High praise for sure, but is it true?
In full transparency, The Greatest Burden The Greatest Blessing book has been available on Amazon for a little over a week. It might be a bit early to label it "one of the best books for caregivers in 2023" but I noticed when you google "caregiving books" that's one of the options that appears in the search.
Based on the reviews so far, here's what I can say. Or rather, what others are saying about the book.
The Greatest Burden/Blessing" resonated beautifully, therapeutically. I learned lessons from the wisdom offered. I felt the joys and the pains described so vividly by the caregivers. Mostly I felt connection. This book was a great blessing for me. I hope you read it. You will enter a world of raw love, tenderness, courage, and brutality. It's a different world. It will enrich you.
The stories teach us so much about the human spirit. The book reminds us that even in our darkest hours love will always prevail. I highly recommend this book especially to a caregiver who is maybe struggling and needs to feel a connection. I also believe it's important for anyone that is close to a caregiver to read this book. It will help you understand all they go through and help you be a better support to them.
This compilation of stories from caregivers is unlike anything I have read before. These emotional first person accounts demonstrate that when our loved ones need us, we respond. The years of dedication and medical hurdles were remarkable. The caregivers were tested many times physically and spiritually and time after time, recalled that it was a privilege to care for that family member. If you are caring for a parent, spouse or loved one, this book will provide stories of courage, hope and the knowledge that you are not alone.
The book not only offers solace and understanding for caregivers but also serves as an enlightening guide for those who may know someone in a caregiving role. It's a window into a world filled with both burdens and blessings, where the human spirit's resilience shines bright.
...after almost two years as caregivers, this book reminds us how many others can relate to the range of emotions that comes with taking care of someone you love who cannot care for themselves. Each story is a testament to the sacrifices we make for those we love, no matter what circumstances brought us there.
Truly an inspiring read and a subject that touches us all in some way - whether you are a caregiver yourself or you know someone who is providing this gift to someone else. A tribute to the unsung heroes among us who give so much of themselves.
This book should be read first by caregivers ….and then by everyone else. Caregivers need to know that they are not alone, that it is okay to ask for help, that their work is appreciated and valued. Thank you to the authors for sharing these precious stories of heroes. The person who fights back against the odds to maintain some quality of life, to whom a typical day may resemble an obstacle course, but each day they start all over and take on the challenge. Each one is a hero and so is that person who counts it a blessing to assist, to feed, to bathe, to encourage, to answer the same question five times in a row, to give a smile and helping hand to their daughter, father, mother, friend.
Pictured in the photo are Julie Doherty and her husband, Phil. In 2009, she became Phil's caregiver after he was in a serious accident at work on a construction site. Her story is found on page 141 of The Greatest Blessing. She credits her extended family for helping her get through the year-long care journey and recovery. Equally as compelling is hearing Phil talk about Julie in the Epilogue:
An incredible team of doctors, nurses, therapists—and many other unseen individuals who work in these facilities—put me back together. They allowed me to live, but it was Julie who saved my life. She made the important decisions, the ones that were going to make or break my chances of surviving the accident.
In her heartfelt Foreword, Rashida Ali Walsh encapsulates the essence of the book:
“Sometimes it’s the care recipient, and sometimes it’s the care partner, but the amount of courage, compassion, hope, humility, kindness, and love demonstrated throughout the book is, quite simply, the greatest.”
High praise for sure...
-Mark
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