husband's cancer has made him nasty

I really hope this doesn;t sound selfish, and the main reason I am posting this is to see if anyone else has had the same experience and if so how they coped, and in fact if they coped, becuase I'm struggling and ready to give up.

We were married only 8 months ago and my husband had his cancer diagnosis six weeks later. a shock of course.  Since then he has been dismissive and cruell and downright nasty.  I have my own medical issue