When Only Love Remains: Surviving My Mom's Battle with Early Onset Alzheimer's

by Lauren Dykovitz

Have you ever felt lost or alone on your Alzheimer’s journey?Then stop what you’re doing and read this book.In her achingly beautiful second memoir, Lauren shares every detail of her mom’s battle with Early Onset Alzheimer’s in a way that makes you feel like you lived it yourself. Lauren writes about becoming a caregiver for her mom and the moment she realized she needed to take a step back and just be her daughter again. She shares her family’s bumpy road to hiring in-home care and finding the right caregiver for her mom. Lauren also writes about all of the other life events that happened during her mom’s battle, as we all know that life does not stop for an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.Lauren vulnerably and authentically shares her thoughts and feelings throughout her entire journey, including her struggles with guilt, grief, and depression. She beautifully describes her relationship with her mom and their unbreakable bond, even in the days leading up to her mom’s death. Lauren also shares why she refused to believe that her mom really didn’t know her and much more of the profound insight she gained along the way.Lauren is an incredible storyteller. Her writing will resonate with you in a way nothing else has and her story will comfort and inspire you. As Lauren likes to say, she’s not an expert on Alzheimer’s disease, but she is an expert on loving someone who has it. Her book will change your perspective on Alzheimer’s and your relationship with your loved one as she encourages you to stop expecting and start accepting.Lauren is also the author of Learning to Weather the A Story of Life, Love, and Alzheimer’s, in which she shares the first part of her story and how she came to accept her mom’s diagnosis with Early Onset Alzheimer’s.For more of Lauren's writing, visit lifeloveandalzheimers.com. You can email Lauren at lauren@lifeloveandalzheimers.com. You can also follow Lauren on Facebook at Life, Love, and Alzheimer's, on Instagram @lifeloveandalzheimers, and on Twitter @laurendykovitz.

269 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 5, 2021

Reviews

[Marnie Lansdown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book helped a lot to inform people about what Alzheimer’s Disease looks like—not just memory problems. I appreciated the author sharing this aspect of the disease. But this book also seems self-serving to the author, which really turned me off.

[Melizabeth Huerta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thankful

My mom has Alzheimer’s as well and even though I never became her caretaker I could relate to everything you wrote. This is a great story of the reality of what we go through. Thank you for your honesty.

[Traceylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why

Great book about the struggle dealing with all heifers disease and the struggle that goes in families with what is expected and the battle the families deal with.

[Amber Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

Very good. Read the first book too. This one was a lot like the first one. Best of luck to her