Issue

Fading Angel was a sad journey into the land of the aging for me. I personally know the author who is my first cousin and her Mom was my Aunt Alice. I knew Aunt Alice as a happy, bouncy, highly intelligent woman who loved her life and family. In Aunt Alice's late 40's, she enrolled in classes to upgrade her secretarial skills; she learned how to type and perform office work. She landed a job as the secretary to the Fire Chief in her city. I had little contact with Sande and Aunt Alice for almost 30 years so imagine my surprize and horror when I read Sande's book, Fading Angel!!

I have read and re-read the book countless times. I've shed many tears, but always come to the same conclusion. The key is to treat the Alzheimer patient with the same respect you had shown them all their lives... be consistent, patient, assuring and constantly show the patient they are loved. The author shares with us that she assured her Mother over and over that they would be together no matter what. My admiration and respect for Sande is limitless as she takes us down the long path to devistation of the mind an Alzheimers victim will endure.

This book is one to share with a loved one who is aging. Senior citizens who are unsure and fear their fate may find some hope and consolation in Sande's well-written paragraphs. Caregivers will find her book especially helpful in "lining up their ducks".

As I live in the State of Florida which has a vast senior citizen population, I was honored to present Sande's book to two Alzheimer Support Groups here on the Space Coast. I have also donated a copy of Fading Angel to our local library in my Aunt Alice's memory. My sister, who lives in northern Wisconsin, has done the same.

Wonderful job, Sande, and a tribute to your Mom, my Aunt Alice, who will always be ageless in my memory.

Yesterday, my 85 year-old Father called to tell me about his younger brother who appears to have Alzheimer's. My uncle had gotten up at 1 a.m., dressed, and announced to my aunt that he was heading out to go fishing. As you can imagine, hearing a story like that both opens up your heart and gives you a tiny smile.

As Fading Angel points out, you need to cherish such moments. They mostly come in the beginning of the disease, and it's all downhill from there.

Ms. Donahue has a powerful story to tell, in relating what she has learned in her voyage through helping her Mom through 14 years of the disease relying on at-home care. I hope that every relative and friend of Alzheimer's victims will read and learn from this book. It's a story about using the heart and the mind to create a better life for everyone.

Unlike most book's about Alzheimer's patients which focus on the disease, or "managing" the patients, this one empathizes with the afflicted as well as their care givers. People with Alzheimer's know that there's something wrong with them, and it makes them feel anxious. This book is filled with loving suggestions for dealing with that anxiety, as well as building a new relationship with the ill person.

Lead with love and compassion, and it seems to work better for everyone involved. I loved reading about Ms. Donahue's many ideas for activities for her Mom that helped her feel needed and participating.

I was even more impressed with the material in the book on how to prepare for the consequences of Alzheimer's. There are legal, financial, and care-giving decisions to be made. There are resources that need to be mustered. And you have to do all of this while being overwhelmed with the consequences disease itself. People start by forgetting names. Pretty soon, they have trouble remembering where they are or what they just did. This book opens with Ms. Donahue's Mom wanting to have pie and coffee, and forgetting that they had just finished doing so five minutes earlier.

Ms. Donahue also makes a powerful case for middle class families getting more financial help from the federal government for at-home care. Her solutions for finding help with care-giving are very inspired and inspiring!

The limitation of reading any single book about the experience with Alzheimer's is that the consequences of each person's affliction will differ. I suggest that you also read Ms. Jacqueline Marcell's book, Elder Rage, to see what it can be like to care for an aggressive Father who is suffering from the disease.

The strength of a case history like this one is that it opens up the details and the pain in a way that statistics can never capture. You will be helping someone whom you love, probably a parent or spouse, and they will just slip away from you. As Ms. Donahue points out, it's not just like taking care of a two-year old. Two-year olds can learn and remember.

The one thing that this book did not address is the recently published research (in Aging with Grace) on the brains of those who did and did not have Alzheimer's. Having a great deal of mental stimulation in your life will stave-off the onset of the symptoms. Those with more education, people who work with ideas, readers, and especially teachers can help themselves to some extent. Until more research is conducted, this may be the most we can do.

Perform all the parts of your life with grace, love, and compassion!

I read this book in one day! It provides valuable insight into the world of an Alzheimer's patient and their family. A truly wonderful story of the author's experience using love, compassion and patience while caring for her mother at home. This book is a must-read for anyone facing the challenge of watching a loved one deteriorate with this disease. Practical suggestions are provided on how the patient can be cared for at home and avoid the expense and sterilility of institutional care. Ms. Donahue tells it like it is and shares the many life lessons she was able to learn from her "Fading Angel".

