Contents

Epigraph

Prologue

Part 1: Losing David

  1 The beginning

  2 Diagnosis

  3 My crazy family

  4 The clinic

  5 Finding my feet

  6 Leaving David behind

  7 Country life

  8 Preparing for the worst

  9 Margaret

10 David

11 Vancouver Island

12 Therapy times

13 Love and madness

14 A French fantasy

15 Hoarding

16 Happiness

17 Mercy dashes

18 Getting on with things

19 Help arrives at last

20 Reflections

21 Ups and downs

22 Goodbye Margaret

23 A hopeful time

24 Family times

25 A new family member

26 A short-lived escape

27 A true celebration

28 Not what I was expecting

29 The tipping point

30 The moment of truth

31 Home

Part 2: After David

32 The days after

33 Into that good night

34 Reality hits

35 Feeling my way

36 Time for something new

37 Home again

38 An extreme adventure

39 A house is found

40 Auction anxiety

41 A room of one’s own

42 Loving reunions

43 A fascinating destination

44 Ageing outrageously

Epilogue: Vale

Photographs

Acknowledgements

About the author