by Lisa Genova
Published March 20 2018 by Scout Press
4+ stars. I am a huge Lisa Genova fan, having read and loved every one of her books now (Still Alice is still my favorite). I always learn so much in her books, and each is about a different disease or condition that someone outside of the medical community like me may not have heard much about--as in Still Alice and Love Anthony, or were completely unaware of-1as in The O'Briens and Left Neglected).
One of my Utah cousins, when we first found each other 13 years ago as a result of our genealogical research, told me at that time that his wife had ALS, which I had only heard of as Lou Gehrigs disease, and I knew only that it was very bad. My cousin gave me periodic updates on her deterioration (I never met her), until death finally freed her from her misery. What I remember most is when she could no longer swallow. How can your body fail you like that and yet you're still hanging on? But it wasn't long after that.
In Every Last Note, Richard had been a famous classical pianist before ALS struck. He was divorced and living alone when he lost the use of one arm and then the other. Then one leg; then both. His ex-wife didn't want to do it, but offered up her home, formerly his home, where she would take care of him along with the home health aides Richard was already paying for. Genova always gives us the big picture, not only how a disease strikes the victim but also the affects on the caregivers. She makes us think about our resilience, adaptability, our ability to forgive, and how to move on. The ending was a tear jerker but I can't see how it could go any other way.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.
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