This brought tears to my eyes. I saw my dear, late husband valiantly fighting pain and trying not to let me know how much he hurt, so he could be strong for me.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer and we scheduled a mastectomy, I found him kneeling on the floor beside our bed, praying for my life, even though he was a sorta fallen away Catholic.
I had to help him to his feet as even then he was so much in pain that he could not rise on his own, but he loved me enough to try to help me in the only way he could. He never knew how much just being my friend helped me for all our years together.