And the Award for Best Husband in a Supporting Role Goes to...

"For better or for worse, in sickness and in health..." That was forty-one years ago. In those early days I didn't like him to see me without make-up. Now he knows what I look like without make-up or HAIR and from what I can tell, it hasn't diminished his love for me a bit.
 

Two clueless kids blessed on our way in 1972

"Dear, will you pose with me while I still have hair?" 2013

I am incredibly blessed and so very thankful to have had the love and support of my amazing husband throughout this breast cancer experience as I've gone through surgery and chemotherapy.  I know I can count on him to see me through radiation treatments and five years worth of "anti-hormone" therapy, which could turn out to be the most challenging experience yet.

He has done more cooking, cleaning, laundry and grocery shopping in the last few months than he's ever done in his life, and he's done it well and without complaining. During chemo, while I've been vulnerable to infection and illness due to low white blood cells, he's taken sole responsibility for tasks like cleaning the cat's litter box.

Yep, he cleans up after my faithful feline companion too.

He's been gracious as attention has been showered on me from friends and extended family while he quietly kept my world running as smoothly as possible. He used his hair clippers to buzz my thinning hair down to stubble when I asked him to and I think he was more emotional about that than I was. He has patiently humored me as I've asked him to take pictures of me for this blog and then asked him to retake them until my vanity was satisfied.

He's accompanied me to each doctor's appointment where there was an expectation of learning new information or having to make a decision. He made sure that during each chemo treatment I could watch a fun, lighthearted movie of my choice as a distraction while the dreaded stuff flowed into my veins. He was my hands when my own hands were stuck inside large clumsy frozen gel mitts.

Catching up on his work, while I watch a movie during a chemo infusion

He has consistently, but patiently encouraged me to go out for a daily walk with him and the dogs, sometimes walking all three dogs himself, while I tagged along slowly, feeling too weak to handle even one of them.

 They adore him almost as much as I do, even when he isn't doling out treats.

As I've gone through chemotherapy and worked full-time through most of it, a lot of you have told me, "I don't know how you do it." 

Well, now you know.