In Sickness as in Health: Helping Couples Cope with the Complexities of Illness

For those who find themselves at the intersection of lifetime love and overwhelming obligation, the right path is often painful and difficult to find. When illness invades the couple relationship, partners ask themselves and each other some really hard questions: "What do I want to do for this person whom I have loved for many years?" "How much of my life do I give up to take care of my beloved?" "How do I sit by my beloved's side and watch her suffer?" While writing In Sickness as in Health, authors Barbara Kivowitz and Roanne Weisman learned through interviews with many couples, as well as with medical, spiritual, legal, rehabilitation and psychological experts, that couples find their own ways to deal with illnesses and catastrophic injuries.

Barbara Kivowitz MSW, is a psychotherapist, organizational consultant, and advisor to several health systems. She has authored articles on couples and illness and on living with pain, one of which was published in Women's Day and another in the journal of the American Pain Foundation.

Roanne Weisman is an award-winning medical/science author of seven trade health books published by McGraw Hill, Harvard Medical School, and Health Communications, Inc. Her feature stories have appeared in Prevention magazine, Country Living magazine, Alternative Medicine magazine, and Body and Soul magazine.