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A review by allthemisfits
The Face Laughs While the Brain Cries: The Education of a Doctor by Stephen L. Hauser
5.0
Thank you, Dr. Hauser. This book means so much to me. Knowing that you’ve accomplished so much with MS research and treatments over the past 45+ years has given me closure.
MS was a huge part of my life until age 30. My mother was diagnosed with MS right before she had me at age 27. My stepfather was also diagnosed around the same age (though he was older than her.) They had progressive MS all throughout the 80s-00s. He died in a nursing home at age 55, she died suddenly in the hospital at age 57. I was the caretaker since I was 16, though I helped my mom with many mobility issues since childhood. As a young child I just accepted my mom was different in some ways, but I was also so mad that the disease progressed at a steady rate over 30 years. I knew when they were bedridden that no meds would bring them back, but I’m delighted for those who are able to push off symptoms indefinitely through new meds that keep developing. Thank goodness.
Since the 70s, Dr. Hauser has devoted his life’s work to the cause and cure of this devastating autoimmune illness. This book explains his neurological studies quite well for the average reader. It does help if you have a general understanding of the disease if you don’t typically read medical books. I was especially engrossed by the cases he delved into. Did I compare a lot to my own life? Well, of course. But again, reading about all the symptoms and internal neurological scarring made me feel not so alone. There is no doubt this was my parents disease.
Dr. Hauser is very professional, but you can see these patients have touched his heart. He worked tirelessly to push for new clinical trials and studies, and it’s just so good to know he was fighting for MS patients behind-the-scenes for all these decades. MS wasn’t talked about very much until the last 10 years. I am grateful that doctors like him are still fighting. Additionally, his youth leading into adulthood was very interesting. I’m glad he included those vignettes and background, especially about his younger ill brother.
Lastly, the title affected me because my mom had helpless laughing fits towards the end of her life - the pseudobulbar effect. And she would say, “If I don’t laugh, I’ll just cry.”
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
MS was a huge part of my life until age 30. My mother was diagnosed with MS right before she had me at age 27. My stepfather was also diagnosed around the same age (though he was older than her.) They had progressive MS all throughout the 80s-00s. He died in a nursing home at age 55, she died suddenly in the hospital at age 57. I was the caretaker since I was 16, though I helped my mom with many mobility issues since childhood. As a young child I just accepted my mom was different in some ways, but I was also so mad that the disease progressed at a steady rate over 30 years. I knew when they were bedridden that no meds would bring them back, but I’m delighted for those who are able to push off symptoms indefinitely through new meds that keep developing. Thank goodness.
Since the 70s, Dr. Hauser has devoted his life’s work to the cause and cure of this devastating autoimmune illness. This book explains his neurological studies quite well for the average reader. It does help if you have a general understanding of the disease if you don’t typically read medical books. I was especially engrossed by the cases he delved into. Did I compare a lot to my own life? Well, of course. But again, reading about all the symptoms and internal neurological scarring made me feel not so alone. There is no doubt this was my parents disease.
Dr. Hauser is very professional, but you can see these patients have touched his heart. He worked tirelessly to push for new clinical trials and studies, and it’s just so good to know he was fighting for MS patients behind-the-scenes for all these decades. MS wasn’t talked about very much until the last 10 years. I am grateful that doctors like him are still fighting. Additionally, his youth leading into adulthood was very interesting. I’m glad he included those vignettes and background, especially about his younger ill brother.
Lastly, the title affected me because my mom had helpless laughing fits towards the end of her life - the pseudobulbar effect. And she would say, “If I don’t laugh, I’ll just cry.”
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.