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Dancing in Small Spaces: One Couple’s Journey with Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia
An unstintingly honest and surprisingly humorous memoir that charts a couple’s parallel diagnoses of Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia. In 2011, Leslie Davidson and her husband Lincoln Ford were enjoying retired life to the fullest as ardent outdoor enthusiasts, energetic travellers, and soon-to-be grandparents. But when Lincoln’s confusion became a concern and Leslie began to experience a hesitant leg and uncontrollable tremors in one arm, a devastating double diagnosis completely changed their life. In this personal and unstintingly honest memoir, Leslie recounts the years that follow the diagnoses—her Parkinson’s and Lincoln’s Lewy body dementia—charting physical changes, mastering medications (and sometimes flubbing it), the logistical puzzles of caregiving, and the steady support of their close-knit community in the small town of Grand Forks in south central British Columbia. She describes her struggle to maintain perspective while questioning what having perspective even means, and the work of being an advocate while needing an advocate. And she explains how, amid all the challenges and tears, shared laughter remained all-important to their survival, especially in times when Lincoln saw her as an imposter. She shares powerful lessons in love, courage, and grace from the man who had always led the way and who, despite the ravages of his illness, in many ways, still did. At once poignant and unflinchingly frank Dancing in Small Spaces is the story of a long and adventurous marriage, of deep gratitude, and, ultimately, of writing one’s way toward understanding and acceptance.
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
240 pages, Paperback
Published October 11, 2022
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102 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 3, 2022
Well, Doc, you knew when you opened this book that it was going to break your heart. You KNEW that, and you picked it off the shelf anyway, and you opened it.
I picked this book to read because I thought it would give me some insight into my mother's hard work caring for my father over the many years he suffered from Lewy Body Dementia, insight into what went through her mind with the first diagnosis, the ravages done to the body, the neurological devastation left in its wake, and the ultimate pain of watching the disease steal not only memory and motor skills, but your loved one's last breath. We lost Dad two years ago, and while I thought I understood the pain experienced by my mom, I know now that I was only seeing a projection of my own pain. Her experience was singular, obviously, and this book brought me far closer to living through her experience than I ever could have thought.
Leslie Davidson writes painfully and exquisitely, expressing the rawness of her loss in prose that is nothing short of breathtaking. This book travels her path along with her husband, Lincoln Ford, as they learn almost simultaneously that they are both struck by terrifying incurable diseases: he is sentenced to wandering his last years through the throes of dementia, while she faces a future with Parkinson's. Such are life's cruelties.
But while I was expecting a weepy travelogue down the backroads of grief and suffering, I was actually met with a love story full of courage and grace, both "characters" meeting their fates head-on - after all, what other choice is there? Surrounded by amazing friends and a loving family, they are able to call their own shots as best they can. Leslie's resilience throughout, providing primary care for her stricken husband, is not posted on a giant flag, waving in the breeze for all to see, but instead is the calm and constant heartbeat of the book. She writes with pain and humor in describing the many efforts she led to keep Lincoln feeling safe, loved, and as grounded as can be, accepting the disease and its unpleasant by-products with a resolve that might just force a smile and sob out of you at the same time.
So yes, this book did what I asked it to - it allowed me to find and maintain a connection into the minds of a strong and courageous woman and an equally strong and courageous man - not just Leslie and Lincoln, but more importantly (for me), my mother and father. This book was such a gift to be able to read and I highly recommend it.
I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to Edelweiss, the publisher, and the author for granting me a copy of the digital ARC. This in no way influenced my rating or review.
I picked this book to read because I thought it would give me some insight into my mother's hard work caring for my father over the many years he suffered from Lewy Body Dementia, insight into what went through her mind with the first diagnosis, the ravages done to the body, the neurological devastation left in its wake, and the ultimate pain of watching the disease steal not only memory and motor skills, but your loved one's last breath. We lost Dad two years ago, and while I thought I understood the pain experienced by my mom, I know now that I was only seeing a projection of my own pain. Her experience was singular, obviously, and this book brought me far closer to living through her experience than I ever could have thought.
