Marcia,
I can relate to what you are going through, as I had a horrible time when I was
first diagnosed with my PPS. Not only did my wife not understand, but many of
the people who were my friends at the time, also had a hard time understanding
what was happening to me.
I am not sure if these "friends" really understood my PPS, as I rarely hear from
most of them now that I am in a wheelchair,or perhaps they are uncomfortable
being around someone in a wheelchair.
However, as difficult as it was for me to adjust, it was even harder on my wife
Lisa.
She had a very difficult time with the lifestyle change after I got to the point
of having to give up on all the things we had done together for years.
We loved to go camping just about every weekend I could get the time off of
work, but as you can guess that just doesn't happen anymore.
We travelled a lot when I was capable of getting around with little problem, but
as you know, it is very difficult for us to do that now.
We are not the only one's to have to make drastic lifestyle changes, as it's
just as hard on our families to learn to cope with this.
I do not deny my wife the feelings she has in being tied down to me and the
sacrifices she also has to make. This just blows me away when I think of all she
has been through, and in fact is still going through.
We all need to remember that this PPS is not affecting just ourselves, but is
just as hard on our families and friends.
In my humble opinion, my wife is one of the strongest people I know, as she
accepts our new lifestyle, and understandably gets very frustrated being held
back because I am no longer able to do the things she loved so much.
I believe if there were medals of understanding and courage given out, most of
us would want them to be given to our spouses for being so helpful and
understanding in the challenges this PPS throws in front of us as roadblocks.
Most of the time, its my wife that helps me man-up and accept what I cannot
change.
In case I forget, I need to go uptown tomorrow and buy my wife an anniversary
present. We have been married 37 years on Wednesday, the 3rd, and I can say in
all honesty, the last 7 tears has been the hardest on her, but she continues to
hang in there in spite of all the problems we have worked our way through.
She is my hero.
Jack Babcock


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