I came home one day and found my wife naked and paralyzed on the bathroom floor, picked her up, dressed her and rushed her to the hospital. This was two years into our relationship and has since grown into more health issues than can be imagined. We have now been together over sixteen years and her health has only deteriorated with degenerative disc disease having had five spinal surgeries, pulmonary sarcoidosis, a blood clotting disorder, cardiomyopathy and trigeminal neuralgia. She constantly says to me that I didn't sign up for this with her being ill and having so many limitations placed upon our relationship. However, drawing upon this experience is what inspired me to write of the unyielding commitment shown between the two main gay characters in "Barstowe." I trust that you will be able to imagine the pains experienced by Aaron and Doug as you read forward which show a direct parallel to my own relationship. Now, imagine that I am actually gay and married with a husband.