The Toll of Illness

Couples together for years have often aged enough that they must consider their bodies as a potential interference with their long term plans. One partner might be hale and hearty, but the toll of illness can suddenly change their lives when the other person has a serious medical condition. Not all of their plans will necessarily be given up, and the illness may be one where the partner can recover over time. For couples suddenly dealing with delayed plans due to illness, it can be a time to discover new facets of their relationship.

One of the best parts of being with a partner is knowing someone caring will always be there, and it can make life a bit easier when illness strikes. Getting through multiple medical procedures, exploring treatment plans, and even coping with daily medical issues can be exhausting. Knowing a partner is there for love and support helps a great deal. Many partners are more than willing to set aside or delay plans to reach goals to help during an illness, and they will spend untold hours doing whatever is needed.

Illness can affect a person's mobility, and it can keep them out of work for days, weeks, or even months. Their partner may need to go to their own job, but their home hours will be spent together as a couple. It is often a time when two people finally carve out the time they need to talk about the rest of their lives. Making new plans based on the effects of the illness can be a time of discovery for the pair of them.

Few people are able to plan for a specific illness to occur at a certain time, so it is often a surprise when one of the falls ill enough that their life as a couple must be put on hold. Being able to cope with it together can change their lives dramatically, but it is not always a bad thing when they are able to come up with new and better plans for the future.