Living in the Labyrinth: A Personal Journey Through the Maze of Alzheimer's

by Diana Mcgowin

Living In The Labyrinth  is the story of how one woman found the strength and the courage to cope with a devastating disease that has afflicted five million Americans. Far from being an exercise in self-pity or a standard autobiography, this is an unflinching and ultimately uplifting look at a debilitating illness from the inside out.  
 
“ Somewhere there is that ever-present reminder list of what I am supposed to do today. But I cannot find it. I attempt to do the laundry and find myself outside, in my backyard, holding soiled clothes. How did I get here? How do I get back?”
 
Only forty-five when she first began to struggle with the memory lapses and disorientation that signal the onset of Alzheimer’s, Diana Friel McGowin has written a courageous, stirring insider’s story of the disease that is now the fourth leading killer of American adults.

Diana’s personal journey through days of darkness and light, fear and hope gives us new insight into a devastating illness and the plight of its victims, complete with a list of early warning signs, medical background, and resources for further information. But Diana’s story goes far beyond a recounting of a terrifying disease. It portrays a marriage struggling to survive, a family hurt beyond words, and a woman whose humor and intelligence triumph over setbacks and loss to show us the best of what being human is. 

“A stunner of a book . . . it takes the reader on a terrifying but enlightening journey.”— San Antonio News Express

“Touching and sometimes angry . . . a poignant insider’s view.”— The Cincinnati Enquirer

Genres: Memoir

176 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1994

Reviews

[Claire Kitts]

i don’t feel like i can rate this because it really was the authors personal story with early onset alzheimer’s. she had very well written passages like journal entries and i felt like i could understand others in the beginning and moderate stages of this disease.

[Victoria Dodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touching, heartfelt and humorous!

Diana writes with such a depth of self-understanding and wisdom in the face of this troubling diagnosis. Her command of language, her insight into herself and AD, and her humor make this a “must read” for everyone.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read circa 1999; my review from then: A woman who has Alzheimer's writes about her experiences with it. Impressive, and well done.

[Julia Dwyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really appreciate how open Diana was about her diagnosis process and symptoms.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightening view of one person's experience with the early stages of Alzheimer's. The author's frightening disorientation is not difficult to relate to.

Suggested reading for any who seek further understanding of this disease.
Hard to rate because of the simplistic writing, but it gets the job done. Her depression caused by losing control and losing the life she was familiar with is emotionally difficult to read about.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago and yet the stories from it still haunt me. I am so grateful that Diana Friel McGowin chose to share her story. Her struggle with memory loss, her attempts to cover and pass for normal, her coping mechanisms. There are many books by and about caregivers, but this memoir of life inside the disease is extraordinary. Unique insight and profound sharing.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has Alzheimer's and tries to explain how it feels to be forgetful, confused and progressively more lost in the past. I think it should be essential reading for professionals in health care, geriatrics particularly.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diana Friel McGowin was diagnosed with Alzheimers at age 45. Her own personal account of her journey is courageous and powerful. Anyone who has been touched by this disease would find this book helpful in aiding those who have Alzheimers to understand their fears and setbacks.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a case study for my Abnormal Psychology class in college. My grandmother had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and it was a very helpful window into her world.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book i ever read on AD and I did love it

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is really unfair to rate this book--it is obviously written by a person with Alzheimer's--disjointed, etc. This actually makes it more credible and devastating...

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alzheimer's up close and personal.