Dying to Remember

Rose, the matriarch of the family, is still a feisty, flirty, lady, now in her late eighties. She has struggled with depression and anxiety throughout her life. Her daughter, Alison, has been her mother’s primary caretaker. This difficult time for the family watching their mother, Rose, slip into dementia. Rose and her sister Violet live at Crestview Assisted Living in separate apartments. In the close proximity of a retirement center the drama unfolds and personalities clash. The sisters love to reminisce, or even be a bit naughty, as they share a nightcap with friends. Alison and Kristy take care of their mother’s finances, and enjoy weekly visits together. We see the painful degeneration of dementia and how complex this becomes for both mother and daughter. The disease mixes past memories with the present and Rose lives in a nightmarish hell of confusion. She revisits the love story of her youth and the tragedy that followed. The secrets she had guarded are revealed and become life altering for everyone, especially Alison. As the family learns the truth about their mother, Rose and her story ends. Another story unfolds that has lasting impact for everyone, especially her daughter, Alison. She is left with questions in this generational story of loss and renewal.

Rose, the matriarch of the family, is still a feisty, flirty, lady, now in her late eighties. She has struggled with depression and anxiety throughout her life. Her daughter, Alison, has been her mother’s primary caretaker. This difficult time for the family watching their mother, Rose, slip into dementia. Rose and her sister Violet live at Crestview Assisted Living in separate apartments. In the close proximity of a retirement center the drama unfolds and personalities clash. The sisters love to reminisce, or even be a bit naughty, as they share a nightcap with friends. Alison and Kristy take care of their mother’s finances, and enjoy weekly visits together. We see the painful degeneration of dementia and how complex this becomes for both mother and daughter. The disease mixes past memories with the present and Rose lives in a nightmarish hell of confusion. She revisits the love story of her youth and the tragedy that followed. The secrets she had guarded are revealed and become life altering for everyone, especially Alison. As the family learns the truth about their mother, Rose and her story ends. Another story unfolds that has lasting impact for everyone, especially her daughter, Alison. She is left with questions in this generational story of loss and renewal.

Dianne Corder and her husband, Gary, live in greater Minneapolis. She has three children and five grandchildren. Dying to Remember is her first book of fiction, crafted from observing the drama of assisted living, the struggle of dementia, and the stories of her mother, aunt, and mother in law. She witnessed the slow transition of her aging relatives and watched as the inevitable happened. Her aunt passed away in 2007, her mother in 2011, and her mother-in-law in 2012. This story has been crafted from their stories, spun into a book of fiction, and dedicated to their memory.