My Journal for Jeremy: Six Months to Say Goodbye

I am Val Bower—a daughter, wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and friend. I gave birth to three beautiful children and later adopted two more; I also have four stepchildren. I have spent the majority of my adult life working with people who need some kind of help.

Usually a little bit of stress is a good motivator for me. But when you hear the word cancer and the doctor is talking about your child, your mind does not know what to do. When the next doctor tells you he has two weeks—or maybe...