Never to part: Devoted couples share life, death

[Peikko 1,575]

My dad died 7 years ago, my mum, bless her is a very fit and healthy 79, soon to be 80 year old! Maybe she just didn't love my dad enough

[morocco4ever 63]

Or maybe she is not finished with her business here.

Actually I do believe that my mother could have done better alone than my dad. She had absolutely no ability to take care of bills, grocery shopping, taxes, insurances, etc. She was the full time house keeper. My dad handled everything. But in spite of that it turns out that my dad needed her more, not for the material essentials, but for his heart.

[Amby 490]

my great grandma died almost exactly 10yrs after my great grandpa died. every single day of those 10 years she talked about how she wanted to die so she could talk to him again. when we went to visit her she always asked us if we thought it was ok for her to talk to him. they were married for 65 years when he passed away.

[venusfire503 54]

The following link, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26980587 is about a phenomenon that many times occurs when a couple has been married for a very long time; when one spouse dies the other follows shortly thereafter.

From the article:

Dying beside the love of your life and passing into eternity together is the stuff of legends, but it’s also a documented phenomenon among longtime couples.

Studies around the world have shown that the rate of mortality spikes among bereaved spouses soon after their beloved has died.

Would you want that to happen with your SO/spouse if you were to pass away first?

No, unless he really wanted it and would be miserable without me.

When I read this the first time, I read it too quickly, and thought it was asking if I'd want that to happen to ME if HE went first. My answer is, if my children were all old enough to be on their own, then I probably would to some extent. But they're still young right now. Who knows how I'll feel in the future?