When Henry, the 11-month-old son of Catastrophe actor Rob Delaney and his wife, Leah, began vomiting, his parents weren’t worried – they had two older boys and were accustomed to their kids being ill. But the sickness persisted and, after a series of tests (and several misdiagnoses), Henry was found to have a large tumour near his brain stem. On hearing the news, Delaney recalls: “We sank inside ourselves. The heaviest pain in the world. I felt like I had suddenly quadrupled in weight, and an oily, black whirlpool began to swirl where my heart had been.”
A Heart That Works – the title is taken from a Juliana Hatfield lyric – is his tender, visceral and improbably funny memoir detailing the gruelling treatment that followed, and Henry’s eventual death, aged two, at home surrounded by his family. As the narrator, who also happens to be a seasoned standup, Delaney knows how to land a one-liner. When his father-in-law says he wishes it were him with the terminal diagnosis rather than Henry, Delaney tells him: “We do too, Richard.”
Elsewhere, Delaney articulates the love and grief that enveloped their family in Henry’s final months – “We were in hell but we were loving each other” – and offers sage advice to any listeners with friends and relatives with sick children: “Get right up in their ass and go spend time with them. They’ll kick you out if they need to, but don’t waste their time by saying ‘If there’s anything I can do, just let me know’ … You might as well yawn in their face while looking at something more exciting over their shoulder.”
• A Heart That Works is available via Coronet, 3hr 25min
Further listening
I’m Sorry You Feel That Way
Rebecca Wait, Riverrun, 12hr 46min
This black comedy from the author of Our Fathers revolves around twins Alice and Hanna, and their brother, Michael, who are reunited at a family funeral where old grudges resurface. Narrated by Tamsin Kennard.
Menopausing
Davina McCall and Dr Naomi Potter, HQ, 8hr 59min
A cast of actors and medical professionals including Richard Hughes, Kristin Atherton and Dr Nighat Arif narrate this gamechanging book uncovering the myths and taboos around menopause.
