Dirty Details

by Marion Deutsche Cohen

In 1977, at the age of 36, Jeffrey Cohen, a physicist at the University of Pennsylvania, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. But it wasn't until 10 years later when the disease had progressed to the point where he could not transfer himself out of his wheelchair. This book chronicles the author's lives in the context of her husband's disease.

Genres: Medicine, Health

220 pages, Paperback

First published March 29, 1996

Reviews

[Marylee MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that affirmed what I had known intuitively: That caring for a an adult and dealing with bodily functions is a job that never ends. Cohen, a caregiver for her husband, tried to find help, but discovered that none was available. Her insurance didn't cover nights or weekends. Every person is different, but when caregivers are sleep deprived and physically exhausted, the word the author uses to describe this state--"untenable"--perfectly sums up what it's like to have to go on and on and on, long past the time when you think you ought to quit.