We used A Family Haggadah at the last Passover Seder. The children found it easy to follow and understand. The adults liked the special commentaries and additional information. Everyone said it helped make the Seder special.

This Haggadah was so perfect for everyone in our very diverse congregation. It contains all the traditional elements, but allows those who don't understand the Hebrew, not only to follow along, but to understand and to participate. We had so much fun, and almost everyone said it was the best Seder they had ever attended.

A RIGHT TO LEFT version Haggadah. In green, red and black text. Includes mostly English readings and translations with some Hebrew for the most well known paragraphs (Avadim Hayeenu, blessings), and English transliterations for blessings. The English in non-sexist (gender neutral) and within the grasp of school age children. Certain passages are tagged with icons to note "songs", "plan ahead activities", and "for young children." It opens with a Seder checklist to make sure you have all the items for a good seder. The seder text follows. The Four Sons are Four CHILDREN. Children are prompted to tell the table how they would explain Passover to each of the four children. Dayenu is abbreviated and in English. Includes English Grace After Meals, Counting of the Omer, and an abbreviated Hallel. Includes Adir Hu, Echad Mi Yodea, Chad Gadya, A Fifth Cup for Israel, and Hatikva. Most of the readings are in English.

This book was a fun and easy read! Laura really knows how to make a light moment of the things that "girls" are into. I especially love her stories of her southern friend's need to "balance" her jewelry--something a Texas girl can relate to. Laura's self-deprecating humor is such that you don't feel the need to feel sorry for her--you're too busy laughing alongside her. This is a fun book to give to your sister, mom or friend and it makes for great beach reading.

Another wonderfully incitive and humerous book by Laura and on a fantastic subject - us girls ! This book leaves you with a reminder of just how important the friendship of other women is along with a whole mass of your own rekindled memories from the past. One thing that it is sure to do is to freshen up you friendships and make you put more effort into your relationships with girlfriends. Laura's friends are all very different characters and it is this diversity that makes the book all the more absorbing.

Thank you Laura Jensen Walker for your tender, touching and humorous insight into the value of our special girlfriends. All women will love reading Girl Time.

The selection of essays covers both classic and contemporary philosophy.

This would be an ideal choice for the "Average Jo" who wants to contribute to philosophy conversations.

While reading, you might find yourself having more confidence in some beliefs and re-thinking other beliefs.

"Philosophy... It separates humans from animals." - The Wise Old Owl.

This book is state of the art and easily understood. The 18 orignal essays make sophisticated philosophy understandable.

This book takes difficult concepts and makes them relevant for both college students and lay persons. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenges it presented to my belief system and the growth I have experienced because of it. I strongly recommend it.

I am using this book in a group setting with some other mothers in my parish. We all agree that it is a beautiful book in which to find affirmation and encouragement regarding our vocation as mothers and wives. Each section includes an inspirational quote (from a philosopher, saint, pope, etc.), a beautiful prayer, a reading on scripture, and questions for reflection. When I need to find a peaceful moment in my day and return my focus to God, this book provides the welcome respite my soul needs.

Grace Filled Moments is a breath of fresh air. It's easy form of reflection leads one "beside the still waters" to refresh the soul. So many of the scripture quotes are ones that are dear to my heart. There are wonderful quotes from such well-known personalities and saints such as Dorothy Day, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen to name a few. This is truly a vehicle that touches the depths of my being.

As a young woman who grew up surrounded by the popular feminist ideologies, I have been profoundly affected by this wonderful book. Grace-Filled Moments has helped me to deeply reflect on what it REALLY means to be a woman in the eyes of God and the specialness of our female gender. The world tells us that we have to hide or discard our feminity, and this book redirects us to truly appreciate our authentic feminity, especially in regards to the life bearing potential of our bodies and souls.

Each section has a wonderful theme related to the many aspects of true femininity. Having come full circle in my beliefs about abortion and contraception, I especially appreciated the reflective meditations on woman's fertility. This is a book which will transform your attitudes and your soul. My own spiritual walk with the Lord has deepened as I use the book for daily prayer and meditation. I have also found healing and comfort in the reflections about the wounds of the heart.

For those of you who are interested in the layout of the book, each section begins with a quote from a well-known spiritual writer, philosopher, or theologian (ex. St. Edith Stein, Pope John Paul II, Elisabeth Leseur.) The quote is followed by an inspiring prayer related to the theme. This is followed by a related quote from scripture and then there are several points/questions for prayer and meditation.

