By Kim Vuong, PRC-Saltillo Blogger
I was in a disabled social group and I filled out a form to meet new friends. The process took about two years before I was able to receive the letter, because I moved several times and they didn’t know how to contact me.
Then, out of nowhere on February 10th 1998, I got a letter from a guy named Brian, who introduced himself to me. I had no idea that would become my best friend and boyfriend. I still have the letter. I suggested that he come by to visit, and he did, that same day, even though it was raining. We had a great time, and it turned out that he was the right guy for me, the one who would love me and keep making me laugh. That was 24 years ago. Amazingly, he’s still doing it.
It’s not easy to maintain a relationship for nearly a quarter of a century, and we’ve had our ups and downs. But Brian always has been there for me, at times when I really needed someone who could be strong, loyal and unrelenting in his love.
For example, 18 years ago, my extremities all went numb. Brian took me to a doctor, and we discovered that I had a dangerous spinal disk compression and that I needed surgery right away. It was even scarier when I went to see a neurosurgeon and he told me that he would have to go through the front of my neck to fix the problem. Fortunately, I was able to get a second opinion, from doctors at the University of California Irvine hospital, and they told me they could go though the back of my neck, which seemed safer to me and less disfiguring. I chose them, and went for the surgery, with Brian’s support and encouragement.
After the surgery, I was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital. Brian came to see me every day over the next month or so. After that, we went home, and I started on physical therapy there—only to have a mishap that required another operation. I developed a dangerous blood clot, and had to spend time in in the intensive care unit, sedated and being fed through a tube because the doctors were worried that I might aspirate. Brian came after a long day at work to see me. He was there and when I was stable enough I went to another rehab for one month. I had to learn how to eat again and walk again. He stuck with me through it all. It must have been very hard for him, but that didn’t stop him.
But the thing about tough times is when you get through them and support one another, your love gets stronger, and you enjoy the good times more. We’ve had plenty of good times, too. We love to travel, and we’ve been to Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, Belize and other places. We’re big baseball fans, and go to games and spring training and have a great time. But mostly, we just enjoy each other’s company, as much as we did on that rainy day so long ago.
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