Each story could be considered by itself, or the combined narrative could be viewed as one panorama dealing with either the AIDS or with those who care for those afflicted with the virus.

Each story is an illness narrative in itself, as it describes the physical and emotional trauma experienced by both the patients and the caregiver.

[1] The book contains ten short stories, the titles of each being associated with "gifts" which are various functions of the body, both physical and emotional: sweat, wholeness, tears, skin, hunger, mobility, death, speech, sight, hope, and mourning.

The caregiver experiences each "gift", as he/she deals with patients who have AIDS, showing the different shared relationships in each case.

Each patient is a distinct case, differing in terms of age, financial situation, attitude toward the illness etc., showing the reader that this disease affects all types of people.

The caregiver works for Urban Community Services (UCS), an organization that seems to be geared towards patients with AIDS.

After all, readers see the narrator put herself aside for the people she cares for (calling and visiting clients during her time off from work), and watch her suffer from her strong emotional connection with them.

"After a while, this intense involvement becomes untenable for the narrator, who starts to protect herself by creating some distance between her and the people she cares for (and whom she has to let go because they all ultimately die).

In the process of getting Carlos undressed, the condom part of his catheter is exposed, much to his embarrassment, but the caregiver remains casual and calm for his sake.

Keith says that he lived in Africa for some time, which his mother thought was a good thing, until he contracted AIDS and had to return to the States.

Marilyn McEntyre described it as an informative read about caregiving due to the appreciation and respect shown for the process of giving and receiving care.

[4] Jennifer Blair says that there is a theme of shame in these stories that is so strong it creates an absence of the hope and expectation of success, and that it establishes its own ethic about caregiving and how it must "never inspire a measurable, retributive, or moralistic response.