I can't recommend Grace-Filled Moments highly enough for all women, young or old, single or married. I plan on giving to all of my friends and loved ones as gifts!

Bernie Siegel and Yosaif August have based their book on three main principles:

1. You have the right to heal, no matter what your life experience has been.

2. You can create a healing team.

3. You can learn to become the master of your life's time.

This book is divided into three main sections:

Part I: A Patient's Survival Guide - This section explains how you can form a healing team, protect yourself in a variety of ways (including making sure the people caring for you wash their hands) and speaking up about anything you feel might be a mistake. Chapter 3 explains what you need to know to prepare for a hospital stay. I liked the list of healing objects you can take into the hospital to make you feel less stressed. This could range from a favorite quilt to favorite music, photos, healthy snacks and your laptop computer. This section addresses issues like having a private room or sharing a room, dealing with aromas and intrusions.

Part II: Healing Strategies for Family, Friends, and Caregivers - This is a section for those who are looking after someone who is healing.

Part III: Healing Ways - An interesting section on bedside yoga, breathing exercises, stretching and massage. Instructions are given for helping the healing process with the healing power of touch.

There is an extensive resource section with ideas like "bedscapes" that can be put up on a wall to help patients feel less closed into a room.

Bernie Siegel and Yosaif August have created a beautiful gift for patients and caregivers. I also hope doctors and nurses will read this book so they can observe care from the patient's perspective.

~TheRebeccaReview.com

I finished this book right before going in for surgery and the timing couldn't have been better. The book is described as a "practical" guidebook which is right on the mark because after reading it I felt far better prepared at making sure I got the kind of care I needed and far better at expressing those needs
Simply put, it fills a gap that has long been missing in the medical world: helping patients strengthen their rightful place in directing an important part of their own recovery. Get it for anyone you love who is about to go into the hospital - especially yourself!

As a hospital chaplain, I find this is just the right approach for patients and their families and friends.

This book helps to heal the body and enliven and mobilize the spirit. It is an uplifitng guide to surviving and thriving.
I especially appreciate all the ways it offers to make hospital visits truly healing - for patient and visitor and how to create a "healing team" with medical professionals and family and friends. It offers real tools to help folks find and strengthen their own inner resources . And it's fun to read!!!

Thomas H. Strong has written an excellent account of the inherent flaws of prenatal care in the United States, highlighting where Western medicine succeeds and where it fails. Looking critically at other health care systems around the world, he demonstrates how alternative health care for birth when delivered by midwives has higher success rates in preventing premature birth and various birth problems. If anything prevented me from giving this excellent work five stars, it was the fact that Dr. Strong, while praising health care systems like the Netherlands, decided not to address the fact that those same praiseworthy birth traditions are delivered by lay midwives, not the nurse-midwives found in other countries. While both lay (or direct-entry) midwives and nurse-midwives contribute important care to pregnant women, Dr. Strong failed to address the prejudices surrounding direct-entry midwifery in the United States despite its affordability and accessibility in remote areas.

I think this is an important book for mothers to read, but be aware that it presents research and, while well-written, is not written in the accessible format of many books destined for the expectant parent. It would be an excellent book for anyone interested in the sociology or medical anthropology of birth and its inclusion in women's studies classes would enrich any curriculum.

This book should be required reading for every woman in American.

"If we as a nation want to take care of our children, we must first take care of our mothers". Kitty Ernst CNM MPH

I was thrilled to hear of and read this much needed book. Dr Strong, a perinatologist, had the courage to remind us that we as a nation are doing a shameful job in attending to the needs of our childbearing mothers and their unborn children. He begins with the disturbing data on babies born too soon and too small, and goes on in a thoughtful and scholarly way to explore the issue.

It seems to be human nature that when we recognize a problem, we knuckle down, determined to keep doing what we have been doing but doing it in a "better" way. That is exactly the problem with our system of prenatal care... and its not working. Its time to look at how we can serve pregant women in a different and better way.

As a practicing nurse-midwife, i have long believed that pregnancy and birth must be addressed not as a medical event, but as a "mind-body-spirit" event, occuring within a social context, and that the "midwifery model" rather than the "medical model" of care is the appropriate approach for low risk women. Dr Strong suppports this point of view as one of the solutions to the problems he identifies in the delivery of health care during pregnancy and birth.

I would recommend this book to EVERY student and practitioner of maternal-child nursing, midwifery,or obstetrics. THose people working within public health and public policy will also find it enlightening. Parents to be who have chosen nurse-midiwfery care for their pregnancies will be pleased to see the scientific and philosophical support for their decision coming from an expert in "high-risk obstetrics".

