... by an author who is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, as well as contributing articles to a number of other popular publications. Alex Witchel has also authored three other books, and lives in NYC. The subtitle is "A memoir of my mother's dementia with refreshments" and is really pretty amusing, in spite of the lack of humor normally found in such a depressing, distressing topic.
Throughout the book, which was on a set of five Cds, the author has interspersed recipes she learned to cook as a youth in her mother's kitchen. The family was Jewish, and many of the recipes are kosher. She writes of her experience as she watches the decline of a parent who was a very capable college level teacher, and was an expert at juggling all the things a mother does while working towards a PhD and eventually teaching full time. It is a sweet tale, as a memorial to her mother, while her beloved parents' personality slowly disappears as her brain is encroached upon by this incurable debilitating disease.
Though Witchel had siblings, Alex was the most devoted of the adult children, and choose to take on the responsibility of her mother's medical care. Alex was the one who arranged to go with her mother to doctor's appointments, searched from specialists, questioned medical personnel about efficacy, choices, combinations of prescription meds. She did the work of getting her mom where she needed to be, and keeping records of all the information that needed to be retained. She struggled with second guessing questions from siblings, as well as her dad, who was rarely invested in the process.
You know from the start how the story ends. It was an enjoyable read, with plenty of humor to lighten the on-going expectation and knowledge of the ultimate outcome. Well written and enjoyable, but heart-wrenching as well.
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