That Went Well: Adventures in Caring for My Sister

By Terrell Harris Dougan
Hyperion Books, 2009
Nonfiction, Memoir

Irene is Terrell Harris Dougan's younger sister, a mentally

disabled woman, and, in this sweet and funny memoir, Dougan
tells her story of unconditional sibling love that has lasted more
than six decades as well as a more universal tale of accepting life
with grace and humor. Irene has the I.Q. of a small child, throws
fits when she's angry, still believes in Santa Claus, and needs
supervision almost round the clock. When she was a child, her
family refused to have her institutionalized, which was the norm in
1950s America, instead teaching her home and then later
becoming pioneers in the field of independent living for the
disabled. Dougan relays the trials and tribulations of her life with
Irene, including her struggles to find a suitable caretaker and
home for her, her desire to protect Irene from all that is bad in the
world, and her frustration as she struggles to maintain her and
Irene's dignity throughout years of group homes and frustrating
government bureaucracy. Irene may have limited mental ability,
but she definitely has a mind of her own - insisting on wearing her
Mickey Mouse knee socks (even to a funeral), getting the Happy
Meal just for the toy and trying desperately to have some sort of
independence. As the two grow older together, Dougan realizes
that her efforts to control Irene lead to anger and
misunderstanding on both of their parts, and she finally learns to
accept Irene as she is, knee socks and all.

Why You Should Read This Book: While not everyone has been
through what Dougan has, all readers can relate to her battles
with control, and her peace at finally finding acceptance. Well-
written with a wry tone,That Went Well is humorous, wise and
moving.