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In a very readable account of her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease, the author writes about her relationship with her mother and with other family and friends regarding the day-to-day interactions with someone suffering from this illness. Initially, she discusses the beginning of her mother’s diagnosis and how she immediately became a caregiver for her mom while she was also attending college. The book then takes the reader through the process of how she began to learn to manage the caretaking and the routine developed, as well as to how the author learned to focus on taking care of her own needs. She then notes she began by writing on Facebook about her mother’s and her adventures, which led to the writing of this book. The rest of the book focuses primarily on the dialogue of their ongoing conversations and their photographs.
In this bittersweet work, Lee not only talks about how this illness significantly impacted her mother’s life but also how it both positively and negatively impacted her own life. While caregiving can be quite difficult, it can also be rewarding, and this shows through the love that mother and daughter have for one another. For those who have been in this situation and for those who may be facing this in the future, the realistic take on this illness is excellent. The dialogue of their ongoing daily conversations accurately projects the sometimes horrible, sometimes funny, and sometimes poignant moments that come from such a loving, caretaking relationship. It is a book that will make you laugh and cry while also teaching you how to do both with dignity and without losing your sanity.