Summary-
In the autobioagraphy "Life's That Way." the narrator talks about a period of his time that really showed him what the meaning of what like was. Jim Beaver, an actor and his stunning wife, Cecily Adams, an actress have lived a happy life, untill everything went down the drain. This perfect couple begins to discovers many shocking news. During the month of October Jim hears frightening news that no one would every want to hear. Cecily has had severe back pain for a couple months but this months she had to be carried to hospital, so the doctors quickly took her to the emergency room and began to test her, taking her blood doing MRI's, CAT scans, X-rays anything possible untill they would find what is triggering her pain. Result are back, bracing themselves for the possible outcome, the doctors explains to Cecily that she has an advanced case of lung cancer, this cancer spread through the pelvis, lower spine and her sternum. Finding this out Cecily has to stay hopsitlized till further testing. After a month in the hospital, it was time for the her first treatment of radiation and kemo therapy, the first reaction wasn't very good so she wasn't able to go, untill her second radiation appointment was, staying hopsitalized in the hospital for another months she goes home happy. Cecily begins to feel her body fighting the cancer, she believes that she can overcome anything, she believes that she can do it for her daughter. Cecily feels better, but doesn't have the complete energy it takes to walk a mile. She begins her radiation, and it seems that her health is improving. As the days go by, the narrator writes to his friends and family about his wife, everyone begins to offer their time for the sake of his wife sending hoe cooked meals, baby sitting Maddie and taking Cecily to her therapy.
Quote-
" There's a peculiar thing that happens to a man's pride when he realizes he can't do anything, and that realization usually comes just at the moment when he feels he ought to do everything"(Beaver24).
Reaction-
As the narrator says this quote I realize that it is powerfully stating a sterotype, that people have for man. In the worold it is said that man are the providers , man are the strong ones. In this situation the narratpr feels that he is helpless, that he can't help his wife, and that just brings him to shame. Even though he is the man he shouldn't have to do anything, just being there with his wife can mean the world for her. Another connection I had to this quote, is the fact that this shows a surface look of how the patient feels about its own situation. They might want to have held there son when he was coughing at night or there daughter when she did her science projects on mold. Many feel that they are hopless that they have failed as parents and it shows the hardships of cancer.
