Beyond Forgetting - Paperback

by Christine Zimmerman (Author)

-What would you do if the hero of your family was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease?
-Would you call up the nearest nursing home?
-Would you stop everything and become the lifeline for this person, for the rest of his or her life?

Christine Zimmerman made that choice. She chose to drop college temporarily, and take the lead in caring for her beloved grandfather after he was unable to live alone due to Alzheimer's disease. In Beyond Forgetting you will read a harrowing tale-first of a kind and brilliant man's love for his granddaughter, and of her selfless return of that love. You will laugh and cry along with the Nelson family as that once-formidable man experiences many surprising, upsetting, and sometimes fascinating changes. You will be astounded by the admirable strength of Zimmerman in the face of shock, frustration, sadness, and guilt. Finally, you will watch her grandfather undergo the downward turn that makes Alzheimer's a singularly devastating illness.

Alzheimer's is a cruel disease that can rob the sufferer of his dignity, memory, strength, and even basic functions. Beyond Forgetting is an important book with something to teach everyone. Never macabre, maudlin, or miserable, the book maintains a positive, loving tone. It is a rare insight into an often-closed moment in the hardest part of many people's lives. If you have a loved one with Alzheimer's disease, or know someone who does, it should be required reading.

Author Biography

At the age of twenty, Christine Zimmerman took a different journey than most people her age. She became her grandfather's primary caregiver, as he was unable to live alone due to Alzheimer's disease. She spent almost a decade caring for Donald Nelson, at times for up to ninety hours a week.

Zimmerman lives in Minnesota with her husband and children.