Mitch,
You have a whole new understanding of what I went through, and continue to go through, with my fibromyalgia now that you are on your cancer journey. I just wish you had only a day of this and no more.
We can laugh about it now…
but there were many times you were exasperated with me, thinking I was just buying something more expensive for the sake of the cost. Now you are realizing that cost, or being picky, had nothing to do with it. It really does come down to finding what you need to live a quality life with less pain and discomfort.
Sometimes I find myself a little upset that this true realization couldn’t have come earlier in my fibromyalgia journey. How much heartache would have been eliminated had you had this understanding back then. This isn’t to say you weren’t understanding; you tried to put yourself in my shoes. However, you quickly found out that unless you have traveled the journey yourself, you truly don’t know what it is like. I have heard you telling others who are going through or have had cancer,
“I thought I knew what it was like to have cancer from watching my dad go through it, but I didn’t. Not until you have to go through it yourself do you truly understand how hard it is and what it does to your body and mind.”
You have always supported me the best you could, even if you didn’t fully grasp what I was going through at the time. Thank you for that. You now know how important that is to have in your spouse when things with your body are completely out of your control. Thank you for sticking with me. You are such an example to our son and daughter.
With all my love-
Nicole
PS This was written prior to Mitch’s passing.
