4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
"We chose loving and compassion over anger, resentment, and hate." Hold the thought!
Nothing Left But Love by Glenda Rueger Payne recounts the author's journey with her mother's final life stage afflicted with Alzheimer's disease and congenital heart failure. Sadness and hardships mark her role as a caregiver as she watches her mother approaches the end of life. When their family realizes Wanda Rueger's deteriorating condition, they enter her into a hospice program. As they take turns in visiting their mother, they created a journal to document her death journey. The author shares her mother’s journal, offering the readers an intimate view of her mom's condition. The journal, in addition, contains her beautiful and painful memories growing up with Wanda. Glenda Payne also shares parts of her personal journal so that readers will be able to understand where all her feelings and thoughts are coming from: an unwanted child and sibling throughout her childhood, and several unpleasant situations as she grew up within a dysfunctional family.
What I liked about this novel was it was about love, a love so big it was able to mend any troubled relationships, to forget past hurts and anger. The narrations were full of insights, wisdom, and enlightenments. Having a mother suffering also from Alzheimer's, I can relate with the author in all aspects and levels. I felt her sufferings, her pains and the deep feeling of sadness that her own mother sees a stranger and not her own flesh and blood. Using a first-person perspective provided the deepest personal touch to her novel, made more intimate by the journals. The book was an easy read, properly labeled to assist the reader in following the flow of the story. The author did not hold back; she presented the unpleasant things, the painful ones she experienced as a child, and the hardships the caregivers (family members) experienced during her mom’s death journey. Readers should expect some shocking revelations along the way!
There were minimal grammatical errors, and these were few and far in between. One was how oxygen saturation level was written and some misses on punctuation. I observed the word "granddaddy" was capitalized. The author mentioned some medications which I had to search online to comprehend what these were for. I have to assume the drugs’ indication within the context of the sentence. Not everyone is familiar about the Alzheimer's disease, so I think the author should have provided some information or a bit of backgrounder.
While there were some flaws, I nonetheless give the book 4 out of 4 stars. These flaws did not distract me from appreciating the bravery and love by which the author wrote this book. It was a moving novel, each chapter informative.
This book is for everyone, regardless of religious beliefs or philosophy. If you want to be enlightened and touched; if you want to cry and experience a pleasant feeling in your heart; if you want to be educated on how people with Alzheimer’s disease behave, this book is for you.
******
Nothing Left but Love
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Misael's review? Post a comment saying so!
