5 April 2017

We Are Not Ourselves Book Club: Week 5



Meagan

This section was fucking depressing. Not Only does Ed get diagnosed with Alzheimer's but Eileen like, never talks to him about it. Alzheimer's is the saddest disease that exists, I'm sorry if you disagree or that seems to lack empathy for other illnesses but I've always thought this since watching a movie a long time ago called Away With Her. Also The Notebook. And Still Alice. Eileen says, "he would have to become something like a child to her" and kind of sums up the worst parts of it.

In true Eileen fashion, she starts off this section telling her son he'll never go anywhere with baseball (his favourite thing) and to give it up while he can still do something better. She should write a parenting book really. AND THEN we move right into the saddest section ever where the doctor gives Ed his diagnosis and he just knows it to be true. Him saying "I know" and "he's not wrong" in those simple, assertive sentences are heartbreaking. I hate that he suspected this the whole time but was too prideful or embarrassed or scared to tell his awful wife. Instead he just kept it all in and frantically tried to keep it all together. I also HATE Eileen telling her friends that early onset is the 'real' Alzheimer's and thinking he husband could only be taken by the most "aristocratic" of brain diseases. Of course she'd think this and say this, she is the worst human ever.

As if I don't hate Eileen enough, she has all these awful other awful passages this section about the mink coat and the hairdresser who she doesn't even like but needs to go to. I'm so glad she misses something from Jackson Heights. It's sad also when Ed makes the comment about their 'rainy day savings' because he clearly has no idea the mess their finances are in. I'm really glad she decides not to divorce him though as the tax guy recommended, yet at least. Just when I think she's still got some humanity left and wants to stay married, she can't even give her family a group hug. 

Ok. I'm done ragging on Eileen for now. Shall we take guesses who would play Eileen in the movie adaptation? I'm picturing her as like a Ginnifer Goodwin but not even that good looking. 


Meghan

This week’s reading section confirms that Ed has Alzheimer's: “It was so obvious now that he had Alzheimer’s. The news felt almost old already, somehow.” 

So normally, I am so involved in the book or movie I am reading that I never see things coming. I never suspect that like the hero and the villain are actually brothers (lol shout out to The Accountant). But now I can FINALLY tell you guys that the stupid effing spoiler I read on The Guardian’s review was that Thomas’ book was an “extraordinary portrait of Alzheimer’s disease.” THIS WAS IN THE HEADLINE. It’s not like I was reading further down the article and they finally mentioned it (that I would understand), it is written into the headline. Anyways, I was super pissed, but at least now we are all on the same page.

Did anyone else suspect this is what was afflicting Ed?

This was the first week in book club that I actually laughed at something Eileen said. I was dying when she said how this is the first time she ever hoped Ed would catch her in one of her “gentle schemes.” This honestly reminds me of something Meg would say when you haven’t answered one of her texts within three minutes of it being sent to you and then she wreaks havoc on your Facebook page. 


This is a shorter post, but the Alzheimer’s-induced waterworks are already starting. I honestly almost died when Connell asks if there will be a time when his dad won’t remember who he is. And Ed just responds so intensely like “I will never forget you.” This is like an exchange Meg and I would have casually at the end of one of our phone calls.

3 comments:

  1. So I had a feeling this was happening almost from the start. I've had a few people in my life suffer from Alzheimer's, and initially when his behaviours started to change my internal siren was going off. I had a pretty strong feeling it would be the case, so I didn't mention it... I'm glad it's finally being said half way though and we don't have to spend the whole second half 'wondering what's going on'.
    For some reason I've been crying a lot more lately watching tv and movies... it started with an accidental viewing of 'Marley and Me', and then continued when I was blindsided with what I thought was going to be a fun kids movie - 'Pete's Dragon'. Spoiler, it is a sad, sad, sad movie.
    The tear's kept flowing reading this section, and I just have a feeling the stream will keep going until it's over. Meg, please pick us a nice fun book next round.
    My picks for Eileen's movie actress would be either Felicity Huffman, Edie Falco or Rosamund Pike.

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    1. FELICITY HUFFMAN IS SPOT ON in the later years anyways. I love the BTD that cries through Pete's Dragon.

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    2. I honestly just picture her like an old hag ... even though they suggest that she is like pretty attractive for most of the book. WHY WOULD YOU WATCH MARLEY AND ME BECCA WHY DO THAT TO YORUSELF?? Yeah this book is making me so so depressed.

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