Oh, wow.
*spoilers*
I read this book just after my grandmother died of Alzheimer's, not knowing that that would be a theme in the book. My grandfather took care of my grandmother until her dying day, much like in the story. My grandpa had been a tough-as-nails steel mill worker in his younger years up until retirement - not good with sentiment and feelings. He did mellow slightly when two baby girl grandchildren were placed in his arms, and when grandma started getting sick, he was tender in ways that we never knew he could be. He took her to the beauty salon when she could no longer drive, got tapes of the Sunday morning services when church became too difficult for her to attend, and put her to bed each night. Reading this book about sent me over the edge, it was a little too close to her death to be able to take in. It was good, though, and sometime in the future I'd like to read it again.
Avatar - Isaac, my blue-fronted Amazon parrot. Adopted 9/7/07. Age 30 (my pet is older than me!)