(my) Dying Is Fun

 (my) Dying Is Fun, A Comedy of Disabled Misadventures
 Christopher Day,
 Trafford Publishing
 ISBN 1425106226,
 £9.99

 Star rating: 4/5

“Dying” and “fun” are not terms usually associated with each other but Christopher Day decides that his account of living and coming to terms with motor neurone disease will be fun. Because of this, the book will be an inspiration to many, writes Julie Heath.

Day takes many aspects of life such as travelling, eating and receiving care, and describes the challenges that they present and always concludes with a lesson learned. His style is entertaining for example, “disabled accessible means you can get in. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you can get out”. Scattered throughout the text are cartoons.

This book will appeal to many: those with a terminal illness carers and people wanting to find out about the effects of motor neurone disease.

Practitioners in health and social care settings would benefit from this very personal and touching account, and it would certainly inform any assessment when there is the temptation for professionals to know what is best for an individual.

Day is not looking for sympathy he writes with candour and wit. He concludes that perhaps he needed to become ill to enjoy life and suggests that if the reader enjoyed his book that they look for the sequel “Dying Was Fun”!

Julie Heath is a manager in Derbyshire adult social services department