[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 19, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2322-S2323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        A BOOK THAT BRINGS NEW UNDERSTANDING TO A TRAGIC ILLNESS

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to talk 
about a book I recently read, and to recommend it to anyone who seeks 
to learn more about Alhzeimer's Disease. The book is called ``He Used 
To Be Somebody'' and it is a poignant, soul-searching account of one 
couple's struggle with the disease as told through the eyes of the wife 
and caregiver. The author is an extraordinary woman, Beverly Bigtree 
Murphy.
  What made this story particularly moving for me is that I knew the 
man about whom the book is written. Tom Murphy was a good friend of 
mine. Even if you did not know Tom personally, however, you come to 
know him over the course of the book. And it is by watching the loss of 
his great spirit and personality little by little to this disease that 
the reader comes closer to understanding the reality of Alzheimer's.
  The book is made up of episodes that illustrate the process by which 
Alzheimer's disease takes away a loved one. Through her personal 
anecdotes and history, Beverly Bigtree Murphy conveys a larger picture 
of what life with an Alzheimer's sufferer is like in a way that no 
clinical account can. She manages to incorporate in the book her whole 
ordeal, describing problems caused by lack of understanding from family 
and loved ones, discouragement from doctors, legal battles and the 
financial strain.
  What other people would describe as a nightmare scenario--what is in 
fact a nightmare, the author accepts as real and shows how she has 
worked through it. In order to fight the fear, anger and sadness, she 
uses her strong resolve and her love for her husband.
  There is a lot to be learned in this book about the effects of grief 
and the emotional toll of the disease. In addition to being a love 
story and a very personal account, ``He Used To Be Somebody'' also 
addresses the larger social issue of Alzheimer's disease. It seeks to 
disabuse the public of the misconceptions and distortions in the media 
and in society that stem from a fundamental lack of understanding. In 
this way, Beverly Bigtree Murphy acts as an advocate for Alzheimer 
patients and their families.
  She asserts the power of positive thinking, and describes her 
realization that even in the face of a hopeless, unchangeable 
situation, people still have choices. They can choose how to respond. 
In ``He Used To Be Somebody,'' we see Beverly Murphy choose love over 
anger. Through her description of isolation, loneliness and feelings of 
being trapped, she achieves what she describes as: ``a mission to 
increase awareness of caregiver needs, and to work as an activist to 
improve the care of and attitudes towards the frail elderly in this 
country.''

[[Page S2323]]

  Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to read this book. Whether or not 
you have a friend or loved one who suffers from Alzheimer's, this book 
is an excellent tool for understanding the nature of the disease. It is 
an informative guide and it is an inspirational story.

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