Pugs4life - New here: my husband just came out to me as transgender

[Pugs4life]

Dear Danielle,

Thank you very much for your understanding why I would be experiencing uneasiness regarding the big changes that are about to take place in Cynthia's transition journey.  I am wondering how it will proceed and turn out for her and for me too. 

Yes, I am planning on going with Cynthia to her consultation appointment.  I think you are right-it may give me some reassurance knowing ore about her surgery plan and procedures.  So much is unknown for me right now. 

We are still both going to therapy. I will be sure to discuss these things and how I am feeling with my therapist at my next appointment. 

Thank you so much for rooting for our success and happiness as a couple. That really means alot.  You are correct-the impending surgery and other procedures is all a work in progress that will take some time to settle into. 

Thank you so much for your care and presence here Danielle.  It means so much to me. 

With love,
Amy

[Northern Star Girl ✅]

 @Pugs4life
Dear Amy:
I have now moved your thread to the Forum's
new Blog sub-forum  "Our Journeys"

"Our Journeys" is a place for Transition specific blogs.
Members can request staff assistance to move their qualifying
blog posts to the "Our Journeys" sub forum.
 
    Susan's Place Transgender Resources ► Blogs ► Our Journeys

Along with your avid Readers and Followers I am eager to read your
continuing story as you feel comfortable sharing.

HUGS, Danielle [Northern Star Girl]
    The Forum Administrator  Direct Email: alaskandanielle@yahoo.com

[Susan ✅]

Amy,

Thank you for such a thoughtful, honest response. I want you to know first and foremost that I hear how hard this is for you right now. Nothing you wrote sounds wrong, selfish, or inadequate. It sounds like someone who is overwhelmed, scared, and still choosing to stay present anyway—and that matters more than you may realize.

I'm really glad you're continuing with therapy and that you already have your next appointment scheduled. The fact that you named this as "heavy to carry" is important, because it is. You're being asked to emotionally reorient yourself while also trying to hold onto a sense of stability, and that's not something anyone does effortlessly. Therapy isn't about fixing your feelings or making them disappear; it's about giving you room to have them without becoming stuck inside them. You deserve that support just as much as Cynthia does.

I want to gently reflect something back to you. You used the words "try" and "trying" several times in your post. I hear that not as uncertainty or weakness, but as effort. You're repeatedly choosing to stay present even when your nervous system is telling you to pull back. You're overriding fear responses to remain engaged in the relationship and in this process. That isn't small. That's real work, and it costs energy. "Trying" here doesn't mean you're failing—it means you're actively engaging with something difficult.

You've said more than once that you don't feel ready. I want to be very clear about something important: readiness is not a prerequisite for care, truth, or change to exist. Most people don't feel ready before something like this unfolds. Readiness usually comes later, shaped by lived experience rather than arriving as a feeling of confidence in advance. You are not failing because you don't feel ready. You are responding normally to something that challenges your sense of safety and continuity.

When you say you don't want anything to change, that tells me you're grieving—not just future fears, but the comfort of what felt known and stable. That grief doesn't mean you don't love Cynthia or support her. It means you're human. Something foundational feels uncertain right now, and that deserves acknowledgment, not guilt.

I'm really glad you noticed how your fear is being pulled forward into the future rather than anchored in the present. That insight matters. Right now, what is actually happening is still relatively contained: conversations, therapy, information gathering, small physical changes, community connections. None of this requires you to have everything figured out today. You are allowed to take this one step, one feeling, one conversation at a time.

About the surgical consultation specifically: it makes sense that it feels like such a big step. What often happens in moments like this is that the mind collapses the timeline—consultation becomes a stand-in for everything that might come later. But a consultation is a conversation. No decisions are made, no commitments are locked in, no dates are set. It's information gathering, not a point of no return. Even if Cynthia eventually decides surgery is right for her, there are clear medical timelines and requirements that place that well down the road. This isn't next month, and it isn't even imminent. That time isn't about whether this will happen—it's time for you to find your footing as the changes unfold.

