All That J.A.Z. (ePub)

All That J. A. Z. chronicles the last three-and-a-half years of John Allen Zaupa's life as he struggled with addiction and the impact of cirrhosis of the liver. Through his wife's eyes, we witness the deterioration of a good marriage and eventual loss of health and well-being. The focus of the drama is Cheri's handling of the crisis and John's eventual demise. It heralds the beautiful, trusting relationship that Cheri and John had until the damaging effects of addiction totally consumed them. All That J. A. Z. is a story of courage, sorrow, confusion, and spiritual dependence seen through Cheri's lens. Her story celebrates the health-care providers who truly cared about John, as well as family members, who supported and validated Cheri and John's crisis through some very tragic moments.
Scenes of Cheri and John's journey are juxtaposed with scenes between Cheri and her therapist, who attempted to help Cheri process her decision-making. Cheri just wanted to do the right thing for her husband, his family, and lastly, herself and their marriage. It was impossible, of course, but Cheri never wanted to disappoint others. She managed to be John's support until Christmas morning 2003. All That J. A. Z. is John and Cheri's bittersweet love story, one of loss but also a faithful dependence on God's love and provision.