wanda burse

During the years of progressive struggle and decline, Wanda kept journals of her experience as a means of coping with the frustration and heartache. These documents served as the raw material for Parallel Journeys, a memoir that is not only about Alzheimer’s and its victims, but the experiences of the family, as well, who must watch and care for a loved one as they fade away.

From the first symptoms to the inevitable end, Wanda offers her story in a series of personal vignettes, bravely revealing how Alzheimer’s devastates the individuals it touches. To those readers who have endured the disease in their family, these moments will be all-too-familiar. However, in sharing her private experiences and deepest feelings, Wanda shows us how it is possible to go through the darkness and survive. Mixed in with the pain and sadness are glimmering gems of insight that teach us how to cope and maintain faith in the midst of suffering and doubt. There are stories with Wanda and her mother that will make you laugh, as well as those that will make you cry; joy and suffering are both parts of life, as Wanda beautifully and painfully explores. Tender, emotional, and courageous, Parallel Journeys serves an invaluable resource for anyone connected to the tragedies of Alzheimer’s and dementia.