunner of a book . . . it takes the reader on a terrifying but enlightening journey.”—San Antonio News Express
“Touching and sometimes angry . . . a poignant insider’s view.”—The Cincinnati Enquirer
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The last person one might expect to write a book about Alzheimer's disease is somebody sick with it. And yet McGowin, a middle-aged legal assistant living in Florida, here describes the slipping away of her life: she became confused easily, couldn't remember how to do her job, had to ``retire early,'' and didn't even know what was causing all of this disorientation. Unfortunately, she didn't have the most supportive of husbands, and was too embarrassed to confide in her children. Several physicians she consulted ``pooh-poohed'' her deteriorating condition with the all-too-familiar ``see a psychiatrist'' routine. Finally, after extensive medical and psychological testing, a doctor made the definitive diagnosis--early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Make no mistake: this wrenching account is neither a ``pity me'' look at Alzheimer's nor a standard autobiography. Instead, it is the story of how a woman took charge of her life under difficult circumstances. Friel tells how she relearned everyday tasks most often taken for granted. She also shows how habits and relationships had to change to meet new needs and challenges. She includes appendices of warning symptoms and national organizations that may be of help to Alzheimer's sufferers and their families.