If I am slow to acknowledge your comments, please forgive me.  I see them as they come through my e-mail, and it takes me a while to get to my blog.

People with something to sell seem to love my blog.  People who are practicing English as a second language  (and who NEED that practice), seem to find me fair game. The occasional sex-crazed looney comes by, too.  You all know what it’s like.  I read most of those posts, trying to be fair and not discourage someone who might really be interested, but usually the e-mail address makes me decide to delete the comment.

Friends are welcome here, people looking to pass on a virus or sell something are not.

…with a husband who won’t let you help him?

Dear Husband has been ill off and on this week.  There’s a terrible upper respiratory thing going around, and just as it seemed that DH was on the mend and back to his old self, he came down with this dreadful cough.  He wheezes, and coughs, and struggles to breathe and won’t let me help him.  At the very least a cup of hot tea, or hot water, or cocoa…or SOMETHING HOT, would help relax his chest and throat and perhaps help to clear his sinuses, but he refuses.  Even a warm shower would help.

We’re on the edge of my forcing him to visit the doctor, and he won’t like it at all.  But, I don’t think he is showing good sense right now.

I understand that he is an adult, and has the right to make decisions for himself, but doesn’t there come a time when you can tell the choices your loved one is making are not in their best interest?

My husband is half German, half Sicilian.  I think that may be one of the most stubborn mixes of nationalities that exists.  He is very hard-headed.  I’m generally willing to let him make decisions, but when we differ in our paths, he usually wins because he simply refuses to negotiate.  That can get old.

Any suggestions for improving our interaction?