42 Years and Going Strong

Not a day when I have doubted my love for this girl. We got to enjoy our 42’nd Wedding Anniversary, while visiting the stunningly rugged and beautiful Mayan towns surrounding Lake Atitlan in Guatemala this past week. A half hour speedboat ride across the lake, got us to the artisan town of San Juan la Laguna, where we had breakfast and I took the photo showing some of the beauty I was enjoying in the foreground as well as the background.

I am so fortunate to have Anne enjoying these adventures as my partner during the last 10 years that we have been travelling, living in, photographing and exploring Central American countries. We were both devistated when Anne experienced a crippling attack on her body when she was in her early 30’s.

Within a couple of years her joints were fusing and back and neck bending and twisting with an aggressive case of ankylosing spondylitis. Where it normally would affect the spine mostly, Anne lost motion in her hips, pelvis, shoulder, neck and back. Within a short period of time the expansion of her rib cage was restricted to less than 1/2 inch from a normal 2 inches that most of us have. The doctors prognosis was that she would probably be in a wheelchair by her mid 40’s. —— And we had all this adventure planned for our life once the kids left home.

Anne decided to make the best of it, and refuses to give in to the lack of agility and the severe pain that she has at times. Her yearly monitoring by her doctor, shows slow advancement compared to the early years of the disease setting in. The doc’s conclusion to Anne for the past few years, is keep doing what you are doing. It must be your attitude and disposition that is keeping you mobile. Of course I am her right hand man, watching for oncoming cars that she can’t turn her head to see, and putting her socks on because she can’t reach her feet, I have to stop as we walk at times - as she catches her breath, especially at the high altitudes we live in. And so we have a pile of fun as long as we are able to do it. Explore, document, climb volcanos, walk endless miles in hilly towns and cities and rough roads each day.

Anyway this is the love of my life as we head on to 43 years of loving and supporting each other.

Submitted by Anonymous

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