Spouses, family, partners, friends ... good, bad, ugly?

[neil0502]

Thank you, Shelley.

Definitely a few votes on this forum for "moms." I'm with you all on that. I'm fortunate that she's along the path of that 140 mile trip to the eye doctor's office, though ... if the visit went poorly ... I usually just want to head home.

It is such a strange thing to deal with, in terms of other peoples' perceptions. If your eyes aren't chronically red, then you "don't look sick" (has anybody else heard this line before?).

It's such a naive statement. Not intentionally harsh, I'm sure, but naive. There are certainly lots of conditions that are readily apparent to an observer, but there are also lots that aren't.

The really bad days that I had from the trial of those rigid gas permeable "intra-limbal" lenses are behind me. Today was a much better day. Still didn't leave the house, so ... we're not talking "Singing in the Rain" here, but... As I look back on the last week, I can easily see how everything just sort of came together in the worst possible way all at once. When I'm yet a little better, I'll have to figure out some sort of way that my wife and I can manage through the really dark times, knowing that they are not all that frequent.

I also think it's wise and selfless of you to let your partner have "his own time." I have always tried to be supportive of my wife's outside pursuits, usually encouraging her, for example, to find friends to run with, to bike with, or to hike with so that--if I'm down, she's not.

We'll get through this ... all of us.

Thanks again for the support. It means a bunch.

[indrep]

I'll take the survivor

Bear with the short story please.

I was reading an outdoor writer and hunter's story about an incident that changed his life and helped me understand my feelings about my wife. Understand I ahve loved her from the day I met her and it has only grown over the, as of today, 22 years.

The hunters story:

He was hunting one day when a group of does(female deer) came along. Lagging about 30 yards behind was an injured doe, making it along on 3 legs. He watched the injured doe for several minutes and brought his rifle up to make a shot. As he looked through the scope to aim smoething inside him said don't shoot.

He went home and started thinking about how people look at the fittest and best of a species. In the animal kingdom the males usually have a pecking order based on genetics blessing them with the largest horns or tusks, etc. In the females it will be some other trait makes her the lead female in the group.

He went back and forth over the decision not to shoot an obviously wounded animal. Because he was hunting on family property he thought about would he ever see the deer again or would suffer through starvation. As the Spring and Summer went he did see the doe again she was always behind the other group and as Summer progressed he could begin to see her ribs. The fall came and he did not see the doe anymore. Late Spring came and there they were, the three legged doe and her single fawn. Still they lagged behind the others but she had survived and bred. The next season she was in the group with the others and had dropped twins( what healthy does do after their first year). That doe is a survivor. She fought against odds to make it.

That is what my wife is and every person on this board who gets up everyday and takes on their disease and overcomes obstacles placed in their way. Survivors are the "Best of Breed" in my book.

Rebecca if you find this inappropriate feel free to delete it.

[neil0502]

If she finds that story inappropriate ... and deletes it ... I'm going to put a dehumidifier in her office

Great story ... beautifully told. Thank you.

[Rebecca Petris]

I think it's wonderfully appropriate. - Thankfully we've got such a well-mannered and well-judging crowd here that we hardly ever need any moderating.

Happy anniversary indrep!

[Missy]

I thought that it was a very nice story also.
Thanks for sharing!