It's okay that you don't feel emotionally ready for that step yet. Letting it happen doesn't mean you're endorsing an outcome you can't imagine. It simply allows information to exist, and information tends to reduce fear over time rather than increase it.

You also named something important when you said things feel like they're moving too fast, even though you know logically that they may not be. That tells me you're already holding two truths at once: the objective pace, and your subjective experience of overwhelm. Both are real. Neither cancels out the other. This is a really good place to work with your therapist—especially around the gap between what you know intellectually and what you feel emotionally.

When you go to therapy on February 4th, it may help to bring that tension with you—how to work with the gap between knowing and feeling, how to sit with fear about pacing without needing to control it, and how to hold space for your own feelings without turning them into a problem. Those are exactly the kinds of things therapy is meant to support.

I'm glad you're staying in communication with Cynthia and that you're being honest about struggling while still showing up. That combination—honesty without withdrawal—is the most important thing happening here. You don't have to feel strong. You don't have to feel settled. You just have to keep bringing your fear into the open where it can be talked about instead of silently driving everything.

One last thing I want to reinforce: Cynthia's medical care can move forward on its own timeline while your emotional processing continues on yours. These don't have to be synchronized for both to be valid. Neither has to wait for the other to be "finished" before it's allowed to continue.

This is hard right now. I won't minimize that. But hard does not mean impossible, and it does not mean you're doing this wrong. Keep using your support systems. Keep naming what you're feeling. Keep taking this in pieces rather than as one overwhelming whole.

You are already showing up. That matters. And I'm here with you.

With care, 
— Susan 💜

[Pugs4life]

Dear Susan,

Thank you for hearing how hard this is for me right now.  I do feel scared and overwhelmed.  I need to try to remember when overwhelm hits, to pause and ground myself.  It is my goal to keep choosing to stay present even with the things that I am feeling.  I really am trying to put forth my best effort.  Thank you for pointing out that trying does not mean I am failing but that I am actively engaging with something difficult. 

It is good to hear that it is also not failing because I don't feel ready yet.  I needed to know that I am responding normally to something that challenges my sense of safety and continuity.  The steps that Cynthia wants to take to move forward are real reminders that this isn't theoretical anymore.  It suddenly makes the future very close and very real. 

I had lost sight of the fact that I could still be grieving.  I am grieving the comfort of what felt known and stable.  Grieving the familiar form of my spouse, the plans I had pictured, and for the visual cues that used to signal "home" to my nervous system.  I am also grieving the shape of the future I had expected, the familiar version of Cynthia that I have known, and the life that I imagined for the two of us. 

I really appreciate you helping me to see that my fear is being pulled forward into the future rather than being anchored in the present.  When fear rises, I need to remember to ask myself "Is this something happening now, or is this an old hurt trying to predict the future?".  Thank you as well for helping me to see that what is actually happening right now is relatively contained.  I don't have to have everything figured out today.  I really needed to know that is okay to take this one step at at time, one feeling at a time, and one conversation at a time.  Small steps are the way through. 

It does help to know that consultation is a conversation.  It is information gathering and not a point of no return.  I will try to remember that this is something that will happen down the road and not next month.  I do need to find my footing as the changes unfold. 

I will make sure that I mention to my therapist about the gap between what I  know intellectually and what I feel emotionally.  I have a list of things to go over with the therapist at my next appointment.  I will make sure to put everything on my list that you  mentioned. 

Thank you for showing me that honesty without withdrawal is an important thing happening.  I can certainly try to keep bringing my fear out into the open where it can be talked about instead of silently driving everything. 

I will remember that Cynthia's medical care can move forward on its own timeline and my emotional processing can also continue on my timeline.  Both can be valid.  Cynthia and I are staring at different emotional places.  She is stepping into freedom and I am stepping into unexpected change. 

You are absolutely right-hard does not mean impossible.  That is something important I need to tell myself.  Even though it is hard for me right now, it can be doable.  I will keep using my support systems, keep naming what I am feeling, and try to remember to take this in pieces rather than as one overwhelming whole.  I forget that one bite at at a time is how overwhelming things become survivable. 

