Mosaic Moon: Caregiving Through Poetry

Rating:
Summary: The title of my review is: "Naked Hearts & Feelings"
Review: Kudos to Frances H. Kakugawa. She has done the near impossible. She has drawn caregivers into an environment so filled with trust that they found the courage to be truthful about caregiving. Caregivers, as the contributing authors of MOSAIC MOON Caregiving Through Poetry, bear witness to some poignant facts including...

1. Caregivers are often (usually?) people without medical training.
2. Caregivers are usually filled with love for their patient & grief for their own losses.
3. Caregivers' personal services and sacrifices are not to be taken lightly.

Frances H. Kakugawa, in birthing this remarkable book, has provided insightful evidence that caregivers are usually individuals who set aside their own lives, draw deeply on their own human love and miraculous God love, to put someone else's needs before their own for an indefinite period of time.

I challenge anyone who does not think caregiving is a daunting task to read this book. Then consider who their own caregiver will be when the time arrives that they cannot care for themselves, and let their imagination wander....

Rating:
Summary: From Darkness to Light; the caregivers' experience
Review: Mosaic Moon - Review

Poetry may be formidable for some; for others, it may seem excessively sentimental or emotional. Mosaic Moon is neither one. It is not for the meek and insensitive. It is, without question, for those who seek the naked truth of being a caregiver. These are expressions of poet-caregivers sharing their heartrending stories as they care for loved ones who have been robbed of a meaningful life by the unrelenting disease we all fear - Alzheimer.

What greets the potential reader of this extraordinary book is the stunning cover that engages the curious and the creative mind. Upon closer examination of the face that graces the cover, one cannot help but sense the succinct and profound lessons contained within its pages.

That this book has become a reality is an incredible feat, given the uncommon gathering of ethnic, cultural, educational, religious, and age differences. This was made possible only through the skillful guidance and dedication of their teacher and mentor, Frances H. Kakugawa, herself an Alzheimer's caregiver for her mother. She guided this group, whose common bond was their role as caregivers with little or no writing experience to become accomplished poets.

What is offered us is a treasury of shared stories of each poet's unadulterated private thoughts, passions, anguish, and feelings of remorse. The result of this process was the unfolding of transformed caregivers finding peace and joy through their teacher's compassionate wisdom. She guided them through the ugly recesses of their anguish and resentment, leading them from darkness to light as their poetry turned the rubble of the caregiving experience into the gem of their caring compassion. Through this painful process evolves the transformed spiritual being, courageous and beautiful, much like the lotus blossom that emerges from the mud.

Mosaic Moon is an excellent resource book that encourages everyone to affirm and accept whatever conditions they may encounter. In the author's words, "It is meant as a resource guide - a hands-on tool designed to help caregivers and others explore and share that experience through creative expression.... Although written by caregivers for caregivers, this book is for anyone who knows what it is to be human, and who wishes to transform that humanity into poetic form." page x. Without hesitation, I recommend this book for its poetry, for its compassion, and for its truth of what it means to be a caregiver with all our limitations.

Rating:
Summary: From Darkness to Light; the caregivers' experience
Review: Mosaic Moon - Review

Poetry may be formidable for some; for others, it may seem excessively sentimental or emotional. Mosaic Moon is neither one. It is not for the meek and insensitive. It is, without question, for those who seek the naked truth of being a caregiver. These are expressions of poet-caregivers sharing their heartrending stories as they care for loved ones who have been robbed of a meaningful life by the unrelenting disease we all fear - Alzheimer.

What greets the potential reader of this extraordinary book is the stunning cover that engages the curious and the creative mind. Upon closer examination of the face that graces the cover, one cannot help but sense the succinct and profound lessons contained within its pages.

That this book has become a reality is an incredible feat, given the uncommon gathering of ethnic, cultural, educational, religious, and age differences. This was made possible only through the skillful guidance and dedication of their teacher and mentor, Frances H. Kakugawa, herself an Alzheimer's caregiver for her mother. She guided this group, whose common bond was their role as caregivers with little or no writing experience to become accomplished poets.

What is offered us is a treasury of shared stories of each poet's unadulterated private thoughts, passions, anguish, and feelings of remorse. The result of this process was the unfolding of transformed caregivers finding peace and joy through their teacher's compassionate wisdom. She guided them through the ugly recesses of their anguish and resentment, leading them from darkness to light as their poetry turned the rubble of the caregiving experience into the gem of their caring compassion. Through this painful process evolves the transformed spiritual being, courageous and beautiful, much like the lotus blossom that emerges from the mud.

