Over the last 13 years, I’ve watched as my wife has been transformed by her body attacking itself. She is a gentle, compassionate, and loving wife, and she has also become weak, and even atrophied in many parts of her upper body.

I can remember the times when she would kick this disease on its ass, and others where it got the upper hand, but throughout it all, she has not given in. in fact, despite having this condition, she knows how to live an extremely healthy life, which has and will continue to serve her well.

When we’re trying to start a fire with wet wood, it requires extra newspaper and maybe even more matches than we want to use, but eventually the fire gets started and can produce enough of its own heat to keep itself going.

These medications to me are just a kick in the right direction. They’re not a good long-term solution, and are not without an impact. Even though I wouldn’t consider this to be the easiest life I could live, it’s the one I have. And I think I do a pretty good job of not allowing the suffering to paralyze me. In fact, it helps to ensure that I stay on track for what my family needs.

A few years back, I went through my own personal transformation, while my wife watched me struggle and suffer. Now it’s her turn to take some time for herself. it’s not easy to watch her go through this, because I feel like I could fix it for her if she would just do what I say. But from our conversations, it appears perhaps that’s not true. Just because the way I think to do it would work for me, possibly, that doesn’t mean that it would work for her. She will find her way, and she will find what works.

And I will be waiting with open arms and a heart full of love whenever she needs me, as often as she needs me, till death do us part.