Medical memoirs are some of my favorites. This one is part medical journey and part love story. The author's writing is beautiful in the face of such adversity; her background as poet shines. The book is well-researched but not over your head to the point of the story being lost. If you are looking for a non-traditional memoir that covers marriage, relationships, and flawed individuals, I highly recommend this book.

Judy Goldman's life turns upside when a routine back surgery leaves her husband paralyzed. Suddenly she is thrust into the role of tireless patient advocate, navigating the high tech world of medicine. Her struggles with the system, her frustration and her relentless hope and optimism shine through every page of this fascinating memoir.

This book is brilliant! I have experienced a similar situation in my life / marriage and found Judy to be very relatable and likable. It was heartbreaking to follow her happy marriage suddenly turn upside down because of a simple medical procedure gone wrong but her resilience and perseverance gave me hope.

Half love story, half medical mishap, Together is the story of a marriage and the power of love. Judy Goldman is a poet, even if she mainly writes novels now. The love and music that she creates with this story of one of the most stressful times in her life should be taught in every writing class.

After a routine medical procedure goes wrong, Judy and her husband must find a way to remain who they are, full of depth and honesty.

Thank you to NetGalley, Judy Goldman and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

this book literally gave me anxiety. Medical accidents happen but it you end up paralyzed from what is supposed to be a routine procedure, the road back is hellish. The author describes in no holds barred details how her husband and she got through the nightmare.the wedding vow " In sickness and in health gives" the vow a new meaning. The book isn't so expertly written (it could use more editing) but the story will stick in your memory, perhaps forever.

This is a book about what happens when "in health" turns to "in sickness" in a marriage. What happens when the life you had planned with a partner changes radically? A fascinating memoir by Judy Goldman, Together is both the story of a marriage but also the story of one woman's discovery of her own strength.

This is a magnificent story of love and resilience when the unthinkable happens.

Judy Goldman’s husband, Henry, has his second spinal epidural injection in an attempt to ease his back pain - pain he has from spinal stenosis. As I read this, waves of terror rolled over me, as I have had several similar injections in and around my hypermobile sacroiliac joint, done by a physiatrist, the same kind of specialist who injected Henry Goldman. Luckily, my doctor is extremely skilled and I have never experienced the disaster that followed Henry’s injection, but nonetheless, this story’s beginning struck very close to home for me.

Henry’s doctor gleefully tells him he’s given him, in essence, a massive dose of steroids. Unfortunately, rather than walking out of the office just stinging a little, Henry is paralyzed from the waist down, with many complications to follow.

Judy and Henry Goldman seem like great people, the kind i would love to meet and would likely befriend. They worked hard on their marriage, raised two good kids, and are blessed with grandchildren from whom they derive great joy. The reader learns about their courtship, their life experiences, and their entire family in chapters about their lives before and after injection. And what rings so true is this book is that these are real people. People who love each other.

What happened to Henry is a shonda, as we say in Yiddish - a terrible thing. Not only was the paralysis a terrible thing, the aftermath of rehabilitation and setbacks is shocking. I kept hoping they would sue the injecting doctor, who I think made several serious errors in the procedure and aftercare.

While Judy is careful to not use her book as an opportunity to erupt in rage all over the page, they were, in my opinion, treated very badly by the medical and rehabilitation community in Charlotte, NC. The injecting doctor disappears for six months. When he finally appears on the scene, he writes a letter that gets him off the hook by explaining what he thought happened without taking any responsibility.

Less gifted writers than Judy Goldman would have written about this experience from the perspective of a tragic disaster, but she does not go there. Every word in this outstanding book illustrates the deep love she has for Henry, and her tireless (although without any inkling of martyrdom) dedication to getting the best treatment for her husband.

I loved this book. Judy Goldman is an outstanding writer who took a terrible life experience and shared it with the world with her words. I will long remember this book, and will recommend it to all my friends.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.