When Emily meets her doctor, she gets devastating news about her health. As her life is about to change, Emily knows she has to tell Tyler, her husband. But his reaction is anything but appropriate.
The first thing I noticed was the doctor’s voice on the other end of the line, a steady, clinical tone delivering a piece of news that would change my life forever. “I need you to come in, Emily,” Dr. Duncan said grimly.
Which led to my visit with him today. “Emily, can I just be real with you?” Dr. Duncan asked.
“Of course,” I said, although my hands were shaking uncontrollably. I was nervous beyond anything. After weeks of not feeling good, I knew that something was wrong.
And this was the defining moment. Dr. Duncan was going to tell me the results of all the tests we had been doing.
“Give it to me straight, Doc,” I said. “I’d rather know now than keep pretending that everything is fine.”
“Emily, you have Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. It’s a rare neurological disorder that affects motor skills.
Over time, you may find that walking will become more challenging, and it’s likely that you’ll need some form of mobility support.”
“What is it?” I asked. “Please, explain more. Help me understand.
Please…”
Dr. Duncan smiled sadly. “Sure, Emily,” he said.
“To put it simply, this disease is a group of inherited disorders that cause nerve damage. This damage mostly affects arms and legs, which is why I need you to know that loss of mobility is high.”
I sat there, numb, barely able to grasp the words. I was 29.
I thought I had all the time in the world. I wanted kids, but how could I consider that now? When there was a possibility that I would be wheelchair-bound?
I didn’t know how to process it. And then, the reality of having to tell my husband, Tyler, hit me even harder. How would he react?
And what if he couldn’t handle it? I left the doctor’s room, choosing to walk through the park. I wanted to feel the fresh air on my face.
I wanted to walk through the grass and kick the leaves. I wanted to do the simple things that could be taken away from me in the months or years ahead. That night, I finally worked up the nerve to tell him.
I waited until after dinner, having cooked his favorite meal, hoping to catch him in a relaxed mood. But even as I poured my heart out to him, he was half-watching the football game on TV. “Tyler, could you turn that off for a second?” I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady.
The story doesn’t end here — it continues on the next page.
Tap READ MORE to discover the rest 🔎👇
