Abigail Thomas' Three Dog Life

This is a beautiful memoir of Abigail's life after her husband is in a terrible accident and is left with severe brain damage.

Abigail's husband Rich is out walking the dog one night in NYC and the dog takes off into the street. Rich goes after the dog and gets hit by a car. He is left with severe brain damage. He is in and out of the hospital to institutions and one very unsuccessful stint back at home where he is convinced that Abigail has moved and somehow recreated their previous apartment almost perfectly. He has lost all short term memory, anything that has happened after the accident doesn't seem to stick. He speaks in riddles, "has difficulty completing tasks," goes through phases of good and very bad moods.

Abigail eloquently tells her tale of strife and heartache. She comes out a wonderfully independent person that learns to let go of all life's nonsense that is handed to her. Her dogs are her comfort and she is Rich's. She moves out of her longtime New York City apartment to a small town to be closer to her husband in his new permanent home. She prescribes to "nap therapy" both with Rich and with the dogs. She has to separate the Rich before the accident from the Rich after.

Three Dog Life was an incredible read. I'll be passing this one on to my mother, who will sarcastically thank me while choking on her tears.