By Mary Edwards-Olson
I wrote When the Sun Shines Through because of my personal journey. I was a caregiver for my mother and watched first hand as Alzheimer's slowly stole her from us.
My mother, Elizabeth Edwards, lost her fight with Alzheimer's on October 23, 2017.
Caring for my mother was a roller coaster of emotions. You go from crying so hard that every inch of your body aches, to being so overwhelmed with joy when a piece of them perks through the mask of Alzheimer's. I was ignorant to this disease and its cruelty until I watched it slowly take my mother, piece by piece. It was hard as a caretaker to understand that Mom wasn't Mom anymore in terms of behavior. There were days I thought she was being lazy or difficult on purpose and I would get so upset. It breaks my heart I ever thought that. It was the disease, in those moments. Please remember it's the disease. Your loved one is in there, scared and confused. Show compassion and remember to take time for yourself. As a caregiver, we often take a back seat, but remember your loved one needs you to be happy, and emotionally and physically healthy. They may not express it but they understand.
This never-ending pain pushed me to write a book that leads you towards the light, towards the happiness that can often be overlooked because the sadness and darkness will consume you. This was what happened to me; I was so sad -the type of sadness that changes a person. Because of this sadness, I often missed those happy moments that seem to shine through. The moments when your loved one remembers you or a childhood event, or when they smile, or remember to tell you they love you. Hold on to that. Let that consume you. Do not focus on the horror of slowly losing your hero or best friend; that was Mom to me, she was my hero and my best friend. The strongest women I knew was fading.
I also witnessed the toll watching a loved one suffer from this disease had on my children. They weren't just watching their Nana suffer, they were watching their mother break down begging God for a miracle. They were also watching their grandpa become more and more withdrawn, forcing smiles and happiness. I knew there needed to be a book that could help the often forgotten sufferers, the children, but also offer comfort to the adults. Thus, When the Sun Shines Through was born.
Everyone that has purchased the book from me has left with tears in their eyes or a smile on their face. Both children and adults have found peace and comfort in my book. Others have written me or left positive feedback saying my book tells such a painful story in such a sweet comforting way. The words along with the beautiful illustrations remind them to hold on to the good memories they steal from a disease that tries to do nothing but cause heartbreak. It currently has a 4 star rating on Amazon and was on their hot new release list and a top seller on kindle.
Because of this book I have been able to partner with our local Barnes and Noble to turn the store purple and raise over $2,000 to help find a cure. The "Elizabeth Edwards Grant For Hope" was created to help those in our community that can't afford care or supplies needed to maintain a healthy happy life. We had our first event where we raised almost $5,000! The wonderful part was bringing those with the disease together with the community, those that are caregivers, and those that have lost someone they love under one roof. We gave Alzheimer's a face!
About the Author
My name is Mary Edwards-Olson. I'm a writer, a mother, a daughter, a wife. I wake up every day wanting to give up and crawl into a hole, but my drive to find a cure overpowers this emotion. I fight and I refuse to stop! I talk constantly about my journey, the need for a cure, and the pain the hopeless carry. I am a voice and I refuse to be silenced! This is my first book. I have another being illustrated now along with a novel I'm working on. I have been a guest speaker at many local events and hope to spread my message far beyond my community. Thank you to all of you that fight to end this horrible disease!
Connect with Mary Edwards-Olson
Instagram: @Author.Mary.Edwards.Olson
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