In Sickness and in Health
A poem by Pamela Bergmann

In Sickness and in Health

I am from…
The joyous union of Julius and Nadene
who fell deeply in love,
eagerly promising to be there for each other
in sickness and in health.

Moving into an unpainted house
lacking in basics like hot running water
on a farm rented from Ella and Bill
in southeastern Nebraska.

Four years into their marriage
hearts still bursting with love,
raising a son, one and a half years of age,
eagerly awaiting a second child in seven months.

After scything weeds on a sultry day in August,
attending the Nemaha County Picnic,
Julius contracted a frightening new virus
predating the Jonas Salk vaccine.

A lost year in the hospital with the false hope
that arms and hands could be used again
along with the ability to run or walk unhindered.
That Julius could once again hold Nadene in his arms.

Instead, at age twenty-three,
Nadene became the caregiver for her beloved husband
and their two small children.
Honoring her wedding vows, tending to Julius for fifty-two years.

About the Author:

Pamela Bergmann grew up on a farm in Nebraska before migrating north to Alaska, where she fell in love with the landscapes, wildlife, and people. After retiring from public service, she began sharing stories and photographs with a wider audience via her website, www.pamelabergmann.net. Published in Alaska Women Speak and a Pushcart Prize nominee, she recently expanded her writing to include poetry.

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