Honoring The World's Greatest Husband
This page is dedicated to my husband, Clint C. Asbell, for his unending love and support during my battles with HG.
When I am sick with pregnancy, I can see how it worries Clint by looking at the lines on his face. He prays over me. He will spend a small fortune in specialty foods, medications, or anything he believes or hopes will help me.
He picks me up when I am too weak to pick myself up.
He is truly the greatest man that I have ever met face to face on this earth. He loves me even when I am a drooling, vomiting, sweating, stinking wreck. :-) He tells me at those times, I am more beautiful than ever because I am doing this for us, for our child, for our future. When I feel weak as a kitten mentally and spiritually, he tells me he admires my strength, my spunky attitude and my love for God and our children.
When I cry because I feel totally whipped and like I can't do another day, he holds me while I let it out. Then, as I fall asleep in the shelter of his arms, he reminds me of God's promises and tells me that tomorrow will be better.
No matter where he is, what he's doing, or how tired he is, Clint comes to me when he hears me being sick. He holds my hair up or puts it into a ponytail holder because he knows how important it is for me to keep it clean. (I hate vomit in my hair!!)
Clint stays with me because he knows I am scared of falling. I nearly fell through a 2 story window one day while he was at work due to being exhausted from vomiting. I heard the glass crack and knew I was a "gonner."
Clint brings me a washcloth and toilet paper so I can clean myself up and blow my nose. He brings me clean clothes when I need them.
He cheerfully, without any complaint, cleans up my vomit. In light of that one fact, I often think he has the worst end of the HG. :-)
Clint puts the suppositories up my rear when I can't. He gives me hydrating enemas when I can't keep anything at all down. That's LOVE.
He bathes me when I am too weak to stand.
He shaves my legs for me because I can't.
When I vomit to the point I wet my pants, he makes a joke out of it and lets me know it's OK, which eases the embarrassment.
While a very mild mannered man and unimaginable to the people who know him well, he has grown angry with and intimidated doctors who failed to treat the HG properly due to their own ignorance concerning the condition. Because of him backing a doctor up to the wall, I was first offered medication! He now goes to every appointment to make sure I am treated well. (I also can't drive due to the meds.)
He runs interference between pushy friends and relatives who expect that I can do all of the things I normally can. Some people just don't get what HG does to you. Some think I am "just making it up as an excuse." When necessary, he tells them to back off and let me rest without interruptions. When nothing else works, he lets them know they are walking on a thin rope.
If I ask him for anything, night or day, he does it willingly, lovingly and cheerfully for me. He never grumbles, never complains.
If I tell him I need him home to help me get the meds in so I can stop vomiting before I end up in the ER, he will come home from work and patiently work to get the needed meds in me until it is done.
I have never, at any time, no matter where or with whom, received care as good as Clint gives to me.
Because of his help, I have found things that help my HG.
Because of his care, I am able to avoid hospital stays for i.v. therapy.
Because of him, I am willing to keep having children. I won't be alone and I will be well cared for, for as long as it lasts.
When I have that need to do something, anything for myself, by myself, he backs off so I can re-establish my independence.
When I get irritated over being so weak and helpless and push myself too far and get into a jam despite his warnings, he never says "I told you so," but helps me back to bed.
When I am frustrated because I can't do things for my children, he reminds me of what I have done for them and that I gave them life.
He does all of this and much more.
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Clint,
You are my God provided rock in this crazy world. With your love and support I feel I can climb any mountain, including the dreadful, often intimidating HG mountain. You mean more to me than any combination of words can express. I admire the person you are and wish to be more like you. I respect you, look up to you and draw strength from the godly man that you are. I am so thankful YOU are the father of my children. I have never met anyone who holds a candle to you.
You truly capture the spirit of Ephesians 5:27-29 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church." Colossians 3:19 says "Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them." and you have never been harsh with me in words or deed.
You have always been tender, loving, gentle, compassionate and nonjudgmental. You work hard and tirelessly to provide for us and you give so much of yourself. Is there any wonder why I and your children adore you? The highlight of all of our days is when you pull up in the driveway and we can be with you again.
While I know you have flaws, I can't see them because as Randy Owens sings in the Alabama song, you are "Close Enough to Perfect" for me.
Thank you for all that you are and do for me and the children. Thank you for choosing me to be your wife. Thank you for having faith in me when I struggle.
Mostly thank you for keeping on lovin' me...even when I am barfy, sweaty, worn out and totally disgusting.
Always,
Your "Dixieland Delight"