The fact of the matter is that you never ever expect something awful to happen to you – or your loved ones. Bad things happen to other people, not you. However, the scary truth is that every single day, bad and unexpected things happen to good people. In the blink of an eye, a normal day can turn on its head and change your life beyond recognition. 

If you have the bad luck of being involved in a life-changing accident or suffering from a serious illness that has come with long-lasting implications, you may be wondering what the impact of this will be on your relationship, and how as a couple you can move past what has happened and build a sustainable future together. 

While things may be strange right now, the good news is that there is always a way to move past what has happened. Yes, it might be hard to see a future right now, but you can have one, you just need to understand what it will take to move forward. Bearing that in mind, below are some ideas to help make moving your relationship and life forward, after a life-changing or serious illness, a little easier. 

Photo credit: Pixabay

Be patient, take your time 

One of the most important things when it comes to coping with a life-changing injury or illness is to be patient with yourself and your partner. Change is hard to adapt to, especially when it’s such an unexpected change, so don’t rush the adoption process, take things slow. Understand that perhaps, for a while at least, your relationship may need to be a little different, but that’s okay. Say, for instance, as a result of your accident or illness, you’re now wheelchair bound, a change like that isn’t one that you can simply move past right away. You need time to process what has happened, and so does your partner. 

Accept the change 

The next step is to learn to accept the change and what has happened. Say, for instance, you were involved in a terrible car accident which caused a brain bleed and has left you with significant memory problems. Accepting the fact that you need more support from your partner isn’t easy. For your partner, accepting the fact that you require more support is also difficult. Big changes like this can have a damaging impact on a relationship, which is why it may be worthwhile seeking some professional support to help you both accept, and adapt to, the changes within your lives and relationship. 

Focus on the future

One of the most important factors when it comes to recovery from any accident or illness is making sure to focus on the future, rather than dwelling on what could have been. It’s important to focus on the positives of your situation, such as the fact that you’re still here, because the sad truth is there are 56,800 fatalities in a single year linked to serious accidents – that’s a scary statistic. You might have to adapt to a new way of living, but the fact is that you got lucky because you’re still here. 

It’s not easy adapting after a life-changing accident or illness, but with the right support system in place and a caring partner, it is possible to lead a full and happy life.