Review of Widowish: A Memoir

This is a great well written memoir. I really like memoirs and I admired how honest the author was. Melissa marries the love of her life and lives a charmed life with her husband and young daughter. Then her husband Joel is diagnosed with MS. They still make the most of their lives continuing to travel and do as many things as they can while Joel’s mobility is still good. As the MS progresses Joel starts to make plans regarding his medical care going forward. Then Joel develops an inflammation and requires hospitalization. As the doctors try to find a diagnosis for Joel’s condition his illness worsens. Once Melissa realizes Joel will not survive without life support she makes the decision she knows is the best and allows Joel to die. Melissa describes her grief and how she pieces her life back together and moves forward for herself and her daughter. This book is both heartbreaking and uplifting and it was heartening to see the strength that Melissa had.