When Doctors diagnosed Jack's wife, Debbie after a four year mini-remission with recurrent breast cancer for the somewhat rare triple negative variety, Jack looked for a way to up his caregiving game. This is Jack's story, expressed in heartfelt poetic verse, of his efforts to leave everything on the metaphorical field while caring for Debbie during surgical and cancer treatments.
At first, he began presenting Debbie with encouragement style "you got this" cards that took many different forms across myriad card companies. In some, he penned short verses of "love and support" poetry. Predictably, these were met with broad smiles and loving expressions. Having hoped and prayed that this nasty "beast" would not recur, resurgence was a hard pill to swallow. Debbie, ever the optimist, never wavered in her positive attitude of overcoming just another "bump in the road." Jack, with more of a "glass half-empty" persona was less sanguine but vowed to stay upbeat. Part of his own therapy to stay visibly positive involved committing demon-fed emotions of fear and anger to paper in the form of poetry; his catharsis. None were share with Debbie.
With 100 days remaining in Debbie's therapy, things changed. Visiting the radiation center twice per day, accumulated exhaustion seeped in. Yet, the end was in sight. Jack, inspired by a desire to "leave everything on the field," attempted to write a poem per day, praying he had the wherewithal. How many ways existed to express love, encouragement, and support; one essential theme defined in a hundred different ways. He accomplished this and more, subsequently deciding to publish all his poems to formally document the experience, further exhibit his love for Debbie and create a family legacy for future generations.
In his comprehensive Introduction Jack talks to his longtime relationship with Debbie and offers detailed explanations for writing his poems as well as for deciding to publish the book, exposing the deepest elements of emotional anguish.
The themes expressed in Jack's poems transcend this couple's cancer experience. Others in similar situations can profit from Jack and Debbie's story. Lessons about giving everything to a loved one suffering from cancer or another disease together with caregiving may be imported. Jack's use of humor, autobiographical anecdotes, and professional illustrations for each poem add color and context to the mix of poems and personal pieces of history that defines the sixty years of their relationship in this marvelously scripted love story.
