Story
Ben was strong and hardworking when we met and fell in love. However, I knew he was diabetic, but I believed it meant only daily shots.
I did no research before we said I do. We talked about his health, but I still thought I had found someone to care for me. For the rest of my life, I believed he would protect me.
I planned to be a wife who cooked, did laundry, cleaned, and cared for him. This Story began with those expectations.
After seven years of marriage, Ben’s health took a sharp turn. He was admitted to the hospital with heart and kidney failure. The hospital we were with seemed bleak, so we transferred him to a better one. However, he hadn’t turned 30 yet, and we were starting to fall apart.
With diet and medication, he stayed off dialysis for about a year. In 2007, dialysis began three times a week. Our mantle was lined with pill bottles.
Not only were we reeling from the sudden changes in healthcare.
We were also beginning to mourn the loss of the lives we thought we would have together.
There were many unexpected trips to the hospital in those days. Many traumatic events for me and for Ben. A rocky two and a half years before he received his kidney transplant.