A Post in Honour of my Husband on Father’s Day.

Sadly, but not entirely surprising, Matt won’t be here to celebrate Father’s Day this year; his shift-work has kept him working so hard. By the time he comes home, it will be 21 days of the twelve (plus) hour shifts he has been working, with only a single day off in the midst of it.

I wanted to write this because I am the one in the limelight most of the time. I admit-- I put myself there with having a blog and all, writing from my point of view, and usually about me. You all know how I am feeling: physically and emotionally; what goes on in my life on any given day, and how hard this disease has been on me. But there is one who goes without credit, and I think I ought to give credit where it is due.

Anyone who has met my husband can tell you from even the briefest of encounters that he is friendly, humble, kind, genuine, and hard working. (And yes, even in the briefest of meetings you will recognise the latter; he does not stop “pitching in”, wherever he may be!)

When we went down to the States, and we got the boys tested, Matt came back positive with Bartonella: “Cat Scratch Disease” (that can be contracted from a cat, like he did, or from a tick, like I did ). Only some of the very closest to him have seen how this has slowed him down. No one else would believe that it has. As a matter of fact, our neighbour friends just asked the other day when Matt was going to start his treatment. They were so impressed that he had been caring for us so hard while he was sick. They were SO surprised to hear that he has been in treatment all this time; Herxing, working, and coming home to care for Jack and I through it all.

I had a friend ask me the other day how I would do this on my own, and my answer was: I couldn’t. Without Matthew, I would have been dead a long time ago. He literally does EVERYTHING for me: from providing financially, to organising my doctor’s appointments, to compiling spreadsheets of the supplements and drugs I am on so that he can fill a week’s worth of dosettes that I may have every last pill correct. He is responsible for the roof over my head, the food I eat, the medicine I take, the caregiver I have, and best of all, most important of all—my inspiration to fight: our son. His job goes beyond being a “single parent”; beyond caregiver; beyond hard-overtime-working employee. He is more than my coach; my nurse; our housekeeper; our cook. More importantly than being my advocate; my memory; my rock; he is my husband, and the most WONDERFUL father to Jack.

If any of you wonder how I can manage this fight, it is because God gave me Matthew; and together, they gave me our son, and the four of us, well, we can’t be beat.

This is for my unsung hero. My Knight in Plaid Armor ;) The man behind it all. You are such an incredible example for so many, and Jack is so fortunate that you are his example of a father. He is blessed to have a man like you, fighting for his mommy, and for him, everyday of your life. And I am too.

Happy Father’s Day, Matthew. We love you with all our hearts <3 <3

xoxo

Kate   & Jack

 "For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." Genesis 18:19