Susan Cushman cared for her mother during her dementia journey and considered it a blessing. One of the upsides to Alzheimer’s, she says, is that she got a new mother. After a lifetime of abuse, her mother “forgot” to be cruel to her, and their relationship improved. About her book, Tangles and Plaques: A Mother and Daughter Face Alzheimer’s,” she says, “The tangles and plaques that destroyed Mother’s brain weren’t only in her brain, but also in our relationship.” She is also the author of John and Mary Margaret, a novel that explores interracial relationships and the complexities of reconnecting with a lost love when your spouses wind up in the same memory care center. Much of her writing is infused with elements of her own life, including the very mystical spirituality of her Orthodox Christian faith and the personal demons she has been chasing since childhood. Her essays, short stories, memoir, and novels all reflect what she has learned through many dark nights of the soul, but also contain elements of hope and healing, and honor her Southern roots. In this episode, we discuss how she discovered an unexpected upside to Alzheimer’s, the downside of being a long-distance caregiver, and the healing power of forgiveness. More about Susan Susan was co-director of the 2013 and 2010 Oxford (Mississippi) Creative Nonfiction Conferences. She was director of the 2011 Memphis Creative Nonfiction Workshop. She was a panelist at the 2017 Decatur Book Festival, the 2012, 2017, and 2018 Southern Festival of Books, the 2017 and 2018 Mississippi Book Festival, the 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2019 Louisiana Book Festival, the 2018 Mississippi Writers Guild Conference, the 2018 Alabama Writers Conclave Conference, the 2018 Pat Conroy Literary Center Visiting Author Series, the 2019 Southern Literary Festival, and the 2020 AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Professionals) annual conference. Purchase Tangles and Plaques and John and Mary Margaret now! Read Susan’s AlzAuthors posts Susan Cushman Reveals Alzheimer’s Caregiving Struggles with Mom: Tangles and Plaques Three AlzAuthors Featured in Chicken Soup for Soul Book Susan Cushman Explores Interracial Relationships and Dementia in New Novel Connect with Susan Website: http://susancushman.com/ Blog: http://susancushman.com/author/susan/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sjcushman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjcushman/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/SusanCushman YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmK08WUEuxQ About the Podcast AlzAuthors is the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer’s and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Our podcast introduces you to our authors who share their stories and insights to provide knowledge, comfort, and support. Please subscribe so you don’t miss a word. If our authors’ stories move you, please leave a review. And don’t forget to share our podcast with family and friends on their own dementia journeys. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please donate here. Ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the speakers and not AlzAuthors. Always consult your healthcare provider and legal and financial consultants for advice on any of the topics covered here. Thanks for listening. We are a Whole Care Network Featured Podcast Proud to be on The Health Podcast Network Find us on The World Podcast Network and babyboomer.org Want to be on the podcast? Here’s what you need to know Shop our Store Join our book club

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