On June 28, 2020, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life: to marry my high school sweetheart. By that point, we had been together nine years and had our fair share of life experiences. Between managing a long-distance relationship and starting our careers in the midst of a lot of societal change, we felt like we were well prepared to take on what came next—and initially, we were.

In December 2023, we had our first child. This presented us with a whole new set of challenges. For the first time in our adult lives, we became full-time caregivers. We were now responsible for taking care of this new human who relied on us for everything. Honestly, it was a scary thought—but again, we managed, and now we have a happy and healthy 18-month-old.

As this year began, I initiated the preparation process for jaw surgery to rectify my bite, an issue that has persisted throughout my adult life and resulted in headaches, sleep disturbances, and difficulties with eating. Going into the surgery, I was told that the recovery would be rough the first week, but after that, it would progressively get better. Being a young and relatively healthy person, I thought that meant I would largely be self-sufficient and wouldn't be a burden on those who looked after me, especially my wife. Little did I know, this challenge was poised to redefine my understanding of independence and the incredible strength of shared burdens.

these are x-ray images of my jaw before and after my surgery.

These are images of my jaw before and after my surgery. You can see the difference in my bite along with the new hardware in my mouth.

My wife was immediately thrust into being a caregiver for two individuals while continuing to be present at work. Since I could only take care of myself, she took on the burden of primarily caring for our daughter. She also advocated for me in the hospital when I couldn't advocate for myself. When we came back home, she continued to help me find foods I could eat while I recovered.

As I sit here writing this a month after my surgery, I'm proud to say I've made much progress and am getting closer back to "normal" with each passing day. This wouldn't be possible without the support from my caregiver, Kendall Stegall. Usually we travel for our anniversary, and although we can't do that this year because of my recovery, I'm more excited than ever to spend this special time celebrating the tireless strength of our bond, right here at home.

So as we approach our 5th wedding anniversary, I want to shout out all caregivers who care for their spouses—they truly embody that sacred vow, not just in words on a wedding day, but in the countless quiet moments of unwavering dedication, in sickness and in health.