Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Book Cover: " Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she's a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life - and her relationship with her family and the world - forever.
At once beautiful and terrifying, Still Alice is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer's disease."
I have read about people who have Alzheimer's, but usually it happens at a much later age and towards the end of their lives. But this book is about a relatively young woman - only 50 - who starts having problems remembering words or names for objects, and probably the most scary time was when she was running and had no idea where she was or how to get home. And then over a matter of a few months, it gets worse. Her students notice odd behavior - not knowing what class she is teaching, not being able to make sense of her notes. She set goals for herself only to forget what they were, she searches frantically for something, but can't remember what she is looking for. Her husband researched alternatives and was patient to a point. Her children, especially her youngest daughter, seemed to relate better than her husband. It must be very difficult to watch someone who is vibrant and intelligent one day and the next not be able to put a sentence together or to remember who you are.
This was a very moving story about how a family is pulled together and apart at the same time. I pray that soon there will be a drug developed that will stop the degeneration of the brain for these individuals. I pray for the families who are experiencing this terrible disease.
Not a "light" topic, but a well written book. Finished: Nov. 11, 2011.
At once beautiful and terrifying, Still Alice is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer's disease."
I have read about people who have Alzheimer's, but usually it happens at a much later age and towards the end of their lives. But this book is about a relatively young woman - only 50 - who starts having problems remembering words or names for objects, and probably the most scary time was when she was running and had no idea where she was or how to get home. And then over a matter of a few months, it gets worse. Her students notice odd behavior - not knowing what class she is teaching, not being able to make sense of her notes. She set goals for herself only to forget what they were, she searches frantically for something, but can't remember what she is looking for. Her husband researched alternatives and was patient to a point. Her children, especially her youngest daughter, seemed to relate better than her husband. It must be very difficult to watch someone who is vibrant and intelligent one day and the next not be able to put a sentence together or to remember who you are.
This was a very moving story about how a family is pulled together and apart at the same time. I pray that soon there will be a drug developed that will stop the degeneration of the brain for these individuals. I pray for the families who are experiencing this terrible disease.
Not a "light" topic, but a well written book. Finished: Nov. 11, 2011.
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