I will continue to keep showing because that matters.  I am so grateful that you and everyone here is here with me. 

With love,
Amy

[Susan ✅]

Amy,

I want to point something out, because I don't want you to miss it.

Three months ago, you wrote: *"I don't even know how to begin to process this."*

Today, you just gave yourself this tool: *"When fear rises, I need to remember to ask myself, 'Is this something happening now, or is this an old hurt trying to predict the future?'"*

Do you see what you did there? You took everything we've talked about—grounding in the present, separating fear from reality, giving one thought your full attention—and you built yourself a *real coping tool*. One that actually works when your nervous system is firing and everything feels overwhelming.

And you didn't stop there. Look at what else you're already using:

• "Small steps are the way through. One step at a time, one feeling at a time, one conversation at a time."
• What is the next small, kind thing I can do today?"
• Anchoring new changes to things that haven't moved (her laugh, making coffee together, the ordinary constants)
• Understanding that consultation is information gathering, not a point of no return
• Recognizing that Cynthia's timeline and yours can both be valid without matching

Those aren't just phrases you're repeating back to me. Those are tools you've *picked up and made work* while still scared, still grieving, still unsure.

And then you wrote this: *"Cynthia and I are starting at different emotional places. She is stepping into freedom and I am stepping into unexpected change."*

Amy, that's clarity. You're holding two truths at once—her relief and your grief—without making either one wrong. That takes real strength.

The grief you named—the familiar form, the plans you pictured, the visual cues that used to signal "home"—you're not just feeling that. You're locating it. You're naming it. You're separating it from panic. That's the work.

I need you to hear this: having these tools doesn't mean the fear goes away. It doesn't mean you won't still get overwhelmed. It just means you have a way back when you do. Progress isn't about feeling settled every day—it's about finding your footing as the changes continue to unfold.

I've watched you move from *"I don't want anything to change"* to *"small steps are the way through."* From paralysis to movement. From *"I don't know if I can do this"* to *"hard does not mean impossible."* You're not passively receiving support—you're actively building capacity.

When you go to therapy on February 4th, bring this with you. Show your therapist not just what you're struggling with, but what you've built. The tools you're using. The clarity you're developing. The way you're staying present without demanding readiness from yourself. She'll see it.

You're not behind. You're not failing. You're doing something genuinely difficult with honesty and courage while Cynthia's transition moves forward on its own necessary timeline.

Keep bringing your fear into the open. Keep taking it one step, one feeling, one conversation at a time. Keep using what works.

You're doing this, Amy. Not perfectly. Not without pain. But you're doing it.

I'm here for both you and Cynthia!

With love and care, 
— Susan 💜

[Pugs4life]

Dear Susan,

My sincere apologies for how long it has taken me to get back to you. 

Thank you so much for pointing out the progress I am making and the steps forward I am making.  It sometimes gets hard to see that from the inside.  I try to remember all the things we have talked about and put them into practice.  Sometimes I get so overwhelmed that I forget some things.  That's when I need to slow down and ground myself I think.  I need to keep using the tools that I have even though I am still scared, grieving, and unsure. 

I have to remember that Cynthia and I are staring at two different places and neither one of those is wrong.  It is okay to hold both of these truths at the same time. It just feels like Cynthia may move on without me if I am not ready for the changes to happen yet.  I don't want to get left behind.  How do I keep up with the timeline Cynthia is on for her transition?   

It is good to know that I am doing the work necessary as far as the grief I am feeling.  I know the grief won't happen in any sort of order.  I will move through the 7 steps of grief and sometimes revisit steps as I work through the grief. 

Thank you for letting me know that having the tools doesn't mean that the fear goes away and doesn't mean I won't still get overwhelmed.  I needed to know that.  The tools are to help me find my way back when the fear and overwhelm hits.  I will try to remember that progress isn't about feeling settled everyday  but about finding my footing as the changes continue to unfold.  I sometimes think progress means not feeling the things that I do or reacting in the ways that I do. And sometimes it is hard to find my footing when the changes come.  The ground feels really unsteady sometimes still.   