Leslie Davidson writes painfully and exquisitely, expressing the rawness of her loss in prose that is nothing short of breathtaking. This book travels her path along with her husband, Lincoln Ford, as they learn almost simultaneously that they are both struck by terrifying incurable diseases: he is sentenced to wandering his last years through the throes of dementia, while she faces a future with Parkinson's. Such are life's cruelties.
But while I was expecting a weepy travelogue down the backroads of grief and suffering, I was actually met with a love story full of courage and grace, both "characters" meeting their fates head-on - after all, what other choice is there? Surrounded by amazing friends and a loving family, they are able to call their own shots as best they can. Leslie's resilience throughout, providing primary care for her stricken husband, is not posted on a giant flag, waving in the breeze for all to see, but instead is the calm and constant heartbeat of the book. She writes with pain and humor in describing the many efforts she led to keep Lincoln feeling safe, loved, and as grounded as can be, accepting the disease and its unpleasant by-products with a resolve that might just force a smile and sob out of you at the same time.
So yes, this book did what I asked it to - it allowed me to find and maintain a connection into the minds of a strong and courageous woman and an equally strong and courageous man - not just Leslie and Lincoln, but more importantly (for me), my mother and father. This book was such a gift to be able to read and I highly recommend it.
I'd like to express my sincere appreciation to Edelweiss, the publisher, and the author for granting me a copy of the digital ARC. This in no way influenced my rating or review.
April 21, 2024
Grief teaches us a new gentleness....p19
I see no hope and I have no confidence. But I am too busy for active despair. The beast is present but I keep it caged. p53
Others have fought our battles and their successes have empowered us all. p58
Leslie and Lincoln Davidson were a power couple in their own rather unassuming style when they received the shocking news that the ailments they both have been glossing over are warning signs of relentless progressive disease. He got Lewy Body and she was confirmed to have Parkinsons. So much for their travel plans.
I am not over my anger, my fear, my raging against fate, but I am able to pretend to be. p61
What she finds it in her to do, as Lincoln becomes less able to express and care for himself and more dependent on her, is to find the joy available, like dancing together in their small room whenever the mood strikes them.
When everything else is stripped away, love is what remains. p123
Leslie writes with the frank passion of someone who deeply cares, and the many photographs sprinkled throughout the book are a testament to her commitment.
he is not afraid to die. "I'm curious " he says. "Excited."
"The next great adventure" he calls it.
"Doesn't it bother you not to know?" I ask him. "To not know what's next? "
"No," he says. "That's the whole point of adventure " p60
I see no hope and I have no confidence. But I am too busy for active despair. The beast is present but I keep it caged. p53
Others have fought our battles and their successes have empowered us all. p58
Leslie and Lincoln Davidson were a power couple in their own rather unassuming style when they received the shocking news that the ailments they both have been glossing over are warning signs of relentless progressive disease. He got Lewy Body and she was confirmed to have Parkinsons. So much for their travel plans.
I am not over my anger, my fear, my raging against fate, but I am able to pretend to be. p61
What she finds it in her to do, as Lincoln becomes less able to express and care for himself and more dependent on her, is to find the joy available, like dancing together in their small room whenever the mood strikes them.
When everything else is stripped away, love is what remains. p123
Leslie writes with the frank passion of someone who deeply cares, and the many photographs sprinkled throughout the book are a testament to her commitment.
he is not afraid to die. "I'm curious " he says. "Excited."
"The next great adventure" he calls it.
"Doesn't it bother you not to know?" I ask him. "To not know what's next? "
"No," he says. "That's the whole point of adventure " p60
October 13, 2022
Dancing in Small Spaces by Leslie A. Davidson. Released October 11, 2022
I imagine there are hundreds of us across BC and beyond who have been living with Leslie and Lincoln all night long until our eyes closed in spite of our efforts to continue— and through this morning until the day demanded attention .
