Thursdays with Eugene: A Memoir of Living While You Think You're Dying

How does one live when they think they are dying? This is the question Donna Dinkin found herself asking each day after she was diagnosed with a progressive lung disease caused by the autoimmune disease, scleroderma. Scleroderma is a rare connective tissue disorder that can cause the buildup of scar tissue in the skin, lungs and other internal organs. At age 55, Donna began a six-year journey to learn how to deal with the emotional side of her diagnoses. Thursdays with Eugene is her account of her journey with the most important member of her care team, a wise but unconventional, Gestalt-trained therapist, Eugene. Thursdays with Eugene examines the shortcomings of the medical system as it relates to the treatment of behavioral health issues that often occur with chronic diseases but, more importantly, details Donna's journey to becoming more resilient and alive. Eugene would say that she was already alive, but you know what she means!