Saturday, October 19, 2013

My Significant Other



The REAL Good Wife

I have rattled on about testing, treatments, doctors, nurses, costs, side effects, support groups, and more.

But, far and away the most important part of my life and survival is my wife, Carol. You have probably seen the research showing that men who have prostate cancer live significantly longer if they are married. This is true. I can think of a thousand reasons why it is true (but I promise not to list them all here).

  • Carol regularly reminds me to take my meds—almost every day and with only a slight inflection of frustration and rolling of the eyes.
  • The same goes for doctor appointments, car repairs, mowing the lawn, putting my dirty dishes in the sink, etc.
  • A smile, a hand on my shoulder, or a hug always makes me feel better—even when I’m having a bad day. This gentle contact may work better than prescription meds.
  • Having something to live for does improve my quality of life. Wife, kids, grandkids, friends, relatives, tasks to get done, and even occasionally checking something off my Bucket List.
  • Knowing that I am important to somebody is a pretty good feeling. She could be faking it, but…naaaa.
  • Carol and I spend most of our time together and, after 53 years, still enjoy it.
  • Getting older, with a little luck, is inevitable, getting sick is all too common, but finding a way to enjoy life is priceless.

Grandma (one of her politically correct nicknames) and I will continue to do as much as we can for as long as we can. A week, a month, or 20 years—nobody knows for sure. I’d prefer the 20 year option, however.

axman