All of us together living through the beauty and the humour and the courage and the terror. The grace and the dignity and the impossibleness of it all. We have lived on that plain that is now familiar to us because we have looked through Leslie’s eyes. And yet, like Lincoln, maybe there are places that we have never seen, feelings that are more overwhelming than we knew, crevasses and peaks that defy description and that are terrifying in magnitude. And Leslie paints it, sculpts it, choreographs it, screams and weeps and laughs it. And takes us with her, gently guiding us through.
This is a magnificent thing, this book. It provides so much open ground for us to allow expression and recognition of all our feelings. - words fail me here. This is a gift to everyone who has had the challenge of living life.
I am moved beyond belief by this writing. Thank you.
Ronnie Ross
I imagine there are hundreds of us across BC and beyond who have been living with Leslie and Lincoln all night long until our eyes closed in spite of our efforts to continue— and through this morning until the day demanded attention .
All of us together living through the beauty and the humour and the courage and the terror. The grace and the dignity and the impossibleness of it all. We have lived on that plain that is now familiar to us because we have looked through Leslie’s eyes. And yet, like Lincoln, maybe there are places that we have never seen, feelings that are more overwhelming than we knew, crevasses and peaks that defy description and that are terrifying in magnitude. And Leslie paints it, sculpts it, choreographs it, screams and weeps and laughs it. And takes us with her, gently guiding us through.
This is a magnificent thing, this book. It provides so much open ground for us to allow expression and recognition of all our feelings. - words fail me here. This is a gift to everyone who has had the challenge of living life.
I am moved beyond belief by this writing. Thank you.
Ronnie Ross
September 30, 2022
See my full review here.
What a beautiful tribute to love, and the sharing of a life together with all its hills and valleys. Soon after beginning their retirement years with plans for travel, adventures, and future grandchildren, the author and her husband receive separate but equally life-altering dianoses. She has Parkinson's, and he has early onset dementia. This memoir is Leslie’s raw and honest chronicle of how she and Lincoln faced the dual diagnosis, supported by a large and loving family, a strong circle of friends, and a compassionate, caring community. Leslie writes with honesty and passion, hiding nothing as she describes the challenges, the discarded dreams and the loneliness. There’s plenty of sweet joy and humour, and the book is peppered with black and white photos. You'll weep and laugh, and marvel at the grace and strength Leslie finds. This book is for anyone seeking guidance in how to navigate life’s most unexpected curveballs. What choice do you have, after all? But in fact, there are many choices to be made in the journey and this is the great big heart of this memoir. It’s also a tribute to Lincoln the adventurer, the loving father, the ebullient partner, and the mischievous prankster. Leslie’s writing is, of course, exquisite; she is a word artist who writes to understand herself and the world around her, and in so doing helps the rest of us grow a little more too. Thank you to Touchwood Editions/Brindle & Glass for the advance reading copy provided in exchange for my honest review. Grand Forks pals – buy a copy and bring it with you to the author reading at the Grand Forks & District Public Library on October 29!
What a beautiful tribute to love, and the sharing of a life together with all its hills and valleys. Soon after beginning their retirement years with plans for travel, adventures, and future grandchildren, the author and her husband receive separate but equally life-altering dianoses. She has Parkinson's, and he has early onset dementia. This memoir is Leslie’s raw and honest chronicle of how she and Lincoln faced the dual diagnosis, supported by a large and loving family, a strong circle of friends, and a compassionate, caring community. Leslie writes with honesty and passion, hiding nothing as she describes the challenges, the discarded dreams and the loneliness. There’s plenty of sweet joy and humour, and the book is peppered with black and white photos. You'll weep and laugh, and marvel at the grace and strength Leslie finds. This book is for anyone seeking guidance in how to navigate life’s most unexpected curveballs. What choice do you have, after all? But in fact, there are many choices to be made in the journey and this is the great big heart of this memoir. It’s also a tribute to Lincoln the adventurer, the loving father, the ebullient partner, and the mischievous prankster. Leslie’s writing is, of course, exquisite; she is a word artist who writes to understand herself and the world around her, and in so doing helps the rest of us grow a little more too. Thank you to Touchwood Editions/Brindle & Glass for the advance reading copy provided in exchange for my honest review. Grand Forks pals – buy a copy and bring it with you to the author reading at the Grand Forks & District Public Library on October 29!
