Be Strong for Me: A Young Widower Remembers

Adkins met his wife, Vicki, at the advertising firm in Memphis, Tenn., where he worked, and their romance culminated in marriage. In 1990 they were devastated when Vicki was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer. After her death two-and-a-half years later when she was 39, Adkins retreated to a secluded cabin to try coming to terms with his loss. This slight but touching account of their relationship is drawn from his journal entries during that period. Anyone who has lost a loved one from an illness can identify with the author's anguish as he watched the doctors' failing attempts to arrest the cancer. Adkins brings to life his vibrant and brave wife as he details her determination to survive months of high-dose chemotherapy and experimental treatments. He notes that both he and Vicki were strengthened by their spiritual growth during this period, and he has used his renewed faith to help him through the grieving process. (May)