Tears for My Mother

by Rashbaum Burt Rashbaum

"A heart-bruising dive into the terror of Alzheimer's. This memoir-like tale told through the eyes of a care-giving daughter and the clouded mind of her declining mother had me racing to the final page. Rashbaum cleverly weaves these two views of this harrowing journey through inner thoughts and honest dialogue to paint an un-Norman Rockwell portrait of one family's struggle with this horrible disease." -Jay Gilbertson, author of Moon Over Madeline Island and Back to Madeline Island "Penning from the internal landscape of another is difficult enough, but doing so from the mind of a mentally tormented soul, with all the nuances of such complexity, is beyond comprehension. This is what Burt Rashbaum has accomplished in his brilliant portrayal of his mother as she experiences the devastation of Alzheimer's. Not to sound too otherworldly about this, I do believe she must have guided Burt from beyond for the portrayal to have been so heartbreakingly accurate. A must read for all!" -Peggy Warren, author of Very Much a Woman's Book and Gathering Peace

260 pages, Paperback

First published February 4, 2010

Reviews

[Pauline Plissner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an honest look into the lives of a young caregiver and a mother slowly losing her faculties to dementia at a time when there was not much information available, help or support. It is told from both the viewpoint of the teenager struggling to find her own identity and grow up without the support of a mother, and having to step into the role much too young of caring for her mother who is losing her mind and covering it up as best she can, and also from the viewpoint of the mother struggling to understand what is happening to her and to hold on desperately to as much as she can of a normal life. In years past there were uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters who shouldered the load and helped. But this is the story of what happens when there is no support, and the fear of losing what you have if anyone finds out.
It is a story told with compassion that will help anyone dealing with Alzheimers and dementia-the anger, helplessness, and loss experienced by those who have it and the ones who care for them.