March 4, 2023
Some of the writing was too flowery for me, but I still loved this book. It’s so honest and heartfelt, and you really see the love Lincoln and Leslie had for each other. Two terrible diseases, and it’s admirable how well she coped. I loved the little anecdotes, especially the ones that made me smile! Very sweet.
August 19, 2025
One of the most exquisitely beautiful memoirs I have ever read. I laughed, I cried, I saw myself in Leslie's story, even though mine is so different from hers. This book was written with so much compassion and grace.
July 20, 2024
What a couple! What a journey! Leslie, your writing is so touching and you are so remarkable.
February 2, 2023
My grandma has Parkinson’s disease, she is about 75 years old it was detected 7 years ago. Right now it’s getting more difficult to live for her, because of stiff muscles she can’t even move. L-dopa and carbidopa medicines are given, but won"t give much relief. She can"t eat food and the skin is damaging forming ganglia. I thought this might be the last stage and the medications she was given did not help at all, so I started to do alot of research on natural treatments, I was introduced to Health Natural CentreU.S and their Parkinson’s Herbal Protocol. She started on the Parkinson’s Treatment last year, her symptoms gradually diminished including her Tremors, Body Weakness and Muscle Pains. Reach them at healthnaturalcentre.org , She is getting active again since starting this treatment, she is able to walk again ( down the street and back ) and able to ride her treadmill again! God Bless all PD Caregivers. Stay Strong, take small moments throughout the day to thank yourself, to love your self, and pray to whatever faith, star, spiritual force you believe in and ask for strength. I can personally vouch for these remedy but you would probably need to decide what works best for you.
January 28, 2024
A moving story of Canadian couple looking forward to their retirement years- to have the time to explore more of the world in their old wheelie and add new outdoor adventures. Their daughters live close by with their children. Leslie, a teacher and Lincoln, a school librarian lived in their fixer-upper house for decades. Their jobs brought them support and friendship in a close-knit British Columbia town. Then Leslie is diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at the same time that Lincoln is diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. Their planned retirement is replaced by years of medical settings, life changes, and 2 diagnosis that slowly steal their mobility, memory and companionship. One touching story in the book is during a winter snow. Lincoln is confined to a wheelchair but Leslie takes him out of the group home every day to show him the garden or a sunrise or any small taste of the world he loved. Snow made it impossible - especially with her Parkinson's disease- to move the wheelchair outdoors. Leslie found someone to custom-make ski runners for the chair's wheels. Lincoln could still go outside. What the diseases did not take away from them was their love and the little joys of life.
December 31, 2023
Leslie and Lincoln have lived a full life. They travelled extensively before they were married and finally settled into a small town in southern British Columbia both working as teachers where they becoming involved in the small community. Now, just as they are retiring, Leslie starts having problems walking, her left leg begins dragging and Lincoln is showing signs of confusion. They go for a drive and when Leslie finally asks Lincoln where they are, he tells her, he has no idea.
Their worst nightmare begins, Leslie is diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and Lincoln is diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. Their friends and neighbors rally around them helping wherever they can. Leslie works hard to keep Lincoln home and safe with her until her own health suffers and she has to make the difficult decision to find placement for him.
It's an amazing story and well written. I think anyone who is faced with a progressive debilitating disease or has a spouse with the same situation should read this book. Leslie shows incredible strength in how she navigated her own journey with Parkinson's Disease while showing resilience and the love she had for her husband.
