The Marriage of Joan and Bob

posted by Michele Olson

What do you mean when at your wedding you say; “for better or for worse, till death do us part.”

Those words have great meaning for Joan and Bob Waldusky. Joan is 49 years old and lives with her husband Bob in Menasha, WI. She has a terminal disease called Huntington’s chorea which causes symptoms like involuntary body movements, impaired neurological activity and frequent falls. In addition, Joan’s condition is heightened because of pre-existing disabilities from an auto accident. She can no longer attend to her own needs like personal care or meal preparation. Her husband Bob has temporarily retired to become Joan’s full-time care attendant so she can live her life to its fullest in a loving home environment. Mobility issues now require Joan to have 24/7 monitoring for personal safety, and Bob wants to be the one to provide it for her.

Why is all of this on a thinkmarriage.org blog?

Maybe because Joan and Bob’s story will make us all stop for a moment and think about our own commitment to the healthy relationships in our lives. Maybe we’ll think about the fact that healthy relationships don’t necessarily mean “bodily health.” Joan and Bob are Myth-Busting Marriage Champions who live out what it means every day to incorporate good communication and conflict resolution skills into a less than ideal situation.

Their vision is even bigger than the two of them. There is going to be a Benefit and Spaghetti Feed coming up on Sept. 22nd, from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm at the National Guard Armory, 2801 W. Second St. in Appleton, WI. The monies raised in this benefit will be used for care and expenses not covered by medical assistance, to improve their housing situation to make it more handicapped accessible. And here’s an insight into how Joan and Bob think;
“Joanie’s Huntington’s House” will eventually become part of the Joan Waldusky Foundation and serve as a fully furnished temporary hospice to couples facing terminal illness.

To donate to monies, building materials, craftsmanship, auction/raffle items or help at this upcoming non-profit event, contact Bob via email at rwaldusky@new.rr.com, or call 920-558-4117. You can also contact the Community Benefit Tree, the fiscal non-profit partner handling the funds at: http://www.communitybenefittree.org/

For the next few weeks when we think about marriage, let’s think about dear people like Joan and Bob Waldusky and the kind of example their commitment and love is to all of us.