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I am happy to say that as of 7:30am this morning, I brought my partner back home. He was poked and prodded and interviewed and examined by 14 doctors -- yep, 14 of them -- all day yesterday. Another MRI and a spinal tap and other invasive, painful tests. Fortunately, he was under anesthesia for the worst of it.

The hospital staff couldn't have been kinder to me. They never batted an eye that we were a same-sex couple, although I prevented any problems by giving them a copy of our mutual full Power of Attorney, along with a copy of his Advance Medical Directives designating me as the primary decision-maker.

I stayed with him all night, right by his side, sleeping awkwardly in a chair. But at least they didn't ask me to leave when formal visiting hours were over.

You know, if we were legally married, we wouldn't have had to pay an attorney big bucks to have these legal documents prepared. As a spouse, I would have been able to get all the information from his doctors and discuss his situation without question. This is one of the major reasons we are celebrating that our state's House of Delegates passed a civil marriage legislation bill yesterday. That bill now goes on to our State Senate, where we hope it will pass, as well. The Governor has promised to sign the bill into law.

However, the nabobs of negativity have vowed to bring the matter to referendum in the elections this fall, so there is far more work to do. We have to convince our neighbors that if they cannot support the matter, at least don't vote against it. Civil marriage is our civil right -- and has nothing to do with religion.

Now, to catch some sleep. I'm pooped.

Life is short: show those you love how you love them.