Darlington, MD Author Publishes New Book

A Labor of Love, a new book by Virginia (Ginger) Petty, has been released by RoseDog Books.

This is a story about Virginia Petty's mom, Bell, who had Alzheimer's for over ten years. Petty cared for her mother in her home for nine years and five months. Included in the story are some of the trials, heartaches and joys (yes, joys) of caring for her. Petty, her husband and her daughter worked through each and every problem that arose, and the family helped in many ways. When she and her husband first took her mother into their home, she acted normal, but her mind was slowly diminishing. At first, she forgot she had children or a husband and even what day it was. Her mother was able to walk around unassisted for the first few years, but she had to be monitored, or she would wander off. During the last seven years, she was in a Geri-chair and hospital bed. Sometimes the days seemed like they would never end, and the family was so tired.

This is the sad but true story of Virginia Petty's journey through her mother's life with Alzheimer's.

About the Author

Virginia (Ginger) Petty is from a family of twelve-8 boys and 4 girls. She was the second oldest and the oldest girl. Petty's family lived on a farm, so there were lots of chores; one of hers was looking after her siblings while their mother was out working on the farm.

Petty graduated from high school in 1951, then married her husband, John, later that same year. He died in 2008. The couple had one child, a daughter named Terry, and only one grandchild, Mary Beth, who died under mysterious circumstances in 2007.

She and her husband belonged to a little country Baptist church, where he was a deacon and she helped him with his many duties.

She and her husband kept her mother, Bell, for the last nine years and five months of her life. This by far was the hardest job Petty has ever had, but it was the most rewarding.

A Labor of Love is a 56-page paperback with a retail price of $14.00. The ISBN is 978-1-4349-8847-8. It was published by RoseDog Books of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information or to request a review copy, please visit our virtual pressroom at www.rosedog.com/pressroom or our online bookstore at www.rosedogbookstore.com.