Raising James

MEMOIR:  Beth and her Husband, Jim, finally get the call, A Baby! Their baby is ready to be adopted. A boy, and they are thrilled. Until they come to realize that all his crying and sleeplessness is not what they were expecting. After many doctor’s visits and therapy sessions, they realize that their son, James, has medical and emotional issues. Beth then is left to raise James without her husband, who has been killed while on duty as a local police officer.  Beth finds new hope when she meets and marries Jim. He accepts James as his own and stops at nothing to support his new family. They even have news of their own child on the way. Can they find their “normal” and survive all the turmoil one son can dish out?

“Raising James” is a gut-wrenching tale of a family dealing with mental illness from birth. The heart breaks as each scenario unfolds and the family is left to pick up the pieces the best way they know how. The story moves along quite quickly and at times seems out of chronological order. Readers may wonder why Jim isn’t mentioned much in the later part of the story. All in all, any reader of this story will be forever changed and much less judgmental of others who must deal with birth defects, mental illness, and effects on an entire family when a child is bipolar. Beth is a true survivor, struggling with her own medical issues while protecting her daughter and caring for a son, who doesn’t make it easy. This is a truly touching story!

Viola Robins