“The relationship between a mother and daughter is one of the most complicated and meaningful there is. Kimberly Williams-Paisley writes about her own with grace, truth, and beauty as she shares her journey back to her mother in the wake of a devastating illness.” —Brooke ShieldsMany know Kimberly Williams-Paisley as the bride in the popular Steve Martin remakes of the Father of the Bride movies, … of the Bride movies, the calculating Peggy Kenter on Nashville, or the wife of country music artist, Brad Paisley. But behind the scenes, Kim was dealing with a tragic secret: her mother, Linda, was suffering from a rare form of dementia that slowly crippled her ability to talk, write and eventually recognize people in her own family.
Where the Light Gets In tells the full story of Linda’s illness—called primary progressive aphasia—from her early-onset diagnosis at the age of 62 through the present day. Kim draws a candid picture of the ways her family reacted for better and worse, and how she, her father and two siblings educated themselves, tried to let go of shame and secrecy, made mistakes, and found unexpected humor and grace in the midst of suffering.
Ultimately the bonds of family were strengthened, and Kim learned ways to love and accept the woman her mother became. With a moving foreword by actor and advocate Michael J. Fox, Where the Light Gets In is a heartwarming tribute to the often fragile yet unbreakable relationships we have with our mothers.
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I’d never heard of the author; I read the book to see the patient’s family side of a new take on senile dementia. As a physician, I knew intellectually about the inexorable downhill slide, but this book made me feel the despair and tenacity of a family who were forced to grieve a patient years before her death. I was impressed by Kim’s ability to juggle real life and a shining public career. I could feel the pain when her mother peed in a hotel lobby or bit or shoved Kim’s father who gave up nearly a decade of his life to care for her. Well done ; the whole family felt like real people who drew together to give Kim’s mother the best life they could.
So many books about family members having to deal with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Each is unique and informative.
I enjoyed this book as it gave a true description of dementia and the way it affects daily life for everyone around the patient. Knowing several families dealing with this disease, it shed light on the situations they face.
learned a more flexible (happy?) way to interact with the sad victims of AD….wish i had read it earlier
So good I couldn’t quit listening to the audio book. I finished it in one sitting.