Remember your vows: you have promised to love each other for richer or for poorer, in sickness or in health, and so forth till death do you part. Marriages don’t have to end when one of the partners is sick. In fact, such challenges should make your bonds stronger and deepen your feelings for each other.

Understand your partner’s condition.

You may not be the one who’s sick, but it’s important that you understand what your partner is going through as well. Know what the effects of his condition are. Diabetes, for instance, may prohibit your partner from excessive exertions as this may lower his blood sugar levels to a critical point. Similarly, it requires your partner to watch his or her diet carefully as some foods could also make his blood sugar levels reach a dangerous point.

It’s virtually the same with people suffering from hypertension or high blood pressure. They have to avoid fatty and oily foods. They need to practice anger management as well since one major outburst or two could lead to a minor stroke or something worse.

You need to try to put yourself in your partner’s shoes in order to understand what kind of impact his condition has made in his life. This way, you’d be more understanding when your partner has sudden mood swings or is not as energetic as before. Even medication alone could take a toll on your partner; it could make him irritable, tired, and sleepy all the time.

Your partner must understand your position as well.

Marriage is always about give and take so your partner must understand that his or her condition is affecting both of you. You’re not the only one who should exert effort in being understanding. Your partner should do the same for you as well.

There may be times when you’d feel irritable, tired, and depressed as well because of what’s going on in your marriage and your lives. Your partner should not resent you for these times. It doesn’t mean that you’re giving up on your marriage. It simply means that you’re human, too, and that you can’t always be happy and positive.

Both of you must help and support each other in these trying times.

Learn from other people’s similar experiences.

Your partner’s doctor can give you advice on what both of you must do to cope better with your partner’s condition. A doctor’s role isn’t just about curing sickness in the body. He’s also there to provide the emotional support you need in order to understand and manage with whatever disease it is that you’re battling against.

Your doctor may also refer you to various support groups that you could join. Through these groups, you have the chance to meet other couples who are going through the exact same thing. These couples may have had a longer time to accept the situation and may then have concrete, valuable, and time-tested advice to give you.

Take the courage to be open with them and both of you will have more chances to learn from the mistakes they’ve committed and avoid doing the same.

Enjoy life.

Sickness should not prevent you and your partner from enjoying life. If anything, it should give both of you a better sense of appreciation of how wonderful life is. So take the time to start enjoying the little and big things. Learn how to take pleasure in each other’s company, the many things you can do with each other, and everything else around you.

Invite friends over.

Sickness has a way of isolating people. Because you’re the only who feels it and no one else, it’s easy to think that you are alone in what you’re going through and that no one will want to be with you because you’re difficult to deal with.

You have to prove your partner wrong. Show him that his relationship with his friends and colleagues hasn’t and doesn’t have to change just because he’s sick. Show him that his friends still care for him. Prepare a lovely dinner for his companions. Think of games that would interest your partner and won’t make him feel like an invalid.

Have faith.

It doesn’t matter what your religion is. A lot of people take comfort from simply believing in a greater power, one that can give you hope, inner peace, and contentment. If you and your partner are religious or particularly devoted then by all means, use prayers and join religious activities to find the answers that you’re seeking for.

Ask for professional help.

Married couples who are about to divorce aren’t the only ones who can ask for professional help. You and your partner can seek for help as well if you need an expert to provide an objective perspective about what you’re going through. Counselors, therapists, and the likes will help the two of you become more open with each other and make your partner’s condition more manageable.

Don’t forget romance.

A sexless marriage doesn’t have to be on the cards until your doctor tells you it is. If he doesn’t then maybe you and your partner just have to be more creative than usual in order to enjoy physical intimacy. If intercourse is too much to ask then there are other ways to enjoy each other’s bodies, don’t you think? Also, don’t shy away from using toys, devices, and whatever accessories that catch your fancy. Surely you two could use a little fun right now.

Then again, be sure to invest some time and effort in making things romantic for both of you. Take time out just to have a dinner date with the two of you alone, talking about the old times over a nice glass of champagne. Surprise your partner with little thoughtful gifts that will remind him of your love.

Of course, all of these can only work if both of you are truly committed to each other. Hopefully, it’s not yet too late to try making things work out between the two of you again.