A Memoir of Love and Loss
by Amy Bloom
Bloom, with her sharp-edged wit and reflective clarity, retells her husband’s ending of life story, from early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis to his death at Dignitas in Switzerland. While you relax into Bloom’s contagious storytelling, this astounding work gets you thinking and leaves you wiser for knowing their journey.
Bloom and her husband had to overcome harrowing obstacles to gain access Dignitas’ services—a safe haven in Zurich for the terminally ill who wish to leave this life in an accompanied, medical suicide.
At the heart of this story is Bloom’s reflection on how she companioned her husband through his dying process, from surprise diagnosis to her final flight back home alone.
“In Love” is a must-read for anyone curious about what would lead a person to Dignitas, and what that specific trip would entail. It is also a beautiful reflection of caregiving a person with dementia and companioning a spouse as they navigate a terminal diagnosis.
Bloom faced the thing we all dread with courage, grace and a surprising amount of humor. These are the gifts she offers us in this touching memoir. If you’re interested in memoirs, give this one a listen; hearing Bloom read her own story will touch you in a deep and profound way.