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by Lyndy Downs (Author)
Providing care for a loved one suffering from a fatal progressive brain disease is an emotional, spiritual and physical roller-coaster. The constant sadness, anger, guilt, and physical strain can sometimes seem overwhelming.
In His Strength in Me, Lyndy shares what it was like to grow up as a caregiver alongside her mother helping to care for her father, sister, and brother all of whom had Huntington's Disease -an inherited, rare, fatal brain disease that causes the progressive death of nerve cells in the brain; while she, herself, was at risk for that same genetic disorder. The heartfelt portrayal of her childhood and young adult years as well as the personal journal entries and memories of both Lyndy and her mother, help to convey the struggle that many caregivers deal with daily.
Even after the eventual deaths of all three family members, her caregiving journey did not end. Later, as an adult with her own family, she found herself thrust into the primary caregiving role for her mother, who was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia. However, this time, she found strength and moments of joy and blessings hidden amid the sadness and overwhelming circumstances that seemed to prevail at times as she learned to rely on God's strength and not her own.
As you read about Lyndy's three-decade-long journey as a caregiver, may you be encouraged, whatever your journey is, and may you discover, as she did, that "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." (Psalm 29:11 NIV)
You are not alone.
