@brit, if a little dog would help, perhaps your husband might agree to take over on the tough days. My schnauzer is 12 years old and very attached to both my husband and me. My dog, Zen, loves to be with me, and now she loves to be with him. I have just learned to deal with her. She knows when I'm hurting. My husband would rather deal with her than me sometimes!! Check out dogs that are service dogs. They are amazing in how they work with people. I saw this demonstrated at a conference for pain patients. I think certain dogs are amazing for "taking our minds off the pain." Just a thought. The dog doesn't have to be trained, unless a person needs special care, i.e. anticipating seizures.