Mirror Image is the first nonfiction offering by Doug Dalzell, author of the mystery series The Conrad Chronicles.
This book should be required reading for anyone who has ever been a caregiver for another person — or who is anticipating taking on that responsibility.
Steve Phipps has been Dalzell’s best friend for many years. He is approaching retirement when his wife, Dorothy, begins exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. As that reality is sinking in, Steve is stricken with a series of strokes that leave him paralyzed and wheelchair-bound but with his cognitive abilities unimpaired.
The speed with which Dorothy’s condition deteriorates and the absurdities that ensue will open your eyes to Alzheimer’s in a way that no TV commercial or scientific study ever could. Dalzell’s facility with observation and detail will help prepare you for the day you might have to care for a loved one — right down to giving instructions on how to dispose of an empty pop can or take a shower (“Nothing seems easy anymore....”).
The story’s central metaphor derives from Dorothy’s discovery of her reflection in the mirror — which she treats as a separate person from herself, frequently talking to it.
Symbolically, Steve and Dorothy also “mirror” each other and become, of necessity, a single functioning unit, complementing each other’s abilities and disabilities as they care for each other.
Dalzell says, “Two people, once vital and active … struggle to deal with daily life. Separately, they can’t survive without round-the-clock care. Together, they function as one person. Steve provides the cognitive thought for Dorothy, while she provides mobility for him.”
Melancholy and resignation — for both victims and caregivers — permeate the story, punctuated by random acts of humor, camaraderie, and the recognition that we all must make the best out of our circumstances and never, ever give up.
