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Lynn Miclea
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Ruthie: A Family's Struggle with ALS Paperback – December 11, 2014

by Lynn Miclea (Author), memoir OTSWA MND (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 63 ratings
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A strong, independent, and passionate woman, and a peacekeeper by nature, Ruth was dedicated to making a difference in the world. She devoted her working career to helping others and worked as an occupational therapist for many years. She remained active and strong well into her seventies.

Then her family began to notice her speech slowing down. Ruth began tripping over words and struggled to get the words out. As her speech deteriorated, and other symptoms emerged such as difficulty swallowing and muscle weakness, she sought the help of doctors.

After a few misdiagnoses, Ruth was finally diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, or MND. ALS is a progressive and fatal motor-neuron disease that causes muscle atrophy. It is a brutal, horrific, and debilitating illness that is difficult to diagnose and has no known cure.

This disease slowly stole Ruth’s strength, independence, and ability to function, and it affected her family as well, as they tried their best to help her.

Filled with brutal honesty, this book brings the reader through the family’s heart-wrenching struggle with this disease. From the initial confusing symptoms to the heartbreaking conclusion, the author’s touching story offers insight into this cruel illness and gives advice on how to care for a loved one suffering from ALS.

Gripping and dramatic, yet ultimately inspirational, this book will both empower and encourage anyone dealing with a progressive, terminal illness.

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  1. Print length
    233 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    December 11, 2014
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.53 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1500955833
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1500955830
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

LYNN MICLEA grew up in New York and moved to California while in her twenties. A certified hypnotherapist, Reiki master practitioner, and musician, with a bachelor's degree in psychology, she spent many years working in the medical field and in various offices in an administrative capacity.

After her mother, Ruth, became ill with ALS, Lynn spent several years researching the disease and learning ways to help her mother. She believes all patients should be treated with respect, and that patients' wishes regarding their care should be honored. She hopes Ruthie: A Family's Struggle with ALS will offer encouragement and support to others struggling with the disease and honor her mother's memory.

Lynn currently lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and two dogs.

Please visit www.lynnmiclea.com for more information.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 11, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 233 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1500955833
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1500955830
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.53 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 63 ratings

About the author

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Lynn Miclea

Lynn Miclea

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LYNN MICLEA is a writer, author, editor, musician, Reiki master practitioner, and dog lover.

After retiring, Lynn further pursued her passion for writing, and she is now a successful author with many books published and more on the way. She has published thrillers, suspense, science fiction, paranormal, mystery, romance, short-story collections, memoirs, a grammar book, self-help guided imagery, and children’s stories (fun animal stories about kindness, believing in yourself, helping others, and being more than you ever thought possible).

She hopes that through her writing she can help empower others, stimulate people’s imagination, and open new worlds as she entertains with powerful and heartfelt stories. Originally from New York, Lynn currently lives in Southern California with her loving and supportive husband.

Please visit her website at www.lynnmiclea.com and her blog at www.lynnpuff.wordpress.com.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
63 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book compelling and well-written, with a story that is told with insight and compassion. The book is filled with love, and one customer describes it as a journey full of tenderness.

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StorytellerReadabilityHeartfelt romance
17 customers mention "Storyteller"17 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the storytelling in this book, describing it as a compelling and ultimately triumphant true story that is deeply personal and told with compassion and love.

"...about the ALS journey but the universal as well as the unique aspects of being the patient, being the caregiver and being a family member in the..." Read more

"Ruthie: A Family's Struggle with ALS is raw, real, touching and tough memoir...." Read more

"...to share their stories, reaching out to us all with this loving remembrance of her mother, as well as a desire for healing and well-being for all of..." Read more

"This is a tale of love and the progression of a debilitating disease, told from the perspective of the daughter of an ALS patient, as she meanders..." Read more

14 customers mention "Readability"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well written and easy to read, with one customer noting it's hard to put down.

"First I cannot say it enough: this book needs to be read in its entirety...." Read more

"...What makes the book so universally compelling is its focus on those around the afflicted person -- in other words, those who choose to provide..." Read more

"...But it is well written and a nice read...." Read more

"...Lynn’s transparent and beautifully written style draws the reader into the family’s world as they wrestle, each in their own way, with the horrific..." Read more

4 customers mention "Heartfelt romance"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the heartfelt romance of the book, noting it is filled with love, with one customer describing it as a journey full of tenderness.

