To Love a Stranger, a Caregiver's Perspective

"Even now, a certain birdsong or a scent of flowers triggers the memory of that morning when Mac and I climbed on our bikes and waved at a neighbor who was leaving for work. What a heady, virtuous feeling to be out pedaling at this hour. "Mac never rode a bike again." More than twenty years later, Fran McMahon recalls that day when her strong, active, husband suddenly feared that he would fall off his bike and then refused to continue the ride. It was the first signal that something was wrong. That something turned out to be a rare brain disease called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. To Love a Stranger is Fran McMahon's account of the struggles-and joys-the couple faced together as patient and caregiver. It's a story of faith and enduring love, and the promise she made to her husband to stay the course. "This well written and enlightening book is a must read for those who will be called on to provide caregiving, treatment, and human kindness to someone with a severe and debilitating illness." --Kenneth S. Zelinger, M.D. Neurologist and Diplomate of The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology "An engaging, sensitive, and candid account of a wife's choice to share the journey of her husband's declining health. A must read for all caregivers dealing with a loved one's debilitating and catastrophic illness." --Francesca Z. Moulinier, R.N. M.S.W. (Hospice nurse and social worker.)