I still find myself not wanting things to change and having a hard time sometimes putting words to what is going on inside of me and my mind.  "Hard does not mean impossible" is something that has really struck a chord with me.  I am going to put that on my cards. 

I will show the therapist the things I am struggling with but also what I have built.  I will mention the tools that I am using and the clarity I am starting to develop. 

Thank you for letting me know that I am not behind and not failing.  This is something difficult to work through and quite an adjustment.  Sometimes it doesn't feel very courageous but I am trying to remain honest and open.  I will keep doing what I am doing as well as bringing fear out into the open and taking it one step, one feeling, one conversation at a time. 

Thank you so much for being there for both Cynthia and myself.  We really appreciate you and all that you do. 

With love,
Amy

[Susan ✅]

Dear Amy,

You don't need to apologize for taking time to respond. This work operates on your timeline, not some arbitrary schedule. The fact that you're here, engaging thoughtfully with these difficult feelings, is what matters.

I'm genuinely moved by how you're articulating what you're experiencing. When you wrote, "The ground feels really unsteady sometimes still," that's such an honest, precise description. And here's what I want you to see: you're not just describing fear. You're describing skill.

You're noticing when you're overwhelmed. You're naming what's happening. You're slowing down. You're grounding yourself. You're returning to your tools. You're understanding that progress isn't about feeling settled every day - it's about finding your footing again when you don't feel settled.

And you are finding your footing. You're doing exactly what this work requires: continuing to show up, using your tools even when things feel overwhelming, holding multiple truths simultaneously even when that's uncomfortable. That's not failure - that's courage in real time.

Now, let's address the fear at the center of your message, because you said it clearly:

"It just feels like Cynthia may move on without me if I am not ready for the changes to happen yet. I don't want to get left behind. How do I keep up with the timeline Cynthia is on for her transition?"

Amy, that fear is real. And it's not irrational. It's the fear that you'll still be standing in the old world while the person you love moves forward without you.

So I want to gently shift your question, because the answer matters: the way you prevent being left behind is not by trying to "keep up" with Cynthia's timeline - it's by being part of planning that timeline together.

Here's what I mean. Right now, it sounds like you're experiencing these changes as things happening to you - like Cynthia makes a decision, something happens, and you're left scrambling to emotionally catch up afterward. That creates exactly the feeling you described: being behind, being unsteady, being terrified you'll lose your place.

But here's a different framework: what if you and Cynthia sat down together and actually mapped out what's coming? Not vague "someday" planning, but concrete conversations:

• What changes is Cynthia hoping to make in the next 3 months? 6 months? A year?
• Which of those feel most urgent to her, and why?
• Which parts feel most overwhelming to you, and what would help?
• What can you prepare for together before they happen?

When you're part of the planning process, several things shift.

Preparation time

Instead of being blindsided by "this is happening next week," you have time to sit with it. Time to practice using a new name privately. Time to work through your feelings with your therapist. Time to grieve what you're losing before you have to perform being okay in public. You can prepare emotionally instead of reacting in panic mode.

Having a voice in the pacing (within reason)

This does not mean Cynthia can't move forward - her dysphoria is real and matters deeply. But it does mean you can say things like, "I understand you want to go full-time at work. Can we talk about what support I need to handle that? Can I have two weeks to work with my therapist on this first?" Or, "Can we schedule that doctor's appointment after my work conference?" Partnership means both people's needs get considered.

What clarity about partnership looks like (and what it doesn't)

Being part of the planning process does not mean you get veto power over whether Cynthia transitions.

What Cynthia is doing isn't optional for her. This isn't cosmetic. This isn't a whim. And this isn't something love alone makes go away.

Gender dysphoria can be brutal. It can create constant background distress, emotional exhaustion, anxiety, depression - a kind of inner noise that never truly quiets. Some transgender people function for years or decades carrying that weight, but that doesn't mean the suffering isn't real. It often means they've become experts at surviving while in pain.

