I have loved my man for over 27 years, starting with my second decade of life. Now nearing the end of my forties, we have been faced with a long term illness. A few months ago I would have called it a terminal illness, but there is currently hope that this may not be the end. Our loving will continue.
During this time, we have felt closeness even though there was an overriding sadness at times. I took a few moments around month 8 of our journey to consider some of the blessings and challenges I have experienced. Not being the one going through the sickness, I often feel self-centered dwelling on my feelings. However, I have learned that dealing with my emotions keeps me stronger when he needs help with his.
Here is my list of how I experience life as a caregiver from our first year dealing with cancer.
Blessings:
- Each day together now feels like a gift.
- I treasure experiences we have and store them as memories.
- We rely upon each other and value one another more than we did previously. (In my opinion.)
- We can talk to one another and plan for our futures. [Read more…]