"...The journey is full of tenderness, love, anger, and grief...." Read more

"...Despite the difficulties this family faced, this book is filled with love and support and would be helpful to anyone dealing with a debilitating..." Read more

"A Heartfelt and Loving Tribute..." Read more

"This Family is Easy to Recognize and Love..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Cindy Shapiro
    5.0 out of 5 stars No Need to Be Connected with ALS to Read This!!!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    First I cannot say it enough: this book needs to be read in its entirety. If you start feeling “Oh I get the point; I don’t need to read the whole thing. I know how it will end”, I would beg to differ with you. I thought I would already be familiar with the main themes of the book in so far as what the title suggests but darn, I learned so much not ONLY about the ALS journey but the universal as well as the unique aspects of being the patient, being the caregiver and being a family member in the various orbits around the nucleus— that is the person who is not well. There are too many outstanding points to enumerate here; The sharing of the support group gatherings and their soothing as well as logistical and informational effects will hopefully convince all who read this to consider finding the appropriate support group for the person with the health problem along the the beloveds. Secondly, the l issue of the patient and main caregiver’s resistance to helpful assistance in combination with their right to be the deciders, especially the patient herself—> these two interlacing dynamics are central to so many people’s experience as they twist and turn, dance, bounce off one another, taunt one another, and challenge everyone involved regardless of the name of the condition — be it aging, dementia or ALS. To read about it in Lynn’s family memoir is to partly come to grips with accepting that it is a never-ending spiral to which one must gently, lovingly, wisely,/ and most of all patiently grapple.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • My Dog Wally
    5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect account of dealing with a loved one's fatal illness
    Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2015
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This wonderful book would be relevant to anyone who's dealing with a loved one's affliction with any life-threatening disease -- ALS, cancer, Alzheimer's, etc. What makes the book so universally compelling is its focus on those around the afflicted person -- in other words, those who choose to provide emotional and physical support on a regular basis. That was Lynn Miclea's role in dealing with her mother's ALS, a role that was made far more difficult than it needed to be because her father was in a state of denial, oftentimes preventing his wife from receiving the care she needed to make her life more bearable. Lynn would insist her mother needed care; her father would dismiss the idea, often angrily, sometimes violently. That Lynn hung in there in the face of her father's threats and obfuscations is a testimony to her love for her mother.

    It must be terrifying and frustrating watching someone you care so much about slipping away to the point where they can no longer walk, speak, eat, or even go to the bathroom on her own. Lynn manages to bring us into this world in a tremendously vivid way, and I often found myself enraged at her father's thoughtless toss-off of "She's fine!" and brought to tears by her mother's frustration at losing control of her own body.

    As you can guess from my review, this isn't a happy book -- it's about deterioration, coping, and loss. But it's a brilliantly written one, one that you should read while hoping to whatever you believe in that you're never in Lynn's shoes. Kudos to Lynn for letting us briefly try on those shoes, however tight and occasionally uncomfortable they are.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • DDF
    4.0 out of 5 stars Easy read about a daughter coping with mom's ALS
    Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2015
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book is more about the daughter's relationship with her mom, who had ALS, and her dad, who appeared to be a controlling, abusive, bully. It is not very detailed about the ALS, so if you are looking for a handbook on managing the disease, this isn't it. But it is well written and a nice read. Her father was a controlling man, which I've had experience with, and in denial for a long time about his wife's illness. But it was good to read that he came around and took care of her needs for the most part. Interesting that he became a more relaxed and nicer guy after she passed away. When controlling people lose what they wish to control, they either need to find something new to control or let go of controlling. Glad he could let go. Nice job Lynn.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Elaine C Pereira
    5.0 out of 5 stars Raw and Real. Touching and Tough. It's a Great Read!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Ruthie: A Family's Struggle with ALS is raw, real, touching and tough memoir. The author Lynn Miclea (Ruth’s daughter) peels the protective layers off to transparently detail her mother's emotional and brutal journey with ALS.

    Coincidently Ruth and I are Occupational Therapists. As such Ruth would have clearly understood the neurology underlying both the subtle and revealing symptoms of her fatal disease. It’s unstoppable progression to death would have felt like a runaway train teetering on the edge of derailing.

    Lynn’s transparent and beautifully written style draws the reader into the family’s world as they wrestle, each in their own way, with the horrific deterioration of their mother, wife, sister, etc. I was impressed by Lynn’s willingness to reopen wounds that were once so raw with regards to her father’s denial and mother’s decline. I too have lived the arduous journey of watching my mother wither into dementia’s abyss. I would love for Lynn to read I Will Never Forget sometime.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Kent Merritt
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Heartfelt and Loving Tribute
    Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2015
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    For anyone who has had to deal with family illness and the loss of a loved one, Ruthie is a truly touching story of a daughter who must face the reality of losing her mother to the horrible affliction known as ALS. Filled with compassion and care, Lynn does a fantastic job of bringing the reader into her world, and what she must face as her mother becomes debilitated from this relentless and hideous disease.

    Lynn's experience is one that many can relate to, and her observations of how she manages to help herself and her family members cope with this struggle is a very enlightening and well-told story. Hopefully, someday there will be a cure for this devastating illness. In the meantime, we have people like Lynn who are willing to share their stories, reaching out to us all with this loving remembrance of her mother, as well as a desire for healing and well-being for all of those who are also affected by this disease.
    8 people found this helpful
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