A CUDDLE

64 year old "Carla" suffers from breast cancer. It has spread to her bones and she is rapidly declining. Carla lives with her husband, "George", who is a retired surgeon. They have been married for twelve years and George says that she has changed his life. He shares that he is now more open and spiritual because of Carla.

He is a very intellectual man who always had total control throughout his career as a surgeon. He was attempting to use those same skills to take care of his wife. He had been resistant to ask for help from family or friends as he felt he could manage. Carla is now total care and up at night which means George is not getting any sleep as well.

He became overwhelmed, sleep deprived and not coping due to the pressures of being Carla's lone caregiver. He came to the realization that he has to hire 24 hour help. I assisted him with getting attendant care in the home. He was then able to let go of many of the duties that he had felt responsible for.


A CUDDLE

He was a surgeon by trade
dealing daily in life and death.
He was educated and well trained.
He always knew what to do.

Now that his wife is dying
he does what he's been trained to do.
Organizing, prioritizing, intellectualizing.
It has always served him well.

But this time it is not working.
He is overwhelmed and losing control.
He just wants to give her what she needs.
He wants to do things right.

He was able to finally step off the whirlwind
by allowing himself some needed relief.
He realizes it's not a surgeon she needs,
but a husband to simply be there.

When she asked him to come cuddle
he willingly laid by her side.
The tears did come when he realized
she knew what he needed all along.