Fraying: Mum, Memory Loss, the Medical Maze and Me

Being a caregiver is not unlike being an interpreter. The task is to listen intently, to catch not only the words but the spirit of the message, and then to immediately pass that on. So too the caretaker, who is required to listen, to catch the spirit of what is needed, and then to set about to have those needs met. Fraying chronicles a mother’s and a daughter’s journey through memory loss and medicine. Michele Gierck finds herself suddenly thrust into the role of primary caregiver, with no map to navigate the world of aged care and medical bureaucracy. The relationship between the spirited, determined 88-year-old protagonist who refuses to passively accept medical pronouncements and her daughter is at times difficult, yet always respectful and loving. Together they must develop practical coping strategies, draw on a lifetime with each other, and hold onto their sense of humor. Authentic and evocative, Fraying will resonate with the tens of thousands of readers living through this experience themselves. Michele Gierck offers wisdom and very practical advice about two of the certainties of life—change and loss.