Newly Diagnosed - Sad Husband

[Guest guest]

Hi - I've just been diagnosed and am looking for others to chat with

who will understand. There's nothing unusual in my story - several

years of perplexing symptoms and dozens of specialists until one

intern finally asked the right question and sent me to Dr. Cohen at

the Cleveland Clinic. At this stage, I'm having the most problems

with fatigue, impaired cognition (used to practice law), bipolar

symptoms, and tremors. I've also developed a heart block and

arrhythmia, irritable bowel syndrome, and extreme sensitivity to

medications. My current question is how your significant others have

dealt with the diagnosis and whether you've found ways to help them

cope.

My husband and I have been together since high school and have had a

very close relationship all these years. He's been terrific through

all the years of looking for answers, (even when I was starting to

think I was just a hypochondriac). Now that we have an answer,

though, and it looks likely that the condition will continue to

degenerate, he's having a very difficult time coping. He says it

makes him sad that we're not able to do the things we used to

together, that he's very afraid of being left alone, and that the

financial issues have him stressed out. I've already been through a

lot of adjusting to my new circumstances and keep counseling " optimism

and humor " , but he keeps withdrawing, which is his usual way of

coping. Any advice?