Mosaic Moon is an excellent resource book that encourages everyone to affirm and accept whatever conditions they may encounter. In the author's words, "It is meant as a resource guide - a hands-on tool designed to help caregivers and others explore and share that experience through creative expression.... Although written by caregivers for caregivers, this book is for anyone who knows what it is to be human, and who wishes to transform that humanity into poetic form." page x. Without hesitation, I recommend this book for its poetry, for its compassion, and for its truth of what it means to be a caregiver with all our limitations.

Rating:
Summary: Finding the divine in an unlikely arena
Review: This remarkable book should have been subtitled "Searching for the Spiritual in Alzheimer Caregiving through Poetry". This is what these five intrepid women set out to do. It's hard to think of a more unlikely combination -- but you know what? They found it! Maybe the subtitle should have been "Finding the Spark of the Divine in Alzheimer Caregiving through Poetry." In 15 years of practicing as an internist and caring for numerous patients with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers, I have never seen anything like it!
Carinig for Alzheimer's victimes has to be one of the most
disheartening experiences one can imagine. Up to now, there has been very little to offer caregivers in surviving the process -- this discovery is sorely needed and welcome -- and to me, truly amazing. Hope and the possibility of transcending spiritually the rigors of the situation can be extremely powerful.

None of these women are Maya Angelou or Emily Dickinson -- in fact, that is the whole point -- this is something that anyone can discover with the will and a little work and thoughtfulness. The hope of this book is to share this journey with others who may be able to benefit from it. This book is recommended for caregivers (and not necesarrily just of Alzheimer victims) and anyone in the helping profession looking for something to offer caregivers. But it is also recommended for anyone that's human,for it speaks directly to the humanity in all of us.

Rating:
Summary: Finding the divine in an unlikely arena
Review: This remarkable book should have been subtitled "Searching for the Spiritual in Alzheimer Caregiving through Poetry". This is what these five intrepid women set out to do. It's hard to think of a more unlikely combination -- but you know what? They found it! Maybe the subtitle should have been "Finding the Spark of the Divine in Alzheimer Caregiving through Poetry." In 15 years of practicing as an internist and caring for numerous patients with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers, I have never seen anything like it!
Carinig for Alzheimer's victimes has to be one of the most
disheartening experiences one can imagine. Up to now, there has been very little to offer caregivers in surviving the process -- this discovery is sorely needed and welcome -- and to me, truly amazing. Hope and the possibility of transcending spiritually the rigors of the situation can be extremely powerful.

None of these women are Maya Angelou or Emily Dickinson -- in fact, that is the whole point -- this is something that anyone can discover with the will and a little work and thoughtfulness. The hope of this book is to share this journey with others who may be able to benefit from it. This book is recommended for caregivers (and not necesarrily just of Alzheimer victims) and anyone in the helping profession looking for something to offer caregivers. But it is also recommended for anyone that's human,for it speaks directly to the humanity in all of us.

Rating:
Summary: Finding the divine in an unlikely arena
Review: This remarkable book should have been subtitled "Searching for the Spiritual in Alzheimer Caregiving through Poetry". This is what these five intrepid women set out to do. It's hard to think of a more unlikely combination -- but you know what? They found it! Maybe the subtitle should have been "Finding the Spark of the Divine in Alzheimer Caregiving through Poetry." In 15 years of practicing as an internist and caring for numerous patients with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers, I have never seen anything like it!
Carinig for Alzheimer's victimes has to be one of the most
disheartening experiences one can imagine. Up to now, there has been very little to offer caregivers in surviving the process -- this discovery is sorely needed and welcome -- and to me, truly amazing. Hope and the possibility of transcending spiritually the rigors of the situation can be extremely powerful.

None of these women are Maya Angelou or Emily Dickinson -- in fact, that is the whole point -- this is something that anyone can discover with the will and a little work and thoughtfulness. The hope of this book is to share this journey with others who may be able to benefit from it. This book is recommended for caregivers (and not necesarrily just of Alzheimer victims) and anyone in the helping profession looking for something to offer caregivers. But it is also recommended for anyone that's human,for it speaks directly to the humanity in all of us.