Where the Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again

Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Apr 2016 · Sold by Crown

About this ebook

“The relationship between a mother and daughter is one of the most complicated and meaningful there is. Kimberly Williams-Paisley writes about her own with grace, truth, and beauty as she shares her journey back to her mother in the wake of a devastating illness.” —Brooke Shields

Many know Kimberly Williams-Paisley as the bride in the popular Steve Martin remakes of the Father of the Bride movies, the calculating Peggy Kenter on Nashville, or the wife of country music artist, Brad Paisley. But behind the scenes, Kim was dealing with a tragic secret: her mother, Linda, was suffering from a rare form of dementia that slowly crippled her ability to talk, write and eventually recognize people in her own family.
 
Where the Light Gets In tells the full story of Linda’s illness—called primary progressive aphasia—from her early-onset diagnosis at the age of 62 through the present day. Kim draws a candid picture of the ways her family reacted for better and worse, and how she, her father and two siblings educated themselves, tried to let go of shame and secrecy, made mistakes, and found unexpected humor and grace in the midst of suffering.

Ultimately the bonds of family were strengthened, and Kim learned ways to love and accept the woman her mother became. With a moving foreword by actor and advocate Michael J. Fox, Where the Light Gets In is a heartwarming tribute to the often fragile yet unbreakable relationships we have with our mothers.

Ratings and reviews

A heartfelt tribute to the mother-daughter relationship: dealing with a PPA-dementia diagnosis, change in family dynamics, and love and support throughout the journey. Many of us have a family member going through something, no matter what chronic, incurable disease a family member may have, this book can lift one up and help to find you're not alone. It's a road not easily traveled, many battles along the way, but the insights shared help to better understand everything going on from a fresh point of view. Bravo for sharing her family's story and showing us "where the light gets in." I'll never look at a gold paperclip the same way again.

Kimberly's story of her mom's struggle with PPA and the impact it had on her family was so well done and told with such love and honesty. I watched my mom suffer with alzheimers disease for 8 years. Before the memory thief, she was articulate and smart and funny. To watch her fade away right before my eyes was devastating. I wish I'd had the courage and wisdom to be present in her reality, a lot of days that was a real obstacle. Thank you for giving hope to families looking for where the light gets in.

A honest read about a horrible disease. Such a beautifully strong, loving family.

About the author

Kimberly Williams-Paisley is an actress, writer and advocate for dementia research and caregivers. She and her husband live in Tennessee with their two sons and two dogs. This is her first book.