For many transgender people, transition is not about chasing an aesthetic or reinventing themselves. It's about stabilizing mental health. It's about being able to breathe. It's about becoming functional again. It is often, quite literally, the difference between surviving and living.

Think of it this way. If Cynthia needed surgery for a serious medical condition, you would want to know when it was scheduled, what the recovery would look like, and how to prepare - but you wouldn't try to stop her from getting treatment she needs. And you'd also think about how to support her: what she needs before the surgery, how to be there during recovery, what helps afterward.

This is similar. Gender dysphoria is a serious condition. Transition is the treatment. Sometimes that treatment is urgent.

And just like with any medical treatment, there are concrete ways to prepare yourself and support Cynthia through it - without denying your own feelings or pretending you're okay when you're not.

Before changes happen

• Use your therapy time strategically. When you know a change is coming - say, Cynthia going full-time at work in two months - bring that specific scenario to your therapist and work through the feelings before you're in the middle of it.
• Practice privately. If Cynthia is changing her name, start using it when you're alone together. Let your brain and heart adjust gradually rather than all at once in public.
• Grieve proactively. You already know what you're losing. Give yourself permission to feel sad about it, to miss what was, before you have to be "supportive" in front of others.
• Ask Cynthia what she needs. "What would help you feel supported when this happens?" "What are you most nervous about?" "How can I help?" Sometimes the answer is simply "be there" - but asking matters.
• Plan for your own support. If Cynthia is coming out at work on Tuesday, maybe you schedule coffee with a trusted friend for Wednesday. Know who you can talk to when you need to process.

During changes

• Show up. Go to appointments if Cynthia wants you there. Be physically present for the hard moments.
• Use Cynthia's name and pronouns consistently, especially in public. This is one of the most powerful forms of support you can offer. It tells the world - and tells Cynthia - that you're with her.
• Notice your own overwhelm and use your tools. You don't have to be perfectly calm. You just have to stay present and do your grounding work when you need it.
• Celebrate milestones with her. First time going out in public. First appointment. Legal name change. These moments matter to Cynthia. And your genuine joy for her progress - even while you're grieving - is possible and powerful.
• Be honest about what you can handle. If something is too much in the moment, it's okay to say, "I need a minute," or, "Can we talk about this tonight?" You don't have to perform perfect comfort.

After changes

• Keep doing your grief work. Just because something has happened doesn't mean you're done processing it. The feelings don't have an off switch.
• Check in with Cynthia. "How are you feeling about how that went?" "What's been hard?" "What's been better than you expected?" Transition isn't just about the changes themselves - it's about how Cynthia experiences them.
• Notice what gets easier. Over time, some things that felt impossible become routine. A name that felt foreign becomes natural. An appearance that startled you becomes just... Cynthia. Pay attention to your own adaptation - it happens, even when you can't see it coming.
• Adjust your expectations as you go. What you thought would be devastating might be manageable. What you thought would be easy might be harder than expected. Give yourself permission to be surprised by your own reactions.

And crucially: you don't have to do any of this perfectly.

Supporting Cynthia through transition while doing your own grief work means you'll have moments where you mess up. Where you use the wrong name. Where you cry when you didn't mean to. Where you need space when Cynthia needs connection.

That's not failure. That's being human while doing something genuinely difficult.

The goal isn't flawless support - it's sustained support. Showing up imperfectly, consistently, while taking care of yourself enough that you don't burn out or become resentful.

So what partnership looks like here is not about "if it happens" - it's about "how we handle it," "how we pace it," and "how we protect the relationship while it unfolds."

What is part of partnership is the "how" and "when" within reason. You'll likely be involved in doctor's visits. You'll have voice in scheduling decisions. You can request reasonable timeline adjustments for specific events.

The difference is crucial: collaborative planning isn't about controlling whether Cynthia transitions - it's about both of you having input into how it unfolds practically, while recognizing that the overall direction is medically necessary and not optional.

