Martha L Garmon
Author/Speaker
I Am Not Alone
In a moment, your life changes forever.Your loved one gets the diagnosis of dementia and before you can comprehend the words, you are a caregiver. The doctor tells you to get your affairs in order and to enjoy life. What the doctor doesn’t tell you is how lonely this journey is going to be. It feels like no one can understand your life, your feelings, or your challenges.
The truth is there are others who understand. Forty-two caregivers were interviewed about their journey. Each interview is short enough to be read in in just a couple of minutes. As you read through the interviews you will find some common threads. You will find that you are not crazy, or weak, or alone. You will also find some ideas and resources that have worked for other caregivers. Take heart! Caregiving is not easy, and it is even harder if you feel alone. I hope you find strength and encouragement in these pages and survive to care another day.
What people are saying….
"This book is a must read for FTD caregivers!! Myself, my mother-in-law, and my father-in-law all read this book and greatly benefitted from it. It was so helpful to read the perspectives of each person. It truly makes you feel as though you are not alone on this terrible journey that is FTD. It was therapeutic for me as a spouse and caregivers because it validated my feelings and helped me address the guilt I often feel."
"Filled with insights, to empower Caregivers. Because of the positive effect reading, watching YouTube, and listening to others, has had in my life, I always share when I've found something that is especially good.... Each chapter is a different person answering questions about what they've gone through and where they are today. If you are a caregiver, get this book, it will be a huge help to see how others have coped with this terrible disease. I bought a Kindle version but now I'm going to have to order a bunch of hard copies to pass on to family and friends."
"Learning to Care. This book is a must-read for anyone who has ever asked the question, 'what can I do to help?'
So often we want to listen to fix things and forget to listen to understand and empathize. This books allows you to do that...to listen for understanding. Understanding is helping. Loving and praying is helping. Listening is helping. Learning to ask 'how are you' and not 'what can I do' is helping. Reading this book is helping.
This books gives a glimpse into the lives of incredible men and women - caregivers - who sacrifice so much of themselves for the people they love. Read it for a glimpse into their shrinking worlds and the effects that FTD has had on their lives and their loved ones' lives...but also read it to understand more about how they cope with the disease and how you can best help them in this process. Read it to honor their lives just as much as the lives of those with FTD."