Last month, as you may remember, we celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary. I was thinking today that it's all the more remarkable - not that he's put up with me for this long - because Husband has had cancer, a heart attack, and a badly twisted and blocked intestine in that time. I hadn't realised what I was letting myself in for when I promised to love him in sickness and in health.
The first clue came when we arrived home from honeymoon and he straightaway took himself off to the doctor's and was diagnosed with debility, and was off work.
I was pondering this today because, Bryan, one of our most loyal and hard-working volunteers at Zac's had had a heart attack and is in hospital. Most inconsiderate of him really; I don't know what we're going to do without him!
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Elder Son has been trying to read more and to encourage him I've been recommending books, and trying to broaden the variety. Most of them he's liked but the last one I lent him put him off a bit. It was a Nick Hornby book that was on my bookshelf, covered in dust, and I don't remember anything about it.
For ages I've been nagging him to read Beartown* by Fredrik Backman. It's not my favourite Backman but it's one he might enjoy for the dilemma in it. It hasn't been available in the library so, when I was ordering a different book for myself I bought a copy of Beartown as well. Actually I ordered The Scandal, which is what it was called when I read it.
Now I'm scared to give it to him because I've pushed it so hard and don't want him to hate it, or to be put off reading any more.
The book I ordered for myself is called The Bookshop Book, which is, unsurprisingly, about bookshops. Dipping in - it arrived this morning - I discover that part of the M6 toll road in the Midlands is made out of pulped Mills & Boon novels, approximately two and a half million of them.
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Meanwhile Husband has been busy chopping down yew trees in the garden. One was in the wrong place and the other had grown too big. Since working in the garden on these trees he's found his legs covers in tiny blisters, very itchy blisters.
He put it down to fleas. Fleas love Husband and he suspects foxes sleep in these particular bits of garden. However, googling it he has discovered that yew is "extremely poisonous to all species." They contain "the highly poisonous taxane alkaloids that have been developed as anti-cancer drugs."
So they might cure your cancer but kill you in the process?
9 comments:
It must be a male thing. While I haven’t had the same serous issues as your guy, it does seem that all the little issues over th east five years have been mine — kidney stones (once), hernia surgery, urinary troubles and surgeries, a needed foot fusion operation that I maybe never get. Oh, I forgot about shingles. Meanwhile, a friend of mine is having cancer troubles while his wife seems to be a pretty good place.
Happy 45th wedding anniversary. I hope your husband gets well soon and can be patient with all the illnesses he suffers.
This is my first time visiting your blog, I hope I can visit more often. It seems you also like to read books.
Thanks for sharing. Greetings from Indonesian Bloggers 😁👍🇲🇨
There's an agatha Christie mystery where taxine is the murder weapon! maybe not encourage your husband to read it right now.
happy Anniversary!! I hope his rash clears up soon sounds uncomfortable.
Your husband's health history could be a clone of my husbands and this year we will be married 38 years.
Cathy
Recommending books is always a tricky thing. Peoples' tastes vary so dramatically.
I went through the health issues with my hubby that I would never have guessed when we were married. But I guess life is full of surprises, good and bad. I've read a few backman books, and they are pretty enjoyable. I love how your son is trying to read more-smile. hugs-Erika
We have had a few health issues but touch-wood, nothing too serious. As we get older I do wonder what is around the corner. Happy Anniversary! We have been married 47 years now and I don't know where the time went. Thanks for sharing your books and impressive that your son wants to read more. You brought him up right mom :)
We have been married a total of 55 years, with 10 years off between our two marriages. Hunky Husband has been, mostly, healthy until he developed a case of athlete's foot on steroids about 10 years ago. I'm sure that the athlete's foot was the cause of his dementia - wink, wink. Actually, his mother died of Alzheimer's (confirmed by autopsy) one year before our second marriage so I can't say that I didn't have a clue that this might happen. He's still my sweetie - living in a parallel universe most of the time, but still my sweetie.
Happy belated anniversary 🥂 to you and your husband, Liz, and 45 years is quite an accomplishment to be celebrated and hope you did just that. Hope that your son does enjoy your book recommendations. I will check out Backman's books as well.
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