Getting a Little Personal with Lisa Genova...

A Book Set in Your Home State:
Inside the O'Brien's by Lisa Genova

Remember when I read Still Alice and I cried the whole book? Yeah I did that here too, but this time for different reasons. Lisa Genova's most recent book deals with Huntington's disease, which is a disease that has personally effected my family. My maternal grandfather died from this disease and it can still be active in my genetics today. 

I don't remember much about him, bits and pieces and most of them involve him in the local VA hospital. There is actually a scene in the beginning of the book where the main character and his wife visit the Wang wing or section at MGH and they describe patients of Huntington's and I actually had to put the book down. I had memories I didn't even know I have come rushing back to me.

This book was a challenge. A barely 300 page book typically takes me 3-4 days, but this took me around 10 days. It was that difficult for me to read.  I'm not going to lie this book scared the crap out of me. Every time I drop something or get confused I question the symptoms and whether or not they're real or if I'm just having a klutzy moment. It's scary, I had nightmares, and needed a healthy dose of Xanax to get through it, but I did it!

Joe O’Brien is a forty-four-year-old police officer from the Irish Catholic neighborhood of Charlestown, Massachusetts. A devoted husband, proud father of four children in their twenties, and respected officer, Joe begins experiencing bouts of disorganized thinking, uncharacteristic temper outbursts, and strange, involuntary movements. He initially attributes these episodes to the stress of his job, but as these symptoms worsen, he agrees to see a neurologist and is handed a diagnosis that will change his and his family’s lives forever: Huntington’s Disease.

Huntington’s is a lethal neurodegenerative disease with no treatment and no cure. Each of Joe’s four children has a 50 percent chance of inheriting their father’s disease, and a simple blood test can reveal their genetic fate. While watching her potential future in her father’s escalating symptoms, twenty-one-year-old daughter Katie struggles with the questions this test imposes on her young adult life. Does she want to know? What if she’s gene positive? Can she live with the constant anxiety of not knowing?

As Joe’s symptoms worsen and he’s eventually stripped of his badge and more, Joe struggles to maintain hope and a sense of purpose, while Katie and her siblings must find the courage to either live a life “at risk” or learn their fate. 

The story is about Joe and his experience with the disease, but also about how his family reacts to it; more specifically his youngest daughter Katie. I could sympathize with Katie and her not wanting to know if she had the disease in her genetics. I mean who wants to know when they're going to die? Not only die, but suffer, badly. This isn't a kind disease, it's absolutely horrifying. You go through psychosis, loss of movement, speech, your teeth fall out. I'm getting emotional just thinking about it. Overall this book was good. This story was something special and different. I think people who read this book will come away with more awareness about this disease. You never hear about this HD (as it's referred to in the book). They're not doing 5k's and telethons for it. Why? Because this a families worst nightmare.

What kind of family would willingly expose this type of genetic mistake to anyone? Huntington's cannot be cured, and can only be treated slightly. Which is why the O'Briens try to keep this hidden for as long as possible. Joe when we meet, is a Boston police officer, so I can understand that. I didn't even want to review this book or omit my relation to this disease. Oh and it's set in Charlestown, MA so it brought it even closer to home. I think people will enjoy this book, if you enjoyed Still Alice this is a natural progression. Genova has a very realistic point of view in her writing. Almost like she's been personally effected by what she's writing. I also read on the book jacket that she's a PhD and works for  Harvard. So obviously she knows what she's doing. Keep on keeping on Lisa!

I do recommend this book, because I think it's educational and brings awareness to Huntington's. This isn't a disease that I think will ever become mainstream and talked about, but maybe that will all change. Especially if this gets made into a movie. I'm not sure that's on the table and I would have to debate whether or not this is something I'd even see. Inside the O'Briens is definitely worth the read and I recommend.