How do you cope when your SO is in the hospital?

[Weevil]

Hi Members,

My honey was rushed to the hospital with a burst appendix about a week ago. He seems to be out of the worst danger, but it's taking a while for his white cell count to stabilize and the surgery was invasive so he's going to be in there a while longer.

We just 'reunited' online after 20-something years apart and have grown very close very quickly. Everything seems to be aligning, we are very affectionate with each other and were just at the stage of 3 and 4 hour phone calls, and texting all day, talking about our future and spending the rest of our lives together... and then he got very sick. the healing process will take time. We are supposed to get together this fall when he comes to my town for an extended visit.

It's so difficult. I want to show my love and support without acting like a crazy person. I just sent him a link to a ton of online comics and that seems to have gone done really well.

Can anyone else share their advice or experience of this? I'm not taking care of myself and have no appetite.

Thanks x

[Gkyhdjr]

I can understand where you are coming from! About a year ago my fiancé broke his hand and had to be taken to the hospital, and it was super scary. It’s hard to be so far away from them in their time of need. But I suppose it really depends on the type of person! Like you, I sent my fiancé a bunch of cute and funny things to make him laugh, and that made him feel lots better. I also find taking selfies cheered him up as well!

As for taking care of yourself, the best thing I noticed was just to focus on that he is recovering! Coming from the daughter of a nurse, burst apendix can be dangerous, but only if they are not being taken care of. If he is in the hospital and recovering, that is a good sign! Still, doing some self-care is better than none. If you have no appetite, trying to stomach even just some chips or something similar is better than trying to force yourself to eat a full meal. It’s a scary time, but just try to focus on the fact that he is out of the worst of it, and that your support will help him recover faster! Hopefully this helped!

[Weevil]

Thank you so much for replying!

Looks like he might be going home today, after a week in there. It was really bad, I can only imagine what he was going through but his spirits are really improving. I've been making smoothies with pea and hemp protein powder and snacking on fruit and nuts to keep myself going. What an awful time. His recovery will be long and we're not spring chickens so I am waiting to see what our next telephone call brings. I don't like the idea of us being apart!

[Gkyhdjr]

That's good that he is going to be home soon! Being apart is certainly difficult, and I hope you both will be together forever soon. And I also hope his recover goes well!