When I first saw Mrs. Johnstone's blog title I was amused and hopeful. Her picture showed a smiling woman who had to have been able to rise above all the stress involved in dealing with an LBD patient. I heartily ordered her book through her blog site and waited.
When the book arrived days later, I ripped open the envelope, put on some classical reading music, and began.
The book begins in earnest to outline the history of Pastor and Mrs. Johnstone and their lives as missionaries, who came to a small town in Alberta, Canada to minister at the church there. This wasn't long lived, as Pastor Johnstone began to decline into Lewy Body Dementia and Mrs. Johnstone needed to find ways to manage her life (without his income) and his care.
I must hand it to Mrs. J, she really was able to work hard and bring herself up; but aside from the history of the family, their trials and tribulations, there isn't really much said to address her husband's illness, to the point of not knowing if he was still alive by the end of the book.
She and her husband had a good marriage. They were both very supportive of each other and he was a very kind, gentle soul. It was quite a shock when he began to decline and left the community and his family at a loss. However, the strength of the book comes from Mrs. Johnstone's ability to rebuild herself and stay afloat while handling her husband's illness, helping their children, and keeping body and soul together.
This book has an inner strength to it, with homespun adages and a will to survive and succeed, despite the obstacles life presents. Mrs. Johnstone took many of her blog posts (from the site with the same title, When Troubles Fall like Lemon Drops, and adds to them. The story has flow and purpose, as does her life and philosophy.
It is a sweet book. However, there is very little information about the disease, rather a journey through the eyes of one caregiving survivor, which is important, as well.
This was a quick memoir to read, and gave me a great deal to consider.
When Troubles Fall Like Lemon Drops. Ruth Roberts Johnstone. 2015. 162 pp.
You may find the book at these resources:
When Troubles Fall Like Lemon Drops
Christian Books.com
Amazon
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