Deep Waters

“Mr. Taggart’s experienced an acute neurological event.” When Beth Ann Mathews’ husband, Jim, experiences a rare type of stroke that severely impacts his speech and his ability to walk, their world is upended. At Beth’s insistence, and with the help of their doctor and friends, Jim is medevacked from Juneau, Alaska to a Seattle hospital where he can receive the specialized treatment he needs and begin his long journey to recovery.

Both marine biologists, Jim and Beth have led an active outdoor life in Alaska with their 9-1/2 year-old son up until this point, and the dislocation weighs heavily on everyone. From a hotel room Beth manages their lives, taking care of Jim, parenting, and keeping up with her university teaching job and students. Jim is relentless in his determination to recover and return to normal, even as he is frustrated by setbacks. Over one month in the hospital feels like an eternity.

When the family finally returns to their home in Juneau, Jim has made considerable progress, but is not fully recovered. He grows bored, impatient, and anxious to resume his previous life, sometimes pushing himself dangerously close to harm. Beth worries about Jim doing too much, too soon, and as sole wage earner, struggles to manage their finances and care for their son. Eventually, Jim’s discontent and need for adventure crash against Beth’s desire for stability and a safe place emotionally and financially. Jim proposes an ambitious sailing trip, their conflicting outlooks on the future come to a head, and the couple must decide how to spend the next chapter of their lives.

Divided into three parts, most of the memoir centers around the period Jim is in the hospital and the months following their return to Juneau. Through conversations with doctors and friends we learn about Jim’s condition and their community in Alaska. Mathews’ background as a scientist is apparent in the clear, simple, and straightforward explanations, making Deep Waters an easy read. Mathews is candid when writing about her early relationship with Jim and some of the issues that came up during Jim’s time in the hospital. Though Beth is obviously stressed, she is never whiney, and I found it easy to relate to her, empathize with her, and admire her.

While this memoir was not exactly the adventure story I anticipated, it was interesting, enlightening, and at times thought-provoking. Deep Waters is an intimate portrait of a marriage and a family as they navigate the complexities and uncertainties of some of life’s most difficult challenges.