So when I say "being part of planning," here's what you can do:

• Be involved in scheduling medical appointments when possible
• Know what changes are coming and approximately when
• Request reasonable timeline adjustments: "Can we wait until after Thanksgiving to tell my parents?"
• Say: "I understand you need to do this, and here's what I need to be able to handle it well"
• Ask for conversations before big public changes so you're not caught off guard
• Share what you're struggling with so Cynthia can support you where possible

Here's what you cannot do: you can't say "don't transition," or "wait indefinitely until I'm comfortable," or use your distress to stop necessary medical treatment. You cannot hold transition hostage until you feel perfectly ready, because that day may not come in a neat or predictable way - and Cynthia cannot pause her medical needs indefinitely.

The fear that Cynthia will "move on without you" is real - but the solution isn't slowing her down. The solution is you doing the work to move forward alongside her, being involved in the practical planning where appropriate, while recognizing that some things need to happen on Cynthia's timeline because her mental health depends on it.

You have agency in how you prepare, in some of the scheduling logistics, in asking for what you need emotionally - but not in whether this happens or in delaying things indefinitely.

The ground becomes steadier

Even if you're scared about what's coming, knowing what's coming reduces the constant state of bracing for the next surprise. You can't find your footing when you don't know what terrain is ahead. Planning doesn't eliminate fear - but it eliminates ambush.

You stop feeling like you're failing

Right now you're measuring yourself against a timeline you didn't help create and weren't consulted about. Of course that feels like you're behind. But if you're part of creating the plan together - within the framework of transition happening - then you aren't behind. You're participating. You're working together through something difficult.

Here's what this conversation with Cynthia might sound like:

"Cynthia, I love you and I support your transition. I'm also struggling with feeling like changes keep happening and I'm scrambling to adjust afterward. Could we sit down together and talk about what you're hoping to do in the coming months? I want to be part of planning this with you, not just reacting to it. I think if I know what's coming and we can talk through it together beforehand, I'll feel less overwhelmed and more able to support you through it."

This isn't about slowing Cynthia down - it's about bringing you alongside where possible. And honestly? Most partners in Cynthia's position want their spouse involved in planning. The alternative - where they have to make all these decisions alone and just hope their partner can handle it - is scary and lonely for them too.

You wrote: "I have to remember that Cynthia and I are starting at two different places and neither one of those is wrong. It is okay to hold both of these truths at the same time."

Yes. Exactly yes. And those two different starting places move toward each other through conversation and collaboration. Through repeatedly choosing each other while the world changes. Cynthia's needs are real. Your needs are real. The relationship survives when both get honored - which requires both of you being involved in how this unfolds, while recognizing that Cynthia's medical needs set the overall direction.

You are not behind, Amy. You are not failing. You're doing exactly what's appropriate: feeling your feelings, building your tools, showing up honestly. You're doing grief work in real time while still trying to love someone well - and that takes raw courage.

The fact that you're still scared doesn't mean you're doing it wrong - it means you're doing something genuinely difficult and you're being honest about how hard it is. The tools aren't there to make the fear disappear - they're there to help you find your way back when fear and overwhelm hit.

And "hard does not mean impossible" - I'm so glad that resonated. Put it on your cards. Because you've been proving it true every time you have a difficult conversation with Cynthia, every time you use your grounding tools, every time you show up here and articulate what you're experiencing with this kind of clarity and honesty.

Keep doing exactly what you're doing. Keep being honest with your therapist. Keep using your tools. Keep loving Cynthia. And consider adding one more tool: being part of planning the path forward where appropriate, not just walking a path someone else laid out - while understanding that the destination itself isn't optional because Cynthia's health depends on it.

You've got this. And you don't have to "keep up" - you just have to stay in conversation, do your grief work, and move forward alongside someone you love who needs this to survive and thrive.

With care and respect for all of the hard work you're doing!
— Susan 💜

[Pugs4life]

Dear Susan,

It doesn't feel like I am finding my footing right now.  It really feels like I am moving backwards instead of forwards.  I am almost feeling like I am back at square one again.  Things are very hard for me right now.  I don't feel very courageous at the moment. 

