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B26354
293 M Embraced 2
Surviving for others
PathStep 1 Compassion hearts41 Forum posts2 Forum upvotes25 Current upvotes25 Age GroupAdult Last activeApril, 2024 Member sinceApril 3, 2024
Bio

Middle-aged Englishman with a wife who suffers from a chronic illness. Lots to cope with but not drowned yet.

I watch lots of sports, cycle and run a fair amount. If you want to talk football, ice hockey, NFL or frankly anything, I'm here.

I listen to all sorts of music, mainly metal and dub/reggae but significant amounts of classical and jazz. I like reading SF, history and political biographies.

I have a 19-year-old cat and a 3-year-old whippet. You can guess which one is the boss.

I am both more exciting and in much more mental/emotional distress than the above makes me sound. 


Recent forum posts
Sole earner for wife with chronic illness
Family & Caregivers / by B26354
Last post
 May 28th
...See more Well, the loneliness and running out of friends has sent me here. Short version: for over a decade I have been the sole earner for a wife who has a chronic illness (ME). Despite a half-decent income, her lack of income and benefits means we just keep our heads above water but with no money to holiday, do nice things, go out, and make significant home improvements. In fact, over time the house will fall into disrepair and I will have to work until I die because my wife will receive no pension.  I could cope with that if we had enough time to relax and enjoy each other's company but because of her illness, I actually just spend my days getting up, caring for her, working and cleaning/fixing the house before collapsing again. I feel these are first-world problems and I shouldn't moan or complain. The tears, anger, non-existent self worth, and exhaustion however are getting too much. I need to share regularly and could do with a shoulder / ear / pair of eyes to chat or communicate with to give me the odd arm around the shoulder as well as the kick up the backside. Yeah - that's the short version!  Is anyone else in the same boat? Or even on the same sea? Or maybe you're not and you just want me to listen to you and be caring and empathetic as a distraction to my own problems?
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