A Human Portrayal of Dementia
Originally I had an interest in reviewing I Will Never Forget because I had remembered family members suggesting that my grandmother had dementia before she passed a few years later.Within my own family, we also take any opportunity to tease my mother about having the beginning stages, because of her frequent memory loss. While I never really experienced dementia with my grandmother, to the degree that the author did with her mother, I have an all new respect for people that are afflicted with the struggles of dementia.
Reading Elaine's portrayal was heart wrenching at times, but the author did a fabulous job of expressing her emotions, so that as a reader, you feel like you are there with her through the laughs or the tears. What I didn't expect was being able to relate to so much. My son was severely handicapped and I was his primary care giver. I could relate to some of Elaine's struggles. However, this pulled extra hard at my heart strings because of his recent passing. I felt this instant bond with the author and as I read her touching story it only enhanced her testimonies. I also think that it is amazing that she donates a portion of her proceeds to further research.
So just think, when you purchase this touching tale by Elaine C. Pereira, you are contributing to a great cause! I also think this is a great read for anyone that has had to cope through having family members suffer through diseases like Alzheimer or Dementia, it can help them to relate and gain a better understanding. I know as a full-time care giver, sometimes I felt so alone. But, reading I Will Never Forget helps you to know that you are not alone, there are a lot of people going through similar challenges and experiences.
I Will Never Forget is the incredible true story of the author’s talented mother’s poignant and humorous journey through Dementia. From superb stories of Elaine's childhood, her controversial name, tales of smoking’ dragons, the feisty teenage years and a near paralyzing accident, her mother Betty Ward’s wonderful character is revealed.
Over time, as their relationship evolves and a new paradigm is formed, Betty begins to exhibit goofy actions, uncharacteristic verbal assaults and bizarre thinking. Although clearly mystified by her mother’s irrational behaviors, Elaine does not initially appreciate the extent of Betty’s mental decline. Her mother’s amazing ability to mask the truth clouds Elaine’s vision and prolongs her denial until one cataclysmic explosion of reality over an innocuous drapery rod launches a waterfall of destructive events.
As her mother’s brilliant mind is steadily destroyed by Dementia’s insatiable appetite for brain cells, Elaine accompanies her mother on her one-way journey through Alzheimer’s mystifying haze. Elaine cherishes her mother’s fascinating visions of her own mother, masterful Houdini-like disappearances and finally a stunning rally to take control of her own destiny.
I Will Never Forget is a heartwarming, humorous, honest and deeply moving story pertinent to everyone touched by the insidious effects of Dementia. Learn from Elaine's unwitting mistakes as she weaves her way through her mother’s unpredictable disease to capture insightful and effective intervention strategies.
The author donates a portion of every book sold to Alzheimer's research "in part so that my daughter's don't have to write a book about me one day."
#1 Best Seller in medical Biographies and Memoirs (Kindle) Amazon March 2014
#1 Best Seller in Medical Professional Biographies (Books) Amazon March 2014
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About the Author
Elaine C. Pereira is a retired school occupational therapist who worked with special needs children. She earned her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from Wayne State University and later completed her master’s degree. She also has completed courses as a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Caregiver, CDP. CDC.
Elaine and her husband Joseph live in southeastern Michigan with their cat, Snoopy, and two big dogs, Bailey and Maddee. Together they have five adult children; Joe’s three sons and Elaine’s twin daughters, five young grandchildren and a teenage granddaughter. Life is good again.
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"She was a kind, brilliant and talented person all of her life until Alzheimer's took hold leaving an agitated, bewildered and compromised woman in its wake. I was NOT the easy kid to raise, that would have been my brother. But after a decade of great personal sacrifice and unspeakable losses, Mom started her descent into dementia. I stepped up as she slid down, grateful to give back to the woman who once gave so much!" - author Elaine C Pereira
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NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY
5 Lucky Winners will each win a Signed Book of I Will Never Forget
Open to US or ebook for Worldwide winners
Ending on Sunday 15th June at 11.59pm EST
Enter Below and Good Luck !!
Stephen King began writing It in the fall of 1981 and finished during the winter of 1985. The novel follows several characters through their different experiences and traumas all revolving around a plagued town of Derry, Maine. At times it is difficult to follow the timeline within the story because you are going from present time with different characters and also you follow different characters through their childhood memories. That was difficult enough, however what I found more profoundly troublesome was reading about different prejudices, and abuse. I nearly put the book down when The Loser's Club, toward the end, had to "reconnect" -- that was just disturbing and not the least bit creative. There was definitely more about the novel that I didn't like than what I actually did like. For the first half of the novel I had a hard time pushing myself to read, I kept telling myself that it has to get better. Then once I broke past that half way mark the ball started rolling and it picked up the pace. So basically, the children all were terrorized by Pennywise "the clown", which in fact materializes as different things depending on It's subject and what they fear the most. For one it might be a clown, for another it could be a mummy, a bird, and for poor Eddie it appeared as the horrid leper -- that part was terrifying. Meanwhile, while they are being terrorized by Pennywise, they are also being bullied by other individuals. All of this generates a bond between several children who form The Loser's Club. They not only defend themselves against their abusive and threatening psychotic bullies, they also decide to take on Pennywise themselves. After they come face to face with the ancient being and try to defeat It, once they escape they make a blood pact to return if It resurfaces.
