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AFTER EDEN by Owen Stanley Surman

AFTER EDEN

A Love Story

by Owen Stanley Surman

Pub Date: July 28th, 2005
ISBN: 0-595-35917-5

A passionate memoir of love, loss and grief.

Just as Dr. Surman and his wife, Lezlie, are about to send their youngest child off to college, Lezlie is diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer. She immediately undergoes major surgery to assess and combat the damage the disease has wrought. A psychiatrist who often counsels patients and families suffering catastrophic illnesses, Dr. Surman suddenly finds himself in an unfamilar role in a scenario with which he is all too familiar. Reeling from the revelation that his heretofore vibrant soul mate could die, he becomes embarrassed as his mind careens through fantasies of what his life might be like after her death. At the same time, he is beset by longing for the early years of their relationship. Though he marshals all of his medical expertise and that of his colleagues, the disease and a series of serious complications continue to take their toll on his beloved wife, who finally succumbs after a seven-month battle. Following her death, Dr. Surman struggles with his overwhelming loneliness, and he worries about his children’s ability to cope with the loss of their mother. After Eden marries the doctor’s professional insight with his sensitivity as a husband and father, creating a moving, forthright tale of surviving the loss of a life partner. Weaving observations from the present into his memories of the painful past, he reflects on how his experience has made him a better counselor to those facing grave illness or the loss of a loved one. In sharing his tears, as well as the torrent of untidy emotions involved in such grief–even those that could be perceived as embarrassing or selfish–Dr. Surman’s memoir may provide relief to those struggling with a similar state of sorrow.

Heartfelt and poignant.