When The Going Is Tough, The Tough Start Growing

My husband and I met at Eastern Washington University in May 1983. We developed a close relationship and were married a year later. I was 20 and he was 21.

A month and a half after we were married, I became pregnant with our first child. We were blessed with a beautiful girl on May 15, 1985, and life was perfect.

But when my daughter was 9 months old, I became very ill and soon was diagnosed with an intestinal illness called Crohn’s disease. I went through numerous surgeries and spent 18 months in bed, unable to move because of the extreme pain.

Pain medications became a way of life. I suffered from high fevers, skin lesions and weight gain from steroid use. I was unable to care for my daughter and husband. We endured long separations so my family could help us and my husband could continue to work.

After several years, a specialist at the Virginia Mason Clinic in Seattle helped me get better. I returned to work and we were able to achieve some degree of normalcy in our lives.

Doctors told us that because of all the medications I had to take, we probably would not be able to have another child. Then a miracle happened. On Nov. 10, 1992, we were blessed with another little girl.

But when she was a few months old, my illness returned with a vengeance. I had to quit work and went through more bouts with extreme pain. I again turned to the Virginia Mason Clinic, where I went through surgery to alleviate the pain. Since then, my health has improved a lot.

Only someone who personally has experienced this kind of adversity could comprehend the tremendous sacrifices my husband, children, family and in-laws have made for me. They have supported and loved me without fail for 10 years.

I couldn’t have made it without my husband’s support. He has approached this with a sense of humor and a positive outlook. What amazes me most, however, is his love, dedication and encouragement, no matter what I have to go through.

It’s been said that love conquers all; yet we hear so much about failed relationships and lack of commitment between couples and families that when the going does get tough, those relationships dissolve.

In some relationships, however, adversity allows people to grow and develop a closeness that few experience. I am one of those fortunate few.

MEMO: “Your turn” is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages. To submit a “Your turn” column for consideration, contact Rebecca Nappi at 459-5496 or Doug Floyd at 459-5466 or write “Your turn,” The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane 99210-1615.