Portraits of Huntington's

I know Huntington's is a devastating disease that destroys the person suffering with it and also complete families. But I also know so many people who have come through the experience as better people and that's what this book is about. We are all terminal from the moment we are born yet the author has done a magnificant job of helping the reader understand that joy is a choice.This book is the perfect companion to Faces of Huntington's since that book features such hard stories about suicide, abuse, family dynamics from hell, and so much more. This book looks at another side of Huntington's. Both books are filled with heros. I love the author's writing style and I was sad when it was over. I know I'll read this book over many times in my life.

Carmen Leal has done what few could accomplish. She combines humor, compassion, and love with an insider's view of lives affected by Huntington's Disease. This is the place to go (along with her other book, "Faces of Huntington's") for factual, helpful information in an easy-to-read story format on the devastating genetic illness, Huntington's Disease. Carmen is an inspiration! She offers light in a dim world, hope where there is despair, and love where none can be returned in kind. "Portraits of Huntington's" and "Faces of Huntington's" are must-reads for anyone facing the challenges of life with this disease. ...

Carmen has touched my heart with her stories of hope in a hopeless situation. She has written straight from the heart an awesome book in a down-to-earth style that anyone would enjoy.

What a joyful book! Living with Huntington's Disease is hard for everyone in the family. But there really are some times filled with love and happiness and joy. Carmen has done a wonderful job of pulling together real life stories of people who choose joy through the lessons they have learned by being caregivers or having the disease or loving someone who does. I especially liked the profiles of those selected accompanied by portraits drawn Ruth Hargrave. She is a wonderful artist and it was fun to put faces with the stories. I don't have Huntington's in my family, but a good friend does, and I read the book to be a support to that family. What I discovered from reading it is that, like Faces of Huntington's, this book is for everyone. Everyone needs to laugh, cry, be happy, think a lot, look at living heros, look at the good in others, and a lot more that Portraits of Huntington's helps you do. This is a wonderful book and I am more enriched from having read it.