Somebody I Used to Know

A Memoir

By: Wendy Mitchell

Narrated by: Wendy Mitchell

“A brave and illuminating journey inside the mind, heart, and life of a person with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.”—Lisa Genova, author of Still Alice

Wendy Mitchell had a busy job with the British National Health Service, raised her two daughters alone, and spent her weekends running and climbing mountains. Then, slowly, a mist settled deep inside the mind she once knew so well, blurring the world around her. She didn’t know it then, but dementia was starting to take hold. In 2014, at age fifty-eight, she was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s.

In this groundbreaking book, Mitchell shares the heartrending story of her cognitive decline and how she has fought to stave it off. What lay ahead of her after the diagnosis was scary and unknowable, but Mitchell was determined and resourceful, and she vowed to outwit the disease for as long as she could.

As Mitchell learned to embrace her new life, she began to see her condition as a gift, a chance to experience the world with fresh eyes and to find her own way to make a difference. Even now, her sunny outlook persists: She devotes her time to educating doctors, caregivers, and other people living with dementia, helping to reduce the stigma surrounding this insidious disease.

Still living independently, Mitchell now uses Post-it notes and technology to remind her of her routines and has created a “memory room” where she displays photos—with labels—of her daughters, friends, and special places. It is a room where she feels calm and happy, especially on days when the mist descends.

A chronicle of one woman’s struggle to make sense of her shifting world and her mortality, Somebody I Used to Know offers a powerful rumination on memory, perception, and the simple pleasure of living in the moment. Philosophical, poetic, intensely personal, and ultimately hopeful, this moving memoiris both a tribute to the woman Wendy Mitchell used to be and a brave affirmation of the woman she has become.

Praise for Somebody I Used to Know
“Remarkable . . . Mitchell gives such clear-eyed insight that anyone who knows a person living with dementia should read this book.”—The Times (London)

“A landmark book . . . The best reward for [Mitchell’s] courage and candour would surely be fundamental changes in the way people with dementia are treated by society.”—Financial Times

Inspirational

Loved this book! Educational for the loved ones of the people affected with Dementia. Caring for love ones with respect isn’t always common.

Raised my awareness

So well written and I loved that the author read it . Her writing made me feel like I was there in the room with her
What a beautiful story .
I enjoyed it very much

Poignant & Powerful

I loved Wendy Mitchell’s memoir, Somebody I Used to Know. It was my first real experience with dementia and I found it beautiful, poignant, powerful and inspiring. I live with progressive Multiple Sclerosis and found lots of similarities between Wendy’s experience and my own - not necessarily physical ones, but emotional ones about living with an incurable disease.
I loved that it was Wendy narrating herself and find myself wishing everyone would read this in order to help make the world a better place for everyone.

True story

I really enjoyed the author honesty to open up and tackle her diagnosis of Alzheimer's to not only help herself but others dealing with thiers!
Her obstacles and challenges are what happened to her. Not everyone illness is the same. I really enjoyed this book!

Hits home

The book was beautifully written and narrated. It brought out so many emotions in me. My dad is living with dementia and it’s utterly heartbreaking. This book gave me a deep perspective into what dementia feels like.