Search results for ""Author Patti Davis""

“For the decade of my father’s illness, I felt as if I was floating in the deep end, tossed by waves, carried by currents, but not drowning,” writes Patti Davis in this searingly honest and deeply moving account of the challenges involved in taking care of someone stricken with Alzheimer’s. When her father, Ronald Reagan, announced his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in an address to the American public in 1994, the world had not yet begun speaking about this cruel, mysterious disease. Yet overnight, Reagan and his immediate family became the face of Alzheimer’s, and Davis, once content to keep her family at arm’s length, quickly moved across the country to be present during “the journey that would take [him] into the sunset of [his] life.” Empowered by all she learned from caring for her father—about the nature of the illness but also about the loss of a parent—Davis founded a support group for the family members and friends of Alzheimer’s patients. Along with a medically trained co-facilitator, she met with hundreds of exhausted and devastated attendees to talk through their pain and confusion. While Davis was aware that her own circumstances were uniquely fortunate, she knew there were universal truths about dementia and even surprising gifts to be found in a long goodbye. With Floating in the Deep End, Davis draws on a welter of experiences to provide a singular account of battling Alzheimer’s. Eloquently woven with personal anecdotes and helpful advice tailored specifically for the overlooked caregiver, this essential guide covers every potential stage of the disease from the initial diagnosis through the ultimate passing and beyond. Including such tips as how to keep a loved one hygienic, and careful responses for when they drift to a time gone by, Davis always stresses the emotional milestones that come with slow-burning grief.

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Ronald Reagan's daughter Patti Davis documents a life with cats in quirky style. Cat books are perennial bestsellers. This title is great for Mothers Day. Patti Davis has written a delightful illustrated memoir. Just 96 pages long, the book has 12 chapters, each of which fits on a single spread and is accompanied by a charming illustration. The chapters detail the lives of her two cats, Aretha and Skeeter. A self-proclaimed dog person, Davis was surprised one day to be adopted by the cat next door - a cat that was apparently dissatisfied with her current humans, and decided someone else would do a better job of catering to her needs. And so began an incredibly unique relationship between a woman who couldn't seem to let go of her "dogperson-ness" and a cat named Aretha who refused to believe her. After a romance that ended sadly(for Aretha, not Patti), Patti decided to go get another cat - "a kitten, so Aretha could retain her position as the resident diva." Enter Skeeter, mischievous, irrepressible, and ever so lovable. Twenty-six illustrations by celebrated artist Ward Schumaker give the book a whimsical, celebratory feel.

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“For the decade of my father’s illness, I felt as if I was floating in the deep end, tossed by waves, carried by currents but not drowning.” In a singular account of battling Alzheimer’s, Patti Davis eloquently weaves personal anecdotes with practical advice tailored specifically for the overlooked caregiver. After losing her father, Ronald Reagan, Davis founded a support group for family members and friends of Alzheimer’s patients; drawing on those years, Davis reveals the surprising struggles and gifts of this cruel disease. From the challenges of navigating disorientation to the moments when guilt and resentments creep in, readers are guided gently through slow-burning grief. Along the way, Davis shares how her own fractured family came together and how her father revealed his true self—always kind, even when he couldn’t recognise his own daughter. The result is an achingly beautiful work on the fragile human condition from a profoundly wise and empathetic writer.

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