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.
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.
"Lisa Marshall has found joy where none was thought to exist. Most people aren't this honest to their own diary. Lisa Marshall is an open book-a book you won't want to put down. In my travels across America for CBS News, I have yet to meet a more compassionate person than Lisa Marshall. She will show you how to make the most of an Alzheimer's diagnosis. She will also show you the way to true love. Diagnosed with Alzheimer's in the prime of his life, Peter Marshall was dealt a horrible hand. Yet, he may just be the most happily married man I ever met. His love was so deep, it became instinct. This isn't just a book about Alzheimer's. It's a book about how to love, from the woman who mastered the craft."
-Steve Hartman, CBS Evening News
"Lisa's poignant and unfiltered perspective of life as a caregiver ais thoughtful and informative, while being a devastating front row view to the realities of Alzheimer's and the ripple effect on families. Her unwavering love and respect for Peter is tangible throughout their beautiful story."
-Kate Hanson, TODAY.com reporter
"Lisa opened up a world that no one wants to know about, let alone live in. Their story shined an authentic light on all the crevices of this devastating disease. Lisa's example gives me hope each and every day as I navigate my own caregiving path. I am eternally grateful to have witnessed her strength, compassion and commitment to Peter, with amazing love, patience, and respect. This is real life for too many of us."
-Heidi Kroft, Caregiver