If I ever return to teaching, it will be required reading for my students; i am circulating a copy among the obstetricians and nurse-midwives with whom I work. Enjoy!!!

Esther's story is my favorite story in the Bible. She was a very strong woman who was fearless (she was not afriad to be herself). Lisa Ryan has done a great job applying this fabulous story to life as a young woman today. I found that the writing was somewhat silly (Mrs. Ryan sometimes used slang never spoken by anyone outside of middle school), but the message was awesome. Every girl should read this book!

This book is written for the middle school ag.. hence the reason that the slang is so far off... (as noted in the previous reveiw) It is a great book about becoming a modern day Esther.

This was a great book!!! Even thought I am still reading it, It's already making me think about who I am and what I should be working on I love this book! It tottally makes Gods word fun!

Of course, Luther and Calvin account for the majority of the reformation, and the O'Donovon's do a fine job of bringing them to life (as much as one can say that about Calvin). However, this text makes references to Anabaptists without giving them 'equal time.' Of course, they should not expect this pacifist and somewhat isolationist sect to raise a stink over being left out (in fact they would probably be in favor of maintaining a low profile), but it is intellectually incomplete. What is there, however, is excellent.

This collection truly is indispensable to anyone interested in the Christian tradition of political theology. A vast array of sources-many of which are quite inconvenient to obtain-are placed at the fingertips of anyone interested. Additionally, the authors distinguish their collection with numerous erudite, probing essays preceding each collection and author. These not only provide historical context but also the outlines of modern scholarly debate. Also, for further reference, bibliographies are concluded. In a word, it is a 'sourcebook' par excellance.

There are omissions, as is the case with all collections; however, this does not detract from the overall utility of the collection.

Oliver O'Donovan, a Brit, and Joan Lockwood O'Donovan, born and raised a Canuck, of Christ Church College, Oxford, do a tremendous service to our understanding of the West's pre-Enlightenment constitutional tradition.

Political theorists and philosophers seemed to suffer an epidemic of historical and philosophical amnesia beginning about the 17th century with Hobbes, Locke, et al. Although their writings clearly rely on some sixteen centuries of thought with respect to political authority in the Christian tradition, 17th-c. theorists and on give little hint of the extent of their claiming the ideas of "dual (or plural) authority" and the rule of law as developed in western Christendom.

With selected excerpts from early church father Irenaeus to father of modern constitutionalism Grotius, the O'Donovans trace this development from an early church in tension (and persecution) with the sacralist Roman state; through the power struggles between church and imperial, and church and feudal authorities; and the development of Lutheran and Calvinist theories of resistance vis a vis 16th-c. absolutist theories of the divine right of kings.

Far from its being an invention or child of the Enlightenment, the O'Donovans make clear the West's tradition of plural authority and consitutionalism was delivered to Enlightenment theorists as a mature creature which continues to inform and instruct Western constitutional thought to the present, albeit far too little.

This book is an extremely readable overview of strategic planning in healthcare today. The chapters build on each other very well, and leave the reader with an excellent picture of the whys and hows of development of strategic vision relative to the position and capabilities of the organization. The section on strategic intent is particularly useful. The tables and figures are useful, clear, and easy to understand. Each chapter ends with "Lessons Learned", a useful summary and reminder of the chapter contents. I recommend this book as both a primer and refresher for those interested in healthcare stategic planning.

It is clear when reading Health Care Strategy for Uncertain Times that the authors have significant experience in strategy development in the healthcare arena. The book clearly outlines a process for strategy development and points out common pitfalls along the way (e.g. mistaking data for information, focusing on experience rather than skills when choosing members of the strategy development team, etc.). Furthermore, the book describes useful tools for addressing uncertainty (i.e. decision-analysis, scenario planning and game theory) and provides a framework for determining when a specific tool will prove useful.

Perhaps what makes the book most valuable, however, is what it does not include. There are no claims of sure-fire solutions that are, unfortunately, so common in contemporary strategy literature. The authors correctly realize that cookie-cutter solutions offer no long term benefit to the reader (and most likely no short term benefit either). Rather the authors have created a guide to building a strategy development process that, once developed, will be applicable to any situation.

This book proposed a variety of tools that are incredibly helpful in moving a management team (and leadership team) along in thinking about the strategies that the organization is undertaking. It is also helpful in looking at the tacit strategies undertaken by not making decisive moves. The material proposes a broad range of ways to engage the strategic framework, given the market driven changes that befall the healthcare providers. Marion Jennings, Susie Krentz and the JRK team are impressive thought leaders that generously share their 'lessons learned' in this very useful book.