A man on Reddit shared a painful story about his wife, who was told she had only nine months left to live. The couple had been together for a decade, and he described how devastated he felt as he tried to make her final months as comfortable and meaningful as possible. Doctors warned that her condition would worsen quickly, first limiting her mobility and then leaving her bedridden near the end.
In the middle of this difficult time, she made a request he never expected. She asked if she could be intimate with a former partner one last time. The man wrote that her question shocked him and left him deeply hurt. She explained that the relationship had been physically satisfying, even though she said her emotional connection with her husband meant more. For him, the explanation only made the situation more painful.

He described feeling torn between honoring a dying wish and protecting his own dignity. He said he felt pressured to agree because of her condition, yet the idea of granting the request felt like a betrayal. The thought that she still longed for an ex left him questioning their relationship at the moment he needed clarity the most.
Reddit users responded strongly. Many called the request disrespectful and said her illness did not justify placing him in such a painful position. Some even suggested she live out her remaining time with the former partner if that was truly her wish.
The man ended his post by saying he felt overwhelmed and unsure of how to move forward. His story captured the emotional strain many families face when illness forces them into decisions they never imagined.