Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022

3:42 PM

 

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways! 1, 2, 3, 4 . . . 1,000,000

 

    Today is Larry's birthday, a good day to share the gift God blessed me with, the gift of my husband.

   We met when I was 18 & Larry was 21. Yes, it was love at first sight, & we got married 3 years later. I remember thinking that no two people could love each other more than we did. Larry has always been happy for whatever makes me happy, which increases my joy even more.  

  We will be married 50 years this May & we have realized, far beyond 'Making chicken soup, when he's got a cold!' what the vow of 'loving in sickness & health' means. We've taken care of each other over the years when each of us experienced fairly serious health situations, as well as the care for each other, when losing our parents. That was all training ground for the challenges that 2021 had to offer us.

   I never doubted that Larry would take care of, support & love me through the unknown of what was to come on this journey called 'cancer'. Through the emotional stress of hearing the diagnosis, the surgery, recovery & 6 months of chemo & radiation & the aftermath of side effect challenges, he has been my champion.

   He has never once complained about all the demands required of him, and he never asks for anything. He went well beyond taking care of every one of my needs. 

  When it came to driving to the 25 radiation treatments, at Abbotsford Cancer Centre, we thought that others could help out, & give him a break, but we soon realized we needed to do it 'together', 5 straight weeks of 5 days/wk. Because he knows me so well, and the quirks of my body's responses to certain things, we came to realize quite quickly that there would be less stress for each of us to do it together. Plus the fact that we enjoy where our galivants would take us (like mini dates) after the session. We already spent the gas, so let's take advantage of 'getting away'.

  I've often asked Larry to go fishing , but most of the time, he said 'No!' For the few times he did go, (fish or not) I know it did him the world of good. Thankfully he has been learning to play the violin & that has been a refuge for him. 

  He's almost never been cranky or out of sorts. He's always been quick to do whatever was needed around the house, when I could do little or nothing. The wonderful thing is that he has become a really good cook. I knew he had it in him, but he has surprised himself. He's an expert grocery shopper, as he doesn't want me to go into stores or public settings.

  Even though I'm unhappy about the weight I've gained, he often tells me, "You look pretty!". From the moment I had no more hair on my head, I thought I would not let him see it, because it would upset him. 'No!' From the get-go, he told me it was alright & he didn't mind it at all. That was very helpful, in relieving my self-consciousness about being bald.

   We've grown closer in many ways. I've grown up a lot in these past years, about letting go of stuff that tended to be divisive. We laugh a lot. He thinks I'm funny (in a healthy way). We've always enjoyed each other's company and just being quiet together (if you can imagine me being quiet)!

   God did a really good thing, when he chose Larry for me & me for him. "Thank you God for spoiling me with the love of a good and gracious man. Please bless him with abundant grace and peace!" Amen