Sex When You’re Sick

Sexuality experts around the world agree that sexuality is an important part of quality of life. They know this because men and women tell them that this is so. For most of us, sexuality may not be the most important factor in our lives, but when it is threatened, we notice that something important has gone out of our lives. Challenges to our health are inevitable and with ill health comes a change in quality of life. If we are lucky, this change will be temporary and minor. If we are not that fortunate, we will have to learn to live an altered life.

This book has two sections. In the first the basics of human sexuality are described: how things work and how we grow as sexual beings across the lifespan. The second section describes different illnesses and how they alter or threaten sexuality. The chapters in this section contain the stories of men and women who have the condition under discussion. These are not real people but are instead composites of individuals and couples that I have counseled over the years. Each chapter tells their stories and what happened when they tried to seek help or just ignored what was going on. You will meet their partners and family members, all of whom are affected by their illness, surgery, or injury. For each chapter and the sexual problems highlighted by the stories, solutions are presented. There are some happy endings, but for many, sexual problems persist and may eventually harm the relationship of the person.