There are few topics more universally uncomfortable than death. While today’s headlines offer no shortage of untimely tragedy, there’s little attention paid to caregivers, something that more and more adults become when their aging parents approach the end. It’s a role that author Mark Steven Porro knows all too well. With A CUP OF TEA ON THE COMMODE, Porro offers readers a beautifully written, poignant, and often humorous memoir chronicling his journey of caring for his 90-year-old mother in the final years of her life.

The book opens with “The Call” Porro received back in 2011 from his brother Michael, informing him that their mother had shut down and hospice was on the way. In response, Mark dropped everything and returned to his childhood home in New Jersey. From there, Mark begins to navigate the challenges of caring for his aging mother. Along the way, he encounters long-dormant memories, unsettling family secrets, and eventually learns the true meaning of unconditional love. Through a series of heartwarming, funny, and occasionally heartbreaking anecdotes, Porro outlines his journey of growth and self-discovery as he struggles (and eventually learns) to balance his unexpected role as a caregiver with his own goals and relationships.

A CUP OF TEA ON THE COMMODE offers an honest, intimate portrayal of the realities of eldercare. Porro often struggles with guilt, exhaustion, and the undeniable emotional fallout that comes from putting his life (one he was thoroughly enjoying) on hold. In doing so, he captures the complicated mix of love, duty, and sacrifice that anyone who has cared for a loved one will recognize. To his credit, Porro doesn’t shy away from the messy, exhausting, and often undignified aspects of caring for an aging parent: “Seeing Mom naked the first time, though uncomfortable, was something I had to get over quickly. There was work to do.”

Despite the often grim subtext, A CUP OF TEA ON THE COMMODE is a surprisingly uplifting read. Key to this is Porro’s often self-effacing tone. Lines like “Hi, I’m single, fifty-five, and live with my mother,” and “Drawing on my experience growing up with three sisters—I learned a lot more than how to put the toilet seat down—I took special care dolling Mom up on the day of the wedding” highlight Porro’s ability to find the humor in even the most challenging situations. This coupled with his candid take on, well, everything often makes the journey through his mother’s final years feel like a shared experience. Ultimately, A CUP OF TEA ON THE COMMODE is a testament to the resilient strength of family bonds and the power of unconditional love. It’s also a must-read for anyone in the midst of their own caregiving journey, regardless of the stage.

Chronicling a son’s devotion to his mother in her final years, Mark Steven Porro’s A CUP OF TEA ON THE COMMODE is a heartwarming, humorous, and poignant memoir that offers a touching and relatable account of caregiving that will resonate with readers on a deep emotional level.

~James Weiskittel for IndieReader