Chronic Illness in Love
I’d like to talk a bit more about couples during illness.
My husband took care of me during a time of temporary illness. However, there are a lot of couples out there who face chronic illness in one or both partners every day, and I don’t think I need to say that’s hard.
My step-grandfather supported my grandmother through many years of cancer and chemotherapy. Even though my grandmother often got cranky, demanded much of the entire family, and often caused stress, my grandfather’s love for her never wavered. At least not in front of any of us on the outside.
When my grandmother got ill or depressed, my grandfather would play her favourite songs on the piano. He also wrote music for her. His art was music, and he used it to convey his feelings for her.
Watching them, I knew what kind of relationship I wanted to be in. Though she was often ill over the years and times were often stressful, he still found ways to support her and show her his love. She came to rely on him for peace of mind and love. I wanted that kind of relationship; one in which my partner and I could express our love to each other in the way that worked best for us, even during the darkest time.
I admire couples who survive and grow deeper in love while chronic illness is influencing their lives. Such events can bring out the worst in people and make them uncomfortable.
However, in watching my grandparents and their love during tough times, I learned that such times can also bring out the best in people.
December 10th, 2007 at 12:07 am
[…] with Chronic Illness (Cont.) by JM I’ve already talked about chronic illness and how it affects long term relationships. However, I didn’t get into it very deeply, which I […]