Day 7 - Mr & Mrs

Adam and I have been married for ten years. We had our dream wedding in Las Vegas. When we met, I had no idea about his medical condition and parenteral nutrition. It made no difference to me; over time I had a lot to learn.

I do not think of myself as Adam's carer. I am Adam's wife - he is my husband - and we just mutually help each other to manage the many responsibilities which are part and parcel of life. Yes, I help Adam to manage his condition - be it the day to day routines from checking he's taken his TPN bag out, done his injection and taken his meds, to organising deliveries and allocations for a holiday or juggling things if he is in the hospital. But he also supports me in other ways to get through the week. I work for an American Bank in London so put in some pretty long hours - whether I am commuting in or working from home as we all are right now. Along with working full time himself, he always makes sure I come home to a cooked meal, keeps the house clean and tidy and makes me laugh when I have had a challenging day. I couldn't do that job if I didn't have the support of Adam, so I think we make a pretty good team. That's what marriage is all about - teamwork.
 
Adam can get pretty down about his condition and that's not surprising considering all he has been through over the years, so I see it as my job to support him to take control of his mindset and harness the power of positivity whenever possible. It's not about being a carer - it's about being that voice of hope to remind him of all the great things he has to look forward to and to fight for.
 
Mary