The Monster We Defied

Have you ever thought of how you would react or what you would do if you and your loved one were faced with a catastrophic, incurable illness? This journal of a descent into Alzheimer's disease is a road map for those who are facing such shattering news. Dr. Robert Page, author of "Citizen at Large: Speaking Freely and Other Rights of Passage in the Age of Clinton," (National Archives) has crafted a ground-breaking memoir portraying in real time the impact of his mother's dementia diagnosis and the caregiving journey that followed. The account reveals how he helped her to navigate the turbulent course of this bewildering disease. It includes actual transcripts of recorded conversations Dr. Page carries on with his mother throughout her decline. These varied dialogues make their experiences immediate and absorbing. Witness how this practicing psychologist and loving son introduces a vast array of issues and situations encountered by every dementia patient and caregiver and how he connects with his mother to meet the challenges at each stage in the progression of the disease. Learn how he uses his skills and experience communicating with his patients to preserve his relationship with a feisty, witty mother who fights hard to maintain her indomitable spirit. In the process, mother and son become victors over the disease, not just helpless victims of it. Renew your faith in the healing power of humor, persistence, affirmation, acceptance and physical touch. Alzheimer's disease does not have to be a calamity one simply survives but instead is an opportunity for transformation and renewal. Learn helpful and practical ideas on how to talk to and to aid the Alzheimer's patient on their difficult path. You will see how this skilled psychologist sticks with and engages his mother for the duration of the disease and, in the process, how he becomes more fortified in waging this physically and emotionally strenuous battle. You will come away from this tragic but life-affirming journey with renewed hope and a deeper inspiration to defy and conquer the monster you might one day have to confront yourself.