“many of the symptoms he experiences have clear links to the disease — things like rage, paranoia, depression and incontinence.”
Greg O’Brien and his wife, Mary Catherine, recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. Both say the disease has changed their marriage. - Amanda Kowalski for NPR
by Rebecca Hersher
“The first problem with the airplane bathroom was its location.
“It was March. Greg O’Brien and his wife, Mary Catherine, were flying back to Boston from Los Angeles, sitting in economy seats in the middle of the plane. ‘We’re halfway, probably over Chicago,’ Greg remembers, “and Mary Catherine said, “Go to the bathroom.”’
‘It just sounded like my mother,’ Greg says. So I said ‘no.’
“Mary Catherine persisted, urging her husband of 40 years to use the restroom. People started looking at them. ‘It was kind of funny,’ says Greg.
“Mary Catherine was more alarmed than amused.”
