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WWYD - husband loosing his grip on things after cancer diagnosis

361 replies

CoCoaButter85 · 10/05/2024 13:01

So husband got diagnosed with prostate cancer and having an operation in a month's time. He is late 40's I'm late 30's. As unfortunate as it is, I thought we discussed, we cried and I thought we were at the place where things were fine.

However, he completely started loosing his mind. Drinking himself into coma, smashed the chair around the house breaking it as well as damaging the floor and just making mess all over While all this time shouting and swearing. He's not engaging with me, responds in swear words. He had similar things happened to him in the past, went and found help and was coping really well until now.

To make matters even worse. He was supposed to do sperm freezing and we are due to have egg collection late next week. I have no idea if any of this is going to happen. I'm certainly going ahead with the treatment and freeze my own eggs if hr doesn't get a grip by then.

I just don't know what to do. Trying to talk to him is pointless. I just keep on carrying on with work and having some sort of normality as all he does just drinks and screams abuse after (not at me, just to the world in general)

OP posts:
Potentialmadcatlady · 10/05/2024 17:21

Why are you so reluctant to ask for help? It won’t be long before neighbours do so I would do it myself first… This isn’t going to go away

LizzieBennett73 · 10/05/2024 17:20

A friend ended up leaving her DH when he was diagnosed with cancer. She couldn't cope with the mood swings, aggression and tried so hard to make it work but just couldn't. The frustrating part is that he was all gloom and doom about dying etc but he's actually doing really well now. He's still very angry though and it's as if he's on a path to self destruct.

Stay well away until he's sober. Your safety is more important than any medication. If you need to, phone your GP or prescriber and explain.

Sahara123 · 10/05/2024 17:17

Please either or both of you contact a Maggies centre - either walk into one if possible, or look up number on their website and call. There is nothing they won’t have heard before and have experience of. Ideally your husband would speak to them , but Maggies are there for you too, please call, they can help so much . They did for me . Even if you don’t know what to say just call or walk in and say that. A Maggies centre is like a big warm hug, a safe place .
As you can tell I love them !

crumblingschools · 10/05/2024 17:14

If this was happening to a friend or a relative what would you advise them to do?

OriginalUsername2 · 10/05/2024 17:14

Apparently you should call 111 in the case of a mental breakdown.

MothralovesGojira · 10/05/2024 17:13

@CoCoaButter85
What is actually worrying you about calling the police?

TraitorsGate · 10/05/2024 17:13

You call 999 and meet them somewhere safe like the garage. Stay inside the garage shop until they arrive. If you see him following you then call 999 from your car. Don't worry about going back to the house, don't go anywhere bear him in the house without the police there. You can go into any shop, pharmacy, bank whatever is open.

OriginalUsername2 · 10/05/2024 17:12

Can you call a mental health team? He sounds like he’s actually having a breakdown. Call someone, anyone. Don’t go back by yourself.

crumblingschools · 10/05/2024 17:11

He could hurt other people, you need to call the police

CoCoaButter85 · 10/05/2024 17:08

He texted me 'go f** yourself and don't come back'

I'm few blocks away but still terrified he can come and find me. I think I will just go get some petrol, have a bite to eat and will think of what do I do next.

He switched off our indoor cameras so I even can't tell when the safe time to come in get my things is. It might have to be police helping me after all.

Right, time to go to a local garage. It will be further away from home so will feel safer as well.

OP posts:
Maddy70 · 10/05/2024 17:06

He is obviously reacting to his diagnosis but that is no excuse to be vile towards you
Hes lashing out and i think he needs some counselling

Go ahead and freeze your eggs with or without him its always a good safety measure

WhenWillTheSunShineIWonder · 10/05/2024 17:04

You honestly need to call the police - I don’t understand why you are so reluctant. Please take the advice of everyone here - this situation is going to continue to escalate and you need to get help.

GinandGingerBeer · 10/05/2024 17:03

Call 999 anyway.
Tell them what he's doing and you've had to flee

CoCoaButter85 · 10/05/2024 17:00

So latest development. He decided to piss people off parking in front of our house and decided to park the car blocking their exit (the ones whose cars he covered with our vegetable bin). Obviously, doing it in a state he is in is not safe. I couldn't put up with it so grabbed my wallet, house keys and garden door key (in case he decides not to let me back in again). And drive the car away. Currently just sitting in a car in a shade thinking what do I do next. (I need the medication so have to come back to the house at some point )

Most of all I need to use toilet so will probably just find where to use that and get some petrol and think where to hide a car nearby.

This all situation is absurd.

OP posts:
GinandGingerBeer · 10/05/2024 17:00

You can text the police op. Make sure you have the correct number just in case you need to do it discreetly

Icantfindanewname · 10/05/2024 16:59

Just received my second, and probably terminal cancer diagnosis. His actions are not understandable. Turn your text message alert off /onto mute on your phone. Text the word "register" to 999, complete the registration by responding"yes" to the text you will receive. If you are afraid of him hearing you, you can now text for help. https://www.relayuk.bt.com/how-to-use-relay-uk/contact-999-using-relay-uk.html?s_cid=relay_furls_emergencysms . It's not as quick as a tel call to 999, but can be useful if you think being overheard is dangerous. It is designed for the deaf or hard of hearing, but I've heard it being recommended when it is dangerous being heard making a call. Get yourself safe, you do not deserve to be in the circumstances you are in.

Contact 999 using Relay UK - How to use Relay UK | Relay UK

We'll show you how to contact the emergency services by calling 18000 via a relay assistant or texting a message to 999 using our eSMS (emergencySMS) service.

https://www.relayuk.bt.com/how-to-use-relay-uk/contact-999-using-relay-uk.html?s_cid=relay_furls_emergencysms

plasq · 10/05/2024 16:53

If he is destroying the place with a baseball bat you need the police now. Email a work colleague to ask them to call 999 for you or call 999 yourself from your mobile and press 55 when prompted if you are unable to speak.

TheTartfulLodger · 10/05/2024 16:50

People must surely understand this isn't a one size fits all? People are saying they have cancer too but are not getting drunk as if everyone with cancer should be dealing with it the way they do. They are not OPs husband. Everyone deals with it differently. Sadly the alcohol will probably cause even more damage to his prostate anyway.

determinedtomakethiswork · 10/05/2024 16:43

I'm afraid I would be wondering what game he was playing. He knows you can hear him. He knows you will be scared. Is there anyone you can message to come round?

The thing is you don't need to take anything with you, you need to get out. You can get things that you need later. The police can help you with that.

Don't start thinking you need to pack everything up. That is the riskiest time for you.

MothralovesGojira · 10/05/2024 16:43

@CoCoaButter85
You sound paralysed by him and his behaviour which is unsurprising under the circumstances. You're too afraid to go to the toilet or move from the room you are in because that will draw his attention to you and I'm actually quite scared for you now. Are you able to email a work colleague/boss and ask them to call the police for you right now? What are you going to do when it's time to clock off from work? What happens when he's bored of attacking random objects and notices you? You can't rely on him passing out.

SerafinasGoose · 10/05/2024 16:41

When a member of the family is diagnosed with cancer, whatever the circumstances, it's a terrifying proposition. That your DP is losing it and probably frightened to death is understandable but not excusable.

Your priority right now is your immediate safety. You need to get yourself to a safe place. Your DP needs urgent mental health treatment, help and care, but this can be sorted once you're safe.

A year ago I was the wife in this predicament. My DH was diagnosed with this cancer; thankfully, like your own partner's situation, it was early stage and hadn't broken out of the prostate. In these circumstances the prognosis is better even for those patients who, like our respective partners, were diagnosed young. It was invasive: there was no question of a 'watch and wait' approach.

This is all good news but the road ahead won't be easy. A radical prostatecomy is brutal. The proposition is is terrifying, the recovery long, and the possibility that this may permanently damage your sex life - or at the very least take a couple of years to resume it - is not appealing to most people. At that juncture, the only thing I wanted was my husband alive and if that meant we never had a physical relationship again, it was a price I'd willingly have paid. After that, there's a PSA test every three months and the wait for the results is excruciating. You live constantly with the fear of it coming back, hard though you try to put it on the back-burder and resume your life.

All this is major stuff. I don't want to excuse his behaviour - it's unconcionable whatever the cause - but the PP above makes a good if seemingly harsh point that it's not helpful to pretend everything's now fine. A year on, my DH has now been referred for psychotherapy, as it's my belief he's traumatised by what was in anyone's language a terrifying, not to mention painful, experience.

I feel for your partner enormously, I really do. But whilst it's harsh to say, you can't even begin to go through all that with someone unless he also shows willing and seeks treatment for his MH issues and alcohol abuse. It's a hard enough road to travel without those toxic issues thrown into the mix. If you decide you can't do this I doubt anyone would blame you, but whatever the situation that decision should be yours alone. Don't capitulate to any attempt at outside pressure.

Very sorry you are going through this Flowers

crumblingschools · 10/05/2024 16:41

So have you had to put up with this sort of behaviour before?

CoCoaButter85 · 10/05/2024 16:40

@crumblingschools - not specifically cancer related. It was for him to learn techniques how to deal with stressful situations etc. so not cancer related but he could have used what he has learned .

OP posts:
crumblingschools · 10/05/2024 16:38

Was he having the therapy for cancer diagnosis or something else @CoCoaButter85

CoCoaButter85 · 10/05/2024 16:37

@JanglingJack - I'm afraid you might be right. He is choosing to drink himself into oblivion. And it is a perfect excuse.

If it was just drinking only I would be able to cope. But it's swearing, shouting, running around,. smashing the chair, hitting our house steps and bed with baseball bat. It's scary.

OP posts:
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