In Crisis, Become As One

When I was struggling with cancer a few years ago, my wife and I formed our own "couple caution circle". Anytime a doctor came with news of my progress, my wife would give me a big hug. The reports were seldom good during the early stages of my illness. One day a doctor brought particularly frightening news. Staring at my reports, the doctor said in a low voice, "It doesn't look like you' re going to make it."

Before I could ask him a question, my wife stood up, handed me my clothes, adjusted the tubes fastened to my body and said, "Let's get out of here. This man is a risk to your health." As she helped me struggle to the door, the doctor came near us. "Stay back," demanded my wife. "Stay away from us."

As we walked together down the hall, the doctor attempted to catch up with us. "Keep going," said my wife, pushing the intravenous stand. "We're going to talk to someone who really knows what is going on." Then she held up her hand to the doctor, "Don't come any closer to us."

The two of us moved as one. We found a doctor who give us hope, even though the diagnosis was bad. I could never have made that walk toward wellness alone.