Can You Help Me?: Inside the Turbulent World of Huntington Disease

by Thomas Bird

Can You Help Me?: Living in the Turbulent World of Huntington Disease shares the surprising, insightful, challenging, and even encouraging stories of patients and their families who live with Huntington Disease. Having seen patients for more than 40 years, Dr Thomas Bird, a pioneer neurogeneticist, adds a human touch to this genetic brain disease that devastates persons during mid-life when they can least afford it.

With a brief history of Huntington Disease and the occasional scientific detail, the true heart of the book is the human experience of the
� The man who cannot stay out of prison because he is addicted to being a burglar.
� Another man shoots and kills his roommate while watching television and cannot explain why he did it.
� The woman with Huntington Disease copes with her depression by using Texas line dancing.
� A twelve year old girl with juvenile Huntington Disease who can barely walk and talk, but her classmates rally around with touching and heartfelt support.
� And the 72 year old man with late onset Huntington Disease and severe depression is made worse by ECT, but improved (for a while) with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.

These are just some of the compelling stories of people of all ages and in all walks of life who feel trapped by a progressive degenerative brain disease from which there is no escape.

Genres: Medicine, Nonfiction

284 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2019

Reviews

[Stacey Krueger · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an HD social worker for over 14 years, I saw many familiar stories within this book. This speaks to the universality of a disease that is otherwise unpredictable. We all hold out hope for a cure or disease modifying treatment, but in the meantime we try to answer the question “Can You Help Me?” with “I’ll do all I can.”

[Mrs. Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone that has this disease in their family should read this book.

[Janice Northen · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES to reading this book if you want to know more about HD or mental illness in general. I put this book down as a more empathetic and thankful person.

[Kindra Stridiron · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband has Huntington’s disease and was at the stage where he is abusive and aggressive. I was finding it very difficult to cope. Everything was my fault. Nobody else was right except him. It was like living in another world. Doctors prescribed clonazepam to controls his days and Mirapex at night to sleep. It was difficult to do anything normal, I retired in April that year and was with him 24/7, Around 7 months ago I began to do a lot of research and came across www Health Herbs Clinic com. it is a smashing one of a kind product for reversing Huntington's disease. After using the HERBAL FORMULA we purchased from healthherbsclinic , 4 months into treatment he improved dramatically we began to notice a reduction in symptoms till it all vanished. the disease is totally under control. No case of paranoia, particularly the hallucination, and his delusion. visit their website healthherbsclinic .com I Just wanted to share for people suffering from this horrible disease

[Kate Mcphail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very informative and intriguing. I was previously aware of Huntington's disease only through it being used as an example of PCR applications in some of my coursework for university. Reading this has given me a new perspective on genetic conditions and just how strongly they can affect an individual along with their family and peers around them. This book has only further increased my interest in studying Genetics and Pathology and I will keep an eye out for any new research or further developments in progress towards treating such a complex disease.

Even if you are not very familiar with the disease or neurological conditions in general, the way everything is described is very clear and the stories of those who ended up with or being affected by someone with the disease are all very relatable and bring a new level of meaning to "neurodegenerative disorder."

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thoughtful and poignant collection of personal stories about patients with Huntington disease. The book explores the wide array of emotions, symptoms, coping mechanisms, and challenges faced by these patients and their families. I have been lucky to meet Dr. Bird and to know the wonderful team continuing his work with these patients. I think most importantly, Dr. Bird does a wonderful job humanizing these people beyond just their medical condition.

[Carola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written for a general audience, this book gives a glimpse of the many manifestations of Huntington disease. It also prompts the reader to think more generally about the difficulty with which people with mental disorders move about our world, and the shortcomings of our support systems for those affected by them.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone that has this disease in their family should read this book. It explains, it makes you question, it makes you realize things.

[Mariane Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative

[London Storm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oliver Sacks eat your heart out