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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:
MothralovesGojira · 10/05/2024 16:00

That's good news @CoCoaButter85
You are in a highly dangerous situation but it's also very worrying that he's taken it outside as well. It is quite possible that he's been seen and reported by someone else already so the police may turn up so be prepared and do not, whatever you want to do, cover up for him. He needs professional help now.

TraitorsGate · 10/05/2024 16:01

You don't need to pack much, just personal things, change of clothes which you can do now and put in a cupboard. If the police and ambulance come it may be him that's removed, you may not need to leave. why can't you go downstairs at the moment.

gamerchick · 10/05/2024 16:04

Next time he picks up something like a bat and starts smashing stuff up. Ring the police to come and take him. They'll take him to a place of safety until he calms down.

iambrianandsoismywife · 10/05/2024 16:10

Yes - Cancer diagnosis is scary

I've just had one - and been given a small chance of survival

does that give me the right to abuse people, and threaten/smash things?

no it doesn't.

get out as soon as you can.

this is being used as an excuse for being a complete barsteward

determinedtomakethiswork · 10/05/2024 16:12

You need to email a trustworthy friend and tell them to call 999. You need an ambulance and the police but definitely the police before the ambulance.

You need to lock yourself in that room somehow. What a horrible situation for you. You must be terrified.

Halfheadhighlights · 10/05/2024 16:15

CoCoaButter85 · 10/05/2024 15:54

I did call his gp in the past (he had mental health crisis in the past but no so extreme) and he later blamed me for ruining his GP record by doing this.

Thank you for all the suggestions. Good to know police can help me while I pack.

Sorry I am just catching up with the updates. Hope you’re ok, you’re doing the right thing xx

TeaGinandFags · 10/05/2024 16:17

You're doing the right thing, OP.

Tell us how you're getting on as we're right behind you and want to know that you're safe.💐

ChangeAgain2 · 10/05/2024 16:29

I would do the egg collection and freezing but I wouldn't inseminate them with his sperm. If you have frozen embryos you need both consent to their use. If you're leaving then inform the clinic that he might make a scene because he'll know where you are and at what time.

I'm sorry youre feeling unsafe. I think you need to prioritise what stuff is important like your ID and sentimental to get. The rest of it can be replaced. You just need to get out safely.

CoCoaButter85 · 10/05/2024 16:31

At home in my office in front of my laptop. I'm not sure why but he's not coming to engage with me. Just seems to be keeping me out of all this. It doesn't help that in our house you can hear everything (it's not even that I can go to the bathroom easily because he will hear it and will come after me).

I take into consideration everything that has been said but I really prefer to leave at night/early hours in the morning when he cannot hear me. And if comes to worst will simply call police to help me get out of here.

Plus I need to pack at least fr a week or so as no idea when will be able to get back and take with me all IVF medication.

Arrggh.. it's such a shitty place to be. He was doing so well. Raising money for charity, he was working well with his therapy course and all of a sudden everything can be just wiped away. Running around the house like a lunatic. At least he's not doing anything to me/ just letting me be instead

OP posts:
CoCoaButter85 · 10/05/2024 16:33

@GoawaySunrise that's exactly what he's doing. He acknowledges that and a big part of his therapy was exactly that. To help him with it. But it clearly hasn't worked. Or he simply has chosen for it not to work

OP posts:
Zanatdy · 10/05/2024 16:35

Please get out of there as soon as he falls asleep. Pack a few essentials and keep safe. Do not stay in this situation a second longer than you need to

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:
crumblingschools · 10/05/2024 16:38

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

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:
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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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 17:03

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

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.