When illness was a hypothetical — a promise in a vow, or a far-away romanticism found in the mildness of “growing old together” in uncomplicated ways — I assumed that illness would cause the rest of the world to disappear. I assumed we would suddenly feel closer, more intimately connected, and that our troubles and everyday frustrations would melt away into the background of the burning dilemma we face together… of the thought of one of us being unwell, or the fear of loss.

But that’s not true… read more