I want to thank you for addressing my fear of still standing in the old world while Cynthia moves forward without me.  I really appreciate all of the information you have given me regarding not being left behind.  You are right-I *am* experiencing the changes as things happening to me.  I feel exactly as you described-Cynthia makes a decision, something happens, and then I am left scrambling to catch up emotionally afterward.  On top of feeling behind, unsteady, and being scared that I am going to lose my place, I need to be honest and say that I feel like this transition is being forced upon me. 

I think being part of the planning may help in what I am feeling.  I think it would be a good idea for Cynthia and I to map out what is coming.  It is hard for me to think about what changes Cynthia wants to make in 3 months, 6 months, a year.  I am still struggling with the changes that have happened.  Any new changes just feels so overwhelming right now.  My therapist said I have to try to move towards accepting the changes.  I honestly don't know how to do that. I am still at the point that I don't want any changes to happen and find I am having an extremely hard time accepting things as they are. 

I really appreciate you explaining why being part of the planning process shifts several things.  It will definitely give me more time to prepare emotionally instead of reacting in panic mode.  I think being able to have a voice in the pacing will help me too.  I need to know that my voice will be heard in all of this.  I understand that it doesn't mean Cynthia can't move forward.  The dysphoria is something that is distressful to her and matters deeply.   May I ask if the distress I am feeling needs to be considered as well?  I know you mentioned that partnership means both people's needs get considered.  I am going to be honest and say that it is extremely hard for me to accept that Cynthia gets to move forward no matter what.  Everything she does affects me and will have a ripple affect on so many things. I am not looking to stop her from transitioning.  I just think I need to be taken into consideration in this. I can't fully understand how the dysphoria affects her.  I know it is something extremely distressful and she has struggled with depression and anxiety because of it.  It is not my intent to stand in the way of her getting what she needs to feel better and be happy.

I honestly have to put some work into seeing this as a serious medical condition that needs urgent treatment/surgery.  I am just not at the point that I can see it that way yet. However, I am open to learning how to prepare myself and support Cynthia through it.  I don't want to deny my feelings or pretend that I am okay when I'm not.  Thank you so much for explaining what I can do before changes happen, during changes, and after changes.  I needed to hear that I don't have to do any of it perfectly.  I know I am going to mess up.  This is all so heavy to carry for me.  I will try to make the goal sustained support and not flawless support.  I think I am doing something wrong because I am starting to feel really resentful right now. 

Thank you for explaining what partnership looks like here.  I am still stuck on "if it happens".  I will try to see it as "how we handle it", "how we pace it", and "how we protect our relationship while it unfolds".  How do we protect our relationship while things unfold? 

I understand there are some things I can do and some things I cannot do.  I am having a hard time taking all of this in though.  I feel like my voice shouldn't be heard in all of this.  My feelings and distress don't matter in this.  Cynthia gets to move full speed ahead no matter what and regardless of anyone or anything.  And that doesn't sit well with me.  I am sorry, I don't want that to come across as harsh.  I just want to be open and honest about what I a feeling and where I am at.  I know I still have so much work to do. 

You are right-knowing what is coming will reduce the constant state of bracing for the next surprise.  It will be easier to find my footing when I know what terrain is ahead.  I think being able to participate and being part of creating a plan together may help.  I will definitely have that conversation with Cynthia that you suggested.  Thank you for giving me the words to say to her.  It does help.  I do want to be alongside Cynthia in this.

Although we are in two different starting places, it is good to know that we are able to move toward each other through conversation and collaboration.  And through choosing each other as the world changes.  Thank you for saying that both of our needs matter.  I needed to hear that.  I needed to know that both of our needs can be honored. 

It sure feels like I am behind Susan.  It feels like for every step I take forward,I take two steps back.  I am trying to do the work necessary though and still trying to love Cynthia well.  It doesn't feel like courage from the inside right now.  I do still feel scared Susan.  This is something very difficult for me.  I will remember that my tools are there to help me find my way back when the fear and overwhelm hits. 