Their worst nightmare begins, Leslie is diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and Lincoln is diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. Their friends and neighbors rally around them helping wherever they can. Leslie works hard to keep Lincoln home and safe with her until her own health suffers and she has to make the difficult decision to find placement for him.
It's an amazing story and well written. I think anyone who is faced with a progressive debilitating disease or has a spouse with the same situation should read this book. Leslie shows incredible strength in how she navigated her own journey with Parkinson's Disease while showing resilience and the love she had for her husband.
October 10, 2025
My husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease about four years ago. At first, we followed the conventional route prescription meds, physical therapy, and regular doctor visits. Unfortunately, despite our efforts, his condition gradually got worse. His memory declined, coordination became a challenge, and daily life was growing increasingly difficult for both of us.About a year ago, feeling like we were out of options, we decided to explore a more natural route. That’s when we came across NaturePath Herbal Clinic. To be honest, we didn’t expect much. But we were surprised within just a few months of starting their herbal program, there were noticeable improvements. His alertness sharpened, his mobility improved, and he seemed to have more strength and energy.Today, he’s more active, confident, and independent than he's been in years. It’s been a transformative journey, and I truly believe this natural approach made a real difference for him. If you or someone you care about is dealing with Parkinson’s, I’d definitely suggest taking a look at what NaturePath offers. Their website is www.naturepathherbalclinic.com
info@naturepathherbalclinic.com
January 26, 2023
Lewy Body Dementia is the disease which is the subject matter for this beautifully written memoir. Lincoln Ford the husband of the author is an outdoorsman who loved to hike and cycle. He is a well loved educator and librarian. He is a husband, father and grandfather who lives in British Columbia, Canada. If you are familiar with Lewy Body you will know that one of the symptoms are hallucinations which the person inflicted will believe to be real. Lincoln’s sense of humour and consideration for others is evident when he waits for his less athletic, imaginary hikers to catch up with him. As the wife of a man who is also a teacher, an athlete, a father and a grandfather, I understood every action and emotion expressed in the book. It was commissioned by the Banff School of Fine Arts and the CBC. Five stars out of five and a thank you to Leslie Davidson for taking the time to tell of her family’s journey with Lewy Body
December 16, 2022
One of the most beautiful books I have ever read. A tribute to love, family, friends, and a life lived together.
I cried and smiled through all of it. The pages brim with fondness for everyone in the author's path, and are filled with the magic that is everyday life.
It is a story of great courage and resilience, but still an incredibly sad story; however, it is made up of so much joy, happiness, and gratitude, for all the things we humans experience, big and small, and all the places we move through.
I live in Revelstoke, where much of this story takes place, and the author brings our town and all the other locations mentioned vividly to life, painting gorgeous images of our beloved mountains, rivers, valleys, and forests.
I can only wish that I will one day find a love as profound as the one between the author and her husband.
I cried and smiled through all of it. The pages brim with fondness for everyone in the author's path, and are filled with the magic that is everyday life.
It is a story of great courage and resilience, but still an incredibly sad story; however, it is made up of so much joy, happiness, and gratitude, for all the things we humans experience, big and small, and all the places we move through.
I live in Revelstoke, where much of this story takes place, and the author brings our town and all the other locations mentioned vividly to life, painting gorgeous images of our beloved mountains, rivers, valleys, and forests.
I can only wish that I will one day find a love as profound as the one between the author and her husband.
July 8, 2023
It has taken me a couple of weeks to read this - I’ve been so busy, and I’ve been picking up and putting down other titles that were going to expire on me. However, I am so glad to have taken the time to finish it here this afternoon.
This is a little gem of a book. Indeed, there were many many times while I was reading that the tears were streaming down my face - fogging up my glasses and making it take even longer to read.
This is a beautiful love story - full of tenderness and warmth and compassion. What they go through - individually, and as a couple - is both heart-warming and heart-breaking.
