Our Divide: Two Sides of Locked-In Syndrome - Paperback

by Ladonna Harrison (Author)

Our Divide: Two Sides of Locked in Syndrome is the story of the other side--the side of the young, pregnant wife of a man who, at age twenty-seven, is struck down by an obstruction in the brain stem, leaving him with a rare neurological disorder called locked-in syndrome. Like Jean-Dominique Bauby of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Cleve is rendered mute and paralyzed by the syndrome--but unlike Bauby, he is unable to move at all, unable to sit up in a wheelchair or communicate by blinking an eye.

Our Divide is a beautifully written, honest account of the experience of watching a loved one suffer. Harrison delivers both a peek into the world of a unique other and an intimate view of one young woman's grieving process. A heartbreaking story that's at once a grief, a coming-of-age, and a survival narrative, this genuine, honest portrayal of one woman's mistakes and courage while learning how to take responsibility and create a life for herself will sweep readers away.