I will try really hard to keep doing what I have been doing.  Sometimes I get tired though.  I will keep being honest with the therapist, keep using my tools, and keep loving Cynthia.  I will definitely consider adding the tool of being part of planning the path forward.  I have to work on understanding that the destination itself isn't optional.  I have to figure out how to move forward alongside my spouse who I love.  I have to work on accepting that this is something Cynthia needs to survive and thrive.  I have much work to do. 

With love,
Amy

 

[CynthiaR]

@Pugs4life

Amy,
    From our conversations I know how much you struggled with this post. I am so proud of you for being so open and honest about your thoughts and feelings. It shows just how courageous you are to not just smile, nod, and not say anything. Continuing to show up, being open, honest, and authentic is how the real work of getting through not just this, but anything, is done.

                      With Love,
                      Cynthia

[Susan ✅]

Dear Amy and Cynthia,

I want to pause and recognize what just happened between you. Amy, you told the honest version of where you are right now — scared, tired, unsure, and overwhelmed. Cynthia, you met that honesty with love and pride instead of stepping back from it. That is partnership in motion. It may not feel graceful, but it is two people continuing to choose each other when things are hard.

Amy, from the outside I do not see you moving backwards. I see someone who has stopped trying to look fine and has started telling the truth about how much this hurts. When that happens, feelings often get louder before they get lighter. Louder can feel like failure, but it is usually a sign that the work has become more real.

Courage rarely feels like courage while you are inside it. If you felt calm, certain, and ready, this would not require bravery. It would just be an ordinary day. The fact that it still feels hard means you are doing something meaningful.

I also want to answer something clearly. Your pain matters. Your fear of losing your place matters. Your exhaustion matters. Even your resentment matters. None of those feelings make you cruel or unsupportive. Cynthia's dysphoria is urgent and medical, and at the same time Amy, your emotional experience is real and deserving of care. Those two truths must live side by side. Recognizing what Cynthia needs does not require you to erase yourself.

I am actually glad you used the word resentment, because resentment usually grows where someone feels unheard, rushed, or like they are disappearing. That is not a character flaw. It is information. Now that it has a name, it becomes something you and Cynthia can work on together instead of something that quietly builds distance between you.

There is also a reality both of you are living inside. Cynthia cannot stop needing to move forward, and you cannot magically be ready faster than you are. So the work of the relationship becomes this: how do we move forward without you losing each other? Cynthia, how do we make sure Amy is included, informed, and emotionally supported while necessary changes continue?

Protecting the relationship usually comes from repeated, ordinary commitments. You tell the truth kindly. You do not punish each other for having feelings. You remember you are on the same team, even on the days when emotions run high. And when something goes badly, you repair it and come back toward each other. That rhythm is what builds safety over time.

Amy, I want you to notice something about yourself. Even while you are overwhelmed, you keep saying you want to be alongside Cynthia. You are trying to figure out how to stay connected while everything shifts. Your compass is still pointed toward love. Cynthia sees that — she said she is proud of you — and that matters.

Cynthia, your reply carried enormous weight. Your wife is doing very hard emotional work. She is going to therapy when she is exhausted. She is naming feelings that make her feel vulnerable and afraid. When she asks to be considered, she is not trying to stop you. She is asking for reassurance that she will not be left behind. Your pride and tenderness help make it safer for her to keep trying.

There is grief on both sides of this marriage. Amy is grieving the life she thought she recognized, and you are grieving the years you carried pain quietly. When each of you can see that the other is grieving too, compassion becomes easier than defensiveness.

Of course you are tired, Amy. Anyone doing this much emotional labor would be. Rest is not failure. It is how people gather strength to continue.

From where I sit, I see a wife who keeps showing up even when she is scared, and a partner who responds to painful honesty with love instead of retreat. I see two people who are frightened and still choosing each other. That is real relationship work.

You do not have to become fearless. You only have to remain reachable — to keep showing up, keep talking, and keep letting Cynthia in. And you both are.

With care and respect,
— Susan 💜