In An Uncertain Inheritance, the voices of many essayists converge to tell the story of how being a caregiver for a family member is a life-changing experience for everyone involved.
The essays, compiled by Nell Casey, range from adults confronting the realities of being a caregiver for their parents to children who are forced to forfeit their independence by returning to their parents for care.
Stories such as the one contributed by Helen Schulman uncover the heart-wrenching internal and external conflicts that can arise from a loved one’s illness. In “My Father the Garbage Head,” Schulman writes about her father, who endured a medley of illnesses and medical complications for 20 years before dying. Schulman chronicles the strain on her mother during those two decades, as well as her own weighty struggles.
Schulman says that about five years before her father died, because of her enduring love for him, she pledged to “help him as long as he needs it.” About this pledge, Schulman writes, “I remember the moment I said this to myself outside his hospital-room door. It was a promise I lived to regret.”
Anyone who is already a caregiver for a family member or being cared for might be able to relate to some of the stories in An Uncertain Inheritance or glean some helpful information from them. And for those who are fortunate enough not to have dealt with longterm care, reading about the writers’ experiences will open the mind to any unforeseen scenarios that life has to offer.
Through a mixture of humor, sadness and unflinching honesty, the essays contained in An Uncertain Inheritance weave together a telling tale of the strength and sacrifice required when accepting responsibility for the care of a loved one.
Publisher: William Morrow
Publish date: Nov. 13, 2007
304 pages
ISBN-10: 0060875305
ISBN-13: 978-0060875305
