While They're Still Here

October 15, 2017
A cross-country move, a family history of avoiding difficult topics, two elderly parents with significant medical issues who are reluctant to let go of their past lifethese are among the many challenges facing Williams as she steps into the role of caretaker caregiver? for her parents, but she dons her imaginary uniform with courage, even as she is kept awake by her concerns. In this frank memoir, she takes the reader along for every medical emergency, tense conversation, and difficult decision, beginning with packing up her parents' home in Florida and managing their move to an apartment in Washington D.C., just across the street from her. Although her parents have a dark history that includes alcoholism and infidelity, Williams finds that this time together allows her to explore their memories in a new way, learning things about their past that she never knew, as all three work to understand their new roles. With compassion and honesty, Williams shares how she navigated the complex journey with her parents during the last chapter of their lives.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)