Susan G. Miller Supports Alzheimer’s Caregivers With Memoir: My Life Rearranged

By Susan G. Miller

Being a writer was not something I had ever planned on and took me quite by surprise. My husband was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 55, another surprise, and a year or so into the disease his neurologist asked me to speak at a conference. After I finished my “musings,” as I liked to call them at the time, people asked for my book. Later, that year at an Alzheimer’s Symposium I was speaking at the same request was made, thus my book, My Life Rearranged, came to be.

When my husband passed ten years later, I took a hiatus from both writing and Alzheimer’s. Later on, at the urging of friends and family, and especially my granddaughter, who called it “my purpose,” I returned to writing. I knew I wanted to achieve three things. First, I wanted to support caregivers who are often forgotten, who are the second or silent victims, and who can become isolated by the nature and duration of the disease. As a part of that support, I wanted to give voice to what many givers can’t or are afraid or say.

Second, because caregivers have very little available time, I wanted to format my book like the “hop on, hop off” tours one finds in big cities. I designed the book to be caregiver friendly for my readers, by being able to pick it up and put it down, without losing one’s place.

Third, I wanted to present an honest portrayal of the life of caregivers; not the “this is your calling” or the “gloom and doom“ approach.

Based on the many reviews I received that ranged from “This is my story,” “Thank you so much for giving words to my thoughts,” to “Poignant, honest, truthful, and uplifting,” let me know I achieved my objectives. But a favorable Kirkus Review made my day!

My book begins with the often crazy behaviors that occur before diagnosis that can drive caregivers crazy and make them question themselves. I have divided the disease into three stages for the sake of simplicity and cover the behaviors etc. that are often exhibited by the one being taken care of, along with the behaviors and thoughts of the caregiver. Tips and suggestions are also offered throughout the book. The issues of love, loss, responsibility, intimacy, grief, and self-care are included.

This is a complete coverage of caregiving from diagnosis to death. Also included is a chapter called Finding Tomorrow, because I found the two most difficult periods for caregivers are upon diagnosis and when caregiving ends.

This book promises to tug at your heart, touch your soul, support you on your journey, and help you not feel so alone.This easily could have become a depressing book, but instead it is a testimonial to the understanding, hope, and compassion chronicling the journey taken by caregivers caring for a beloved parent, spouse, relative or friend.

Purchase My Life Rearranged on Amazon

About the Author

Susan Miller is a former wife, corporate trainer with experience in the field of healthcare, an outplacement counselor, and consultant. She holds a Masters Degree in Counseling and Human Resources Development. After retiring, due to her husband’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, she turned her efforts to writing about her experience of being a caregiver, which also included both parents, mother-in-law, and companion many years later, who was diagnosed with dementia.

Susan is an experienced, compassionate caregiver who has walked the walk and talks the talk. She truly feels supporting caregivers is her purpose in life, and has brought that commitment to both her book and numerous speaking engagements.Currently she lives in San Diego, where she spends time on the beach walking her dog and enjoying paradise.

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