Still Alice is a book told by a 51 year old woman who has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease.
Through the story Alice struggles to find meaning in who she is. She had been a successful professor at Harvard, and it seems all at once all she has worked for is taken away.
The relationships she has with her loved ones take some twists and turns along the way.
As I read this book with Karen in mind several thoughts came to mind where Alice and Karen's feelings had to be very similar. Here are a couple that had me thinking of Karen:
"She wished she had cancer instead, She'd trade Alzheimer's for cancer in a heartbeat. She felt ashamed for wishing this, and it was certainly a pointless bargaining, but she permitted the fantasy anyway. With cancer, she'd have something she could fight. There was surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Ther was the chance that she could win. ... And even if defeated int he end, she'd be able to look them knowingly in the eye and say good-bye before she left".
--As I read that I couldn't help but think of Karen the Fighter. How grateful I am that she could tell her loved ones good-bye ...for now.
the next part that made me think of Karen brought a huge smile to my face, and I felt like Karen put these words in here just for me, knowing I would be reading this book for her:
"...And the smell. She couldn't wait to smell her delicious grandchildren"
-- Karen and I were the only ones of our friends who were blessed to be aunts while still in school, I remember her talking about these babies and how she just loved to smell their heads, - thanks for this Karen, I will never smell a baby's head and not think of you :)
and the last quote from the book that brought strong feelings of Karen:
"My yesterdays are disappearing, and my tomorrows are uncertain, so what do I live for? I live for each day. I live in the moment"
This could be Karen's exact words, she knew how to live in the moment and make that moment the best. She know how to live in that moment and how to make that moment matter for days, years, even lifetimes.
Fantastic review. I also remember talking to Karen about the sweet smell of baby heads and the stinky smell of teenage boy heads. ~Mandy
ReplyDeleteSome of my best memories are spending days doing absolutely nothing with Karen and laughing until my belly hurt.
ReplyDeleteAlso I know her biggest joy in life was being a mother. She loved those babies with a fierceness. And then loved each and every stage they went through. She loved discussing with me all the fun things my grandson Noah was doing. I'm so grateful to her and all the moms in my life that make me want to be a better mom.
Beautiful. I look forward to reading each book on Karen's list. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI💗 & miss you Karen