Actually, she's still my "new" wife Karen; we were married six months ago today (Happy Anniversary, Darling!) in an exquisite, romantic ceremony at a state park in Decatur, Ill. We met online (yes, just like in the eHarmony commercials – sometimes those things actually work!) and after a year or so of courtship she consented to be my bride.
She is the reason I have relocated to central Illinois after 30 years of living in Detroit. Bless her heart, she initially offered to move to the Motor City on my behalf. But she holds a responsible, rewarding position at the University of Illinois, and her family is here; I could not in good conscience tell her, "Hey, dump that high-paying position and come to Detroit, where jobs are hanging off the trees!" And here I am.
Actually, knowing the realities and the possibilities of my medical condition, I tried at one point to talk her out of marriage. If and when my kidneys continue to fail, I told her, the upcoming years may not be pleasant ones.
I'll never forget her response to me: "It doesn't matter if we have four months or 40 years together; the important thing is to make the most of whatever time we have." Awwww. Like she often says about me, I think she's a keeper.
So many people in your life, no matter how well intentioned, will talk a great game about what they'll do to support you in troubled times, then collapse like a Bernie Madoff investment when the trouble actually arrives. When I gaze into Karen's brilliant blue eyes, I have absolutely no doubt that she will be steadfast by my side in sickness and in health. I have never felt so much love from any one person since my mother passed away.
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