Science & technology

摘要

A candid search for identity leads journalist Donlan to ask: Where do I stop, and where does the illness begin? Shortly after the birth of his daughter, Donlan felt like a tourist in his own skin as he experienced fatigue, brain fog, and tingling sensations, among other symptoms. He describes multiple sclerosis as two diagnoses at once: a condition, and an incurable one. To better understand a condition that can be difficult to describe, he interviews neuroscien-tists and researches the work of pioneering French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. With his concept of self in flux, Donlan struggles with self-discovery, becoming his own inner explorer while trying not to become an amateur neurologist. The author shines when portraying his family, siblings, and parents, and his efforts to keep them away out of self-preservation. His hospital diaries display the conflicting emotional and physical responses to pain: Am I overreacting or underreacting? For Donlan, both parenthood and multiple sclerosis are an adventure, and he often wonders about limitations and failure. VERDICT As one of the few books that touches upon the intersections of parenthood and chronic illness, it would be easy to recommend this affecting memoir to both communities; it should also find a home among readers of medical memoirs.