Driving Miss Norma: One Family's Journey Saying "Yes" to Living

This was the best book I purchased all year. Scratch that, this was the best 10 books I purchased all year. I bought one for myself and 9 extra to share with the hospice nurses I work with, instructing them to "pass it on" when done. Followed Miss Norma's journey on Facebook in "real time" last year and hoped beyond the odds that her journey would not end. Relived the journey through this very excellent book and LOVED it. It is engaging, honest, well written and interesting. The pictures keep things real and help tell the story. It was amazing to read how the people and towns embraced Miss Norma and her mission, and renewed (a little) my optimism and belief in the good in people. The writing style, alternating back and forth between Tim and Ramie, works well and their different perspectives and understanding of events is refreshing. Even though I promised myself I wouldn't, I flew through this book in 3 days and then was sad when it ended. It's a great book! Really gets you thinking about how we "do" death, old age, terminal illness, and life, in our culture, but don't get me wrong, this is not a sad depressing book. It's a book about life, adventures, family, living, and the nitty-gritty hard stuff. I wished this book could go on and on, more adventures, sequels. But I suppose the sequel is how we carry on and live our lives, now, having read the book and having "known" Miss Norma in whatever sense we each got to.

This book is a fantastic read about one family's response to a cancer diagnosis! The chapters written alternately by Norma's son, Tim and her daughter-in-law, Ramie chronicle their journey on many levels: places they visit, buried grief, drifting family connections, learning to laugh and experiencing joy. One of my favorite moments is when they visit a cannabis shop in Colorado to find better pain relief for Norma. The description of the setting and Jim's teenage encounter with Norma and a joint, are hilarious and poignant all in one. I love all the wonderful pictures in the book of Norma's exuberant face as she sees various sites, the family pictures and especially the ones with her grand-dog, Ringo beside her. Ramie mentions reading Atul Gawande's book, Being Mortal, just before learning of Norma's cancer. The book helps Ramie and Tim better understand that "going on a road trip" could extend Norma's life far longer than traditional cancer treatments. Their trip is an affirmation that "Norma is not done yet; she still has curiosity and wants to have fun." As I read Gawande's book and this one, I wish I had read them both before my parents were facing death. I wonder how I could have changed my interaction with them and perhaps helped them have some joy or another laugh before taking their last breath? I will never know, but I am thinking I will give our adult kids a copy of this book so they know I want to go on a road trip instead of the nursing home or a cancer center!! What if more children chose this kind of adventure with their dying parents?

I liked the book. My Mom died of breast cancer, but she needed pain meds and help to do activities of daily living the last 9 months of her life. I had a family out of state and could only spend 5 weeks off and on with my mom. Hospice was very helpful. My family was not in agreement about the conduct of our mother's medical care; this caused a long-lasting schism in my family. I am jealous that Norma and her family got to travel and share the time together. Her son and daughter-in-law did not have children in school; I know we all make different choices. They had a poodle, which is how I found the book; I have had poodles for many years. Having lost poodles to age and illness, I understand how a sick poodle is still part of the family. I wanted to know about the daily life of traveling. I wanted to know what they ate when Norma was not being the star (eating cake & beer.) I am glad Norma could eat and do so much care for herself. My mom could not, as breast cancer or other cancers can go to different organs and affect patients in many ways. Cannabis was not available or legal for my mother. And Norma found relief, which not all do. I wish the author and her husband the best in their travels. Prayers for all families fighting cancer. Jesus helped my mom.

I was raised in Small town in Montana .I was raised during a time when most everyone treated each other with respect. We didn't eat fast food because you only got that as a treat. We drank Lemonade made from water that came from our kitchen sink. We ate tuna sandwiches, or peanut butter and jelly, hamburgers & grilled cheese sandwiches, homemade meals consisting of mainly spaghetti ,meat, potatoes, vegetable, bread & butter, and homemade dessert. (If we were lucky enough to have dessert.). If we were really good when we went to town Dad and Mom would take us to the City Cafe. We grew up during a time when we mowed lawns, pulled weeds, babysat, gardened, helped neighbors with chores to be able to earn our own money. We went outside a lot to play games, ride bikes, roller-skate, played with siblings and friends & played basketball or dodge ball, Chinese jump rope. We drank tap water from the hose outside... bottled water was unheard of. We watched TV shows like dukes of hazzard, knight rider, A team. After school, we came home and did homework and chores. Practiced on our instruments. To bed by 8:30pm on school nights. On the weekends and could only watch the Wonderful World of Disney and Wild Kingdom on Sunday nights, after dinner had been eaten. We had to tell our parents where we were going, who we were going with, & what time we'd be back. You got new clothes once a year before school started and then sometimes for your birthday. When we were in grade school we didn't get designer clothing, we got whatever was on sale from the Sears catalog...It's just how it was. You LEARNED from our parents instead of disrespecting them and treating them as if they knew absolutely nothing. What they said was LAW!! And you had better know it!!! You had to be close enough to home to hear your Mom yelling to tell you when it’s time to come home for dinner. When the street lights came on you had better be home. We ate around the dinner table and talked to each other as a family . In school we said the Pledge of Allegiance, we stood for the National Anthem & listened to our teachers. We watched what we said around our elders because we knew if we DISRESPECTED any grown-up we would get our behinds whipped, it wasn't called abuse, it was called discipline! We held doors, carried groceries and gave up our seat for an older person without being asked. You didn't hear curse words on the radio in songs or TV, and if you cursed and got caught, you better be prepared to get a swat, soap, or to stand in the corner (sometimes all 3.) “Please, Thank you, Excuse me and You're Welcome were part of our daily vocabulary! They are words to success in life. We grew up believing in the word of GOD to respect the Nation, the flag, and the President, no matter who it was. Re-post if you're thankful for your childhood and will never forget where you came from & the time you came from! Wouldn't it be nice if it were possible to get back to this way of life? 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 If this is how you grew up..... Copy & paste.

I’m in my 70s and I was concerned that this book would be depressing. I see my contemporaries declining all around me. Miss Norma chose joy instead of spending her last days as a professional patient. I realize that the journey she took with Tim and Ramie would be impossible for most people but I think there’s a lesson in this story for all of us in terms of what you do with a life-threatening illness and attitude. It’s also a reminder that most people are good and want to help others. Read this book instead of watching the news. It will warm your heart.

This was a Fantastic book! They showed such love for his mom and made such a difference for her and in the end for themselves. It is a very difficult tine knowing your tine with a lived one is going to be short, hard not to be sad for ourself, but this turned it around to focus on the positive and brought extra joy into all thrir lives. There is also much wisdom in the book. It has also helped helped me change my attitude as i age to concentrate on the positive with strength instead of the ailments.. if she can, i can!

Bless Miss Norma for having the courage and chutzpah to decline traditional western medical treatment of her cancer! And for taking a wonderful leap of faith in making a cross-country trek, RV style. Although this was interesting, I had hoped for a more first-person experience, spoken by Miss Norma herself. Tim and Ramie did a commendable job of detailing the trip, and will hopefully be richly blessed for their altruistic kindness.

A powerful story of love and courage. A 90 year faced with a cancer diagnosis chooses traveling the country in her son and daughter in laws Motor Home instead of invasive, painful treatments. The people they meet and the outpouring of love from strangers all over the U.S. is heartwarming. I loved meeting people from all walks of life with interesting stories.