2021, 330 pages
Francine is a polio survivor. She contracted polio at 3 years old in 1951 and now has a permanently paralyzed foot and mostly paralyzed leg. She has not let this hold her back, especially from travel. As a matter of fact, this fits right in with my Paris in July reading since she relates how best to navigate Paris and the airports. Her honest and useful insight will, most likely, inspire you. Her first book was a memoir, Not a Poster Child: Living Well With a Disability, and I’m now interested in reading that as well.
Let’s start with saying that this is a book for the disabled and those aging and losing some of their physical independence, either temporarily or permanently. It’s also a book for anyone who assists or loves them. It’s broken into three sections. The first is on navigating travel in the United States and abroad. She has done so much of the homework, that you’ll be itching to travel (who wouldn’t after the year and a half we’ve had!). This would help those wary of travel as they lose some comfort and mobility.
The second section is where you’ll find advice for both the caregiver and for the aging. It will help you see that you’re not alone. She gives many well meaning tips on living well and points out that while none of it’s groundbreaking, it is nice to have in one place. She even gives exercises to help strengthen your core and hopefully ease pain. She talks about navigating doctor’s visits for mundane checkups to cancer appointments. There is a lot of great information here.
She wraps up with finding ways to connect in your community. Sometimes you have to initiate the support you want! This is so important not only for the disabled and aging, but having a safety net of support does tend to help them most. I think this book was informative, inspiring, and just the reminder we all need as we age.
I want to thank Rebekah at PR by the Book for sending this to me when I said it looked interesting. It was so much more than I thought it would be and I recommend it for those who are no spring chickens (and the people who love them) 🙂
Francine’s website.
You can connect with her on Facebook too.
Stacy's Books 
This sounds so interesting Stacy for someone beginning to notice that they can’t do everything they once were able to do. My knees, will be issue – same as my mother – it seems. I think the title seems honest and fun as well. Happy you shared this with us.
She’s a good writer and I’m looking forward to passing this on to my mother. I think her memoir is mostly likely excellent 🙂
I’ll have to read this. My mom has become severely disabled over the last few months. It’s been a tough situation for all of us. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!
I’m so sorry to hear that Heather. I’ll send you my copy 🙂
This sounds like a book that many would appreciate reading. Polio was a terrible threat when I was a child. Fortunately a good vaccine was developed and everyone was vaccinated.
Stacy, I really appreciate your featuring my book. I do hope it will be helpful to a lot of people… and that they’ll have a good time reading it as well. If it opens even a tiny bit of a door for anyone, it will be well worth the effort in writing it! Best wishes, Francine Falk-Allen
Thanks for stopping by! I’m positive it will help a lot of people. And now I want to read your memoir 🙂
Would love for you to read my memoir! Thanks so much.