There is so much here that is so relevant. I mean we’re all getting older… we’re all dealing with situations like - or similar to - this now, or we will be sooner than we like to think we will.
Highly recommended.
This is a little gem of a book. Indeed, there were many many times while I was reading that the tears were streaming down my face - fogging up my glasses and making it take even longer to read.
This is a beautiful love story - full of tenderness and warmth and compassion. What they go through - individually, and as a couple - is both heart-warming and heart-breaking.
There is so much here that is so relevant. I mean we’re all getting older… we’re all dealing with situations like - or similar to - this now, or we will be sooner than we like to think we will.
Highly recommended.
August 27, 2023
For me this was an amazing book. It is not that long but covers a lifetime of a couple, particularly their last few years. The simple honesty, sincerity and candor sprinkled with enough humor to make it real comes through in every page. Terrible things happen to good people and there is no sugar coating of a solution. I still came away inspired and with a deeper understanding of loss; the progressive loss of ones friend, partner and love of ones life while also facing ones own mortality. It is not an easy read, but I couldn't put it down reading the whole book in two days.
May 10, 2024
This memoir is one of the Evergreen nominees for this year (Ontario Library Association Forest of Reading Program). This memoir was so beautifully written, so moving, so compelling. So much grace in handling the double blow that was received by Davidson and her husband. And yet there is so much humour and love and stories of support from friends, family and community. I had to write the author and tell her how much I loved it (my own father had dementia so I had a small connection and I have a lot of fears about my future as I age) and she very kindly responded in appreciation.
December 26, 2022
I understand that this is a local favorite -- someone who's native to British Columbia, documenting her heartbreaking and courageous journey through caregiving and grief. And it is a profoundly touching story. But the writing really leaves much to be desired, most times feeling like a hodgepodge of diary entries and very bland / banal telling of events. I understand the empathy owed to the author and her family, but a book should be judged on the merits of its writing and originality.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2023
In July last year, I started on Parkinson’s disease TREATMENT PROTOCOL from Natural Herbs Centre (ww w. Naturalherbscentre. com). One month into the treatment, I made a significant recovery. After I completed the recommended treatment, almost all my symptoms were gone, great improvement with my movement and balance. Its been a year, life has been amazing
November 24, 2024
This was heart wrenching in all the ways I expected and a few ways I hadn’t. It’s amazing how you can feel so attached to someone you’ve never even met just by getting to know them through somebody else’s eyes. I was scared to read this because I knew the feelings it would make me have but I’m still so glad I did. This isn’t my normal kind of book but I’m a better person for having read it.
August 31, 2022
Leslie Davidson has an extraordinary gift for finding the grace in everything. She is also an extremely talented writer, who manages to share the story of her own illness and that of her husband, Lincoln, in ways that will take your breath away. This is a beautiful, beautiful book.
March 9, 2023
This book was all the more special because the author is from my hometown. To be hit by this double whammy would be so difficult to endure yet she has conveyed strength, grace and courage in her honesty.
March 15, 2023
As a nurse who largely deals with Dementia and Parkinson’s I picked this book up with no real expectations. This book was amazing, humbling and extremely insightful. Thank you to Leslie for this beautiful book. 💜
August 3, 2023
Spectacular! A true love story. Powerful and engaging.
October 7, 2023
Wow. All the tears. A book I’m sure I’ll revisit down the road.
November 14, 2023
This was an amazing book to read!! Facing life with such bravery, vulnerability and humour!
November 25, 2023
Beautifully written with so much honesty and positivity in a world of circumstances that can bring so much negativity. Also felt good to read about the same places I grew up in
February 18, 2024
An incredibly emotional read! Extremely enlightening on so many levels!
July 22, 2024
Amazing woman with so many obstacles she describes her story to make the reader feel they are part of the writers life.
October 2, 2024
The writing was not up to effectively carrying the content. I was unable to persist.
September 2, 2025
This is an absolutely beautifully written book about love and loss, the inevitable for all of us in some way, shape or form.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews