I Know You Love Me: to My Husband, Bill

Life seemed perfect for Jean. She had a wonderful, twenty-four-year marriage to her soul mate-a man who filled her life with fun, romance, and strength. Their lives were fueled by moments they cherished-motorcycle rides, cruises, festivals, and enjoyable dinners. Then the unthinkable happened. A stormy night would bring a call for Bill to come into work. Later, when the second call came, Jean's heart seemed to stop. Fear struck deep and fast and her drive to the hospital was filled with dreadful thoughts. Jean's husband, Bill, an electrical company employee, was severely burned in an on-the-job accident. Bill's family clung to hope while medical experts treated him at a local burn center. But after a valiant, 19-day fight, Bill eventually succumbed to his wounds. For Jean, though, her fight was just beginning. I Know You Love Me peers boldly into the recesses of human emotions and captivates readers with a tale of uncommon love, and a period of uniquely personal grief. Follow Jean as she struggles to cope with the hospitalization-then the death-of her best friend, lover, and life partner. For the days and weeks to follow, Jean discovers that those things that once brought joy, were now only somber reminders of the life they once shared-driving familiar streets, sitting in familiar restaurants-nearly everything evoked strong personal ties to a love now gone. And remembering can be so painful... Eventually, Jean turned to alcohol to provide a brief respite from her overwhelming heartache and loss. As her depression continued its downward spiral, suicidal thoughts and feelings of hopelessness often overtook her-leading to a life-threatening accident. With the help of a team of mental health professionals and clergymen, Jean would finally seek out answers to the challenges before her-praying for the strength and hope to get through one more day. I Know You Love Me is a touching account of one woman's journey through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.