tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364669902775880430.post4117334913494769704..comments2023-05-22T05:23:33.917-07:00Comments on Love in the Time of Chronic Illness: helping partners cope with illness: How to Have the Hard ConversationsBarbara Kivowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04069286366650175153noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364669902775880430.post-61658609063546494962009-01-21T10:34:00.000-08:002009-01-21T10:34:00.000-08:00SydnyG - thank you for sharing your story. You ar...SydnyG - thank you for sharing your story. You are so right to remind us that ultimately the hard conversation is with ourselves. I wish you strength and light in your times of darkness.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364669902775880430.post-49056875975760858512009-01-20T19:23:00.000-08:002009-01-20T19:23:00.000-08:00Hello Babara,The only thing about a "Hard Conversa...Hello Babara,<BR/><BR/>The only thing about a "Hard Conversation" is that I had to have the conversation with myself.<BR/><BR/>Yes, as soon as I told my husband I was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, his answer was he would not take care of me. My fatigue and pain was so profound, I had to retire from my practice. Since 2003, I have traveled the world actively seeking the stem cells needed to heal my broken neurons. Every day I have a hard conversation telling myself to keep on, go forward, and above all, know in my heart that I didn't need my husband's help......even now, when my lungs are weakening, I awake alone in the dark gasping for breath.SydnyGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07607943304904953127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364669902775880430.post-69676129116621371142008-10-22T02:48:00.000-07:002008-10-22T02:48:00.000-07:00Barbara, I love you post. Thank you for sharing. W...Barbara, I love you post. Thank you for sharing. What I think is so great is that this is, for me, an example of how those conversations should go between me and my spouse. Thank you for the good and healthy example of communication at its best.AmyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01180475789560217467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364669902775880430.post-44937390638006027372008-06-20T22:47:00.000-07:002008-06-20T22:47:00.000-07:00Hi Barbara, I came over via Emily's link. Thanks ...Hi Barbara, I came over via Emily's link. Thanks for writing this perfect post. I related to so many of its points. So well-written. I have chronic daily headache and it steals so much of my life. I often forget about my partner and what it takes from him too. I often feel the urge to write an open letter, so people can know what this is like. But they can't know, until they experience it themselves, what it is like to live your life with a giant monster in the room with you. It does become your primary relationship and everything suffers.<BR/><BR/>I hope they are reserving seats in heaven for us. Sometimes I feel like I am earning it when I spend day after day faking my way through life with a smile plastered on, just dreaming about "one day of normal".<BR/><BR/>Great post! I will be back for more visits. TerriWindlosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17014227226507484798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364669902775880430.post-44246582102489359312008-06-20T10:07:00.000-07:002008-06-20T10:07:00.000-07:00Thanks Emily. I love your blog writing and apprec...Thanks Emily. I love your blog writing and appreciate your thoughts about this postBarbara Kivowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04069286366650175153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3364669902775880430.post-16581009323888075082008-06-19T10:25:00.000-07:002008-06-19T10:25:00.000-07:00i just loved this entry, barbara. hope you don't m...i just loved this entry, barbara. hope you don't mind that i linked to it from my site -- this is one of the best entries i've read in a long time. i was just nodding my head all the way through. well said.Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17136475934858797611noreply@blogger.com