“Memories of My Parents” by Amy Madge is a story of love. Not romantic love, but the love of a daughter for her parents. Amy Madge never married – she chose to devote her life to a career, but hers was a really, REALLY close family.
Amy became her parents’ caregiver in their later years and it was a job that sometimes included complicated nursing tasks as well that of grief counselor when her older brother died suddenly. Amy Madge’s previous written work is a children’s book; her style is simple and true. What makes her story inspiring for any caregiver though, is the evident love everyone in this family had for one another. Amy’s book is simple, but never simple-minded. The circumstances of John and Lorraine Madge’s life might be absolutely ordinary on the surface, but suffused with their daughter’s love, they become extraordinary.
Describing herself, Amy Madge writes (in the third person), “She was her parents’ caregiver for the last several years of their lives. She was proud that her parents did not have to go into a nursing home and were able to pass on their terms. Caring for them when they passed was a gift for her. Her parents provided her with a wonderful life and upbringing. For her, this was a small bit of gratitude given back to them for all they gave her.”
This simple story of love and care will inspire anyone caring for their own elderly parents.