Many thanks to NetGalley and She Writes Press for gifting me both a physical and digital ARC of this amazing book of essays by Cindy Eastman. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!
Cindy and her husband took her father into their home to care for him. And life as they knew it was forever changed. This book goes through the before, during, and after stages of being a full-time caregiver in your home and doesn't sugarcoat anything.
I cannot begin to express how much this book meant to me and I will keep it by my bedside and reread it often. I am living this life right now, as my husband and I brought my then 88-year-old mother to live with us. While I am grateful that she is in a place where she is cared for, to say this has been anything but completely disruptive of our lives would be false. For all the people who tell you that it is a blessing and how lucky you are to have this time with your mom, they have no clue how hard it is. She has been here 3 years and except for a one-month stay in a respite facility when I had to have major surgery, my husband and I haven't had one minute of alone time, an afternoon or evening away, or a good night's sleep since she arrived. While it is stressful if you have a relative in a facility, it is nothing like having them in your house 24/7. This book goes through all the feelings - from resentment to guilt to anger to love - and does it in such a relatable, humorous way. I could go on and on but suffice it to say that if you are living this life, you need this book. I feel like I need the author on speed dial.
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