Prelude to Electro Shock

I remember
a time with my wife,
... a terrible time.

A time
when her illness
impacted our life.

Unusual behavior
was so manifest,
lacking
sound sleep,
found her not at her best.

Not at all at her best.

3AM
in her nighty,
she danced in the street,
whirling and twirling
in her stocking feet.

In the street,
the middle of the street.

Hissing out the window,
as people pass,
the open window sash.

Then,
lying in the front yard,
munching on grass.

Another example of behavior,
so far,
in the morning
found a very large boulder
on the roof of my car.

Manic depression
was out of control.

Constant nausea
was taking its toll.

Gnawing and clawing
and
clawing and gnawing,
day after day,
nothing would put it at bay.

Until
Psychiatry promised to take it away.
At least, that's what the doctors would say.

So she and her doctor
decided to act,
based upon a procedural fact,
that electrical current,
sent through the brain,
pledged her doctor,
would remove her nausea and pain.

Desperate for anything
to make the feeling
---gone---,
she hopefully,
hopelessly,
resolved to go along.

Beyond all other cares,

overcoming long-term medical dread,
my wife took stock.

A broken-down woman determined to go ahead
deciding,
reluctantly,
to try Electro Shock.