Sunday, October 19, 2008

Anger management

The husband of a dear friend of mine has Parkinson's and the progression is limiting what he can do more and more. My friend told me that she finds herself getting so mad that her husband can't do even simple things (like the dishes) anymore...not just irritated mad, but raging mad. She asked me what I thought she should do and I said, "Don't expect anything from him anymore."

I was talking with H the other night and somehow we got onto the topic of anger, my anger. He's pressing me, what am I so angry about? "That I lost my partner, my lover, that I'm exhausted from all this." "Well," he says, "you can't be so angry and still love me. You better talk with your therapist about this (he's yelling now and goes on for about 5 minutes in a rage)." Everytime I try to say something, he cuts me off and yells louder.

He's screaming now about how our relationship isn't what it could be, should be and that this is my fault. I tell him that he's living in a fantasy world...out relationship has changed, period. More yelling, "You're the one living the fantasy...you go off to work everyday, make money, have somewhere to go...I'm hear all day, alone." He's crying now.

Don't expect anything from him anymore. Don't expect him to understand.

H's has been having dreams with lots of crying, he says. And lots of yelling. I'm not in those dreams.

Next month I'll be travelling for a week and H will be visiting family for two weeks. So, for ~3 weeks I won't see him. I need to get used to him not being in my life both literally and figuratively. It will be a very welcome break.

1 comment:

ChickPea said...

I hope the dreams may prove a vehicle for allowing H to move forward. And I hope you both benefit from the imminent time apart. Mr ASM - trust your insights, cherish your love - have a great trip.