My Aunt Eleanor has just completed her memoir called Childhood Memories.  I plan on publishing a few excerpts from her memoir in this blog later. 

The polio virus attacked her legs when she was 4 months old, leaving her on crutches until she was around 65.  During that time, she managed to hold a job, drive, take care of her home, cook, teach piano,  and take care of my my uncle when he had Alzheimer’s.  There’s  a flock of people who love her.

She got around on crutches most of her life until she’d injured her arms, wrists, and legs too often.   A three wheel scooter has replaced the crutches.  It took her a long time to accept having to use a scooter while she was still on crutches.  She thought it would take away her independence. A care giver now puts her in and takes her  out of bed each day, something she was able to do for herself until a couple year ago.  She grieved for a long time.  It was as if she’d lost a loved one.

It’s an interesting story and not badly written.  My only criticism is that she left out a lot of material because she didn’t want to hurt anyone.  I’m hoping to convince her to write those parts and give them to me so I can publish them later.  I tried to convince her that honesty is the most valued possession of a writer.  She disagrees.  That isn’t to say she hasn’t been honest, but she hasn’t told the whole story.