John S. (Seajack) reviewed on 10/17/2009 + 347 more book reviews

Very well-written account of the author's first year as caregiver to her brain-damaged husband. However, perhaps it's my background working in the civil court system, but I had a hard time accepting Crimmins' implication that there wasn't money for medical treatment aside from what their HMO would authorize. Granted she wasn't present at the accident, but beyond stating that "a woman driving a boat hit him", there's no further mention of the circumstances thereafter by her ... with one exception: she finds the claims adjuster for the woman's insurance company in Alan's hospital room shortly after the accident, and throws him out immediately. That said to me that there was a settlement, if not litigation (she does mention threatening to sue the HMO at one point), involved which she cannot discuss; presumably, there's treatment money forthcoming which she downplays here. The way she handles that aspect I found clumsily disingenuous; she's explicit - to the point of TMI for me at times - with the rest of the details.

That aside, I recommend the book for the caregiver aspect.

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