I recently finished "Still Alice" by Lisa Genova. I haven't struggled with a book this much since "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." To try to escape from the pain from that short book, I attempted to convince my daughter to read the end of the book and give me a two-sentence report to save me the emotional turmoil of reading it myself. She declined and I haven't forgiven her yet.
"Still Alice" was nearly as painful for me. I normally listen to audiobooks while quilting and consider that one of my favorite activities. Not with this book! I cried so much that my eyes were too bleary to quilt. I took frequent breaks from the book to break my emotional attachment. That trick didn't work when I watched "Schindler's List" and it didn't work here.
Eventually, I finished the book. My eyes are clearing and my tissue-roughened nose is healing. My heart is still broken, though. For those who haven't heard of the book, it's about a 50 year old woman diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. I have no family history (I'm adopted) so I have no known family history of Alzheimer's disease. Even so, every time I can't remember an actor's name or the reason I went into the kitchen, I stop and try to make myself remember. I realize that I am a very busy middle-aged woman and we, as a species, are famous for forgetting things but I am still driving myself a bit crazy.
I have lost dear ones to Alzheimer's disease. Most people that I know have lost loved ones as well. I hate this disease and pray there is a medical breakthrough soon.
"Still Alice" was nearly as painful for me. I normally listen to audiobooks while quilting and consider that one of my favorite activities. Not with this book! I cried so much that my eyes were too bleary to quilt. I took frequent breaks from the book to break my emotional attachment. That trick didn't work when I watched "Schindler's List" and it didn't work here.
Eventually, I finished the book. My eyes are clearing and my tissue-roughened nose is healing. My heart is still broken, though. For those who haven't heard of the book, it's about a 50 year old woman diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. I have no family history (I'm adopted) so I have no known family history of Alzheimer's disease. Even so, every time I can't remember an actor's name or the reason I went into the kitchen, I stop and try to make myself remember. I realize that I am a very busy middle-aged woman and we, as a species, are famous for forgetting things but I am still driving myself a bit crazy.
I have lost dear ones to Alzheimer's disease. Most people that I know have lost loved ones as well. I hate this disease and pray there is a medical breakthrough soon.
4 comments:
I'm not sure which is worse - Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. Both are horrible, horrible diseases. I think that with Alzheimer's it is harder on the family, while with Parkinson's it is harder on the patient. I lost my mom to Parkinson's and she KNEW what was happening. With Alzheimer's I don't think that the patient realizes that they are slipping away. OK, pass the tissues, I just joined you with the red eyes and runny nose.
I won't watch the movie and I can't read the book. I lost my Dad to Alzheimers 8 years ago. The worst part of all is when they know what is happening and they're helpless to do anything about it. My Dad had two cousins and a brother who'd had it and he knew what would happen. As bad as it was losing him to Alzheimers, it was so much worse watching him trying to deal with it. We lost him about 6 years before he passed away, the worst for him was when he knew what was happening. The worst for me was when he no longer knew who I was.
It was a tough book to read. My grandpa died from Alzhiemers and it was hard to see him at the end. I did learn alot reading the book, and found it interesting but also very sad. Hard disease. My husband teases me all the time about it when I forget something. I can't get thru to him how hard it is when he does that.
We paid my husbands brother a visit yesterday. He is beginning Alzheimer and knows something is terrible wrong. His wife has a terrible time with his angry. I will not read the book either.
We are all afraid. Wish you all the best.
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