Jan's Story: Love Lost to the Long Goodbye of Alzheimer's

I felt like Barry's good friend, listening and comforting him through his own journey as he watched his beloved wife disappear. I can't imagine how difficult this was for him to write. What a superbly written resource this book is. Whether you have a spouse with Alzheimer's disease or you have a loved friend or family member who is coping with this, this book is invaluable.

Barry Petersen, an award-winning CBS correspondent, was living a happy and globe-trotting life with his beloved wife, Jan, when she received the diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's disease. Living in Tokyo at the time, Barry struggled to make sense of Jan's episodes before finally hearing the diagnosis from a San Francisco based neurologist. In Jan's Story, he describes the progression of what he calls The Disease, the learning curve of becoming Jan's caregiver, his own emotional struggles and his eventual decision to place Jan in an assisted living facility. Jan's Story is a very honest and touching look into what it feels like to lose someone to early onset Alzheimer's disease, and into what it means to be a caregiver for that person. Barry Peterson spares no details when it comes to describing his journey and I can only assume that his recollections are accurate, or at least as accurate as he remembers them. He covers everything from initial signs, behavioral changes, Jan's coping mechanisms and diagnostic tools to care giving challenges, emotional responses and reactions by family and friends. I believe that his intent with Jan's Story was to provide others in similar situations with a feeling that they are not alone, and he definitely succeeded in that regard. Given that many people assume that Alzheimer's is a disease that only affects the very elderly, Barry also gives a different face to the disease - that of his wife Jan. Prior to her diagnosis, Jan was vibrant and lively, with many more years ahead of her. She loved to be around people and was often the life of the party. She was by no means the typical person someone would associate with Alzheimer's, and yet she was another one of this terrible disease's victims.

I have a husband that has Demita (sp). He is 73 yrs. old. I took care of him for 8 yrs by myself. I could relate so well to this story. It was like Barry Peterson was writing my story. I recommend this book to people who feel helpless and lost when dealing with a chronic disease. I thank Jan and Barry Peterson for their story. I also have met a friend and am happy to know that I am okay. I have read the book in a day and 1/2 and gave it to my friend that read it in one day. I am recommended it to my group to let them know that they can get one or read mine. I am happy to read a book that is told by someone who has been where I have been. It was written by a MD or a PHD. It was written from the heart. I cried at times when I read the story. It was so helpful and I want to again thank Jan and Barry and also Mary for this loving book.

In this book, Barry Petersen, exposes his feelings about the slow decline of his wife to Alzheimer's, but he also describes his journey about moving forward. This is a love story on all counts. Jan's Story is a must read for all who have experienced the loss of a loved one and for anyone currently undergoing this incredibly emotional experience.

This book blew me away - tears one minute, laughter the next (really!) but mostly honest all the way through. It really is the inside look into how Alzheimer's wrecks lives, but it also has a pretty unexpected ending because the author talks about going on and finding a new love. Some people may not like that, but he talks about how that actually helps in taking care of his wife, Jan, who has the disease. If you know someone with Alzheimer's, or have a friend who is a caregiver, you need to read this book. Be careful...once you start, it is impossible to put down.