In Oh Hello Alzheimer’s, author Lisa Marshall takes us on a journey of diagnosis with her beloved husband, Peter. Starting with the heart of their romance, to the early unsettling signs something is amiss, to the devastating diagnosis, and into the life beyond the moment everything changes. It is, as one reviewer put it, “an unfiltered perspective of life as a caregiver is thoughtful and informative, while being a devastating front row view to the realities of Alzheimer’s and the ripple effect on families” (K. Hanson).
This book is everything a caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer’s needs. There is much to be said about the practical advice that Lisa offers: navigating the tangled world of American healthcare systems, finding tricks and strategies to support the patient at home, moving through to higher levels of care, and much more.
These things are invaluable. But what really shines through and captivates the reader is Lisa’s love for Peter, her skillful storytelling, and her passion for making his life all it could be, then sharing that with others.
We can sit in the cold hard chairs of a medical exam room and hear all the things one must know about a diagnosis, or research late into the night, but nothing compares to the loving embrace of someone who understands the diagnosis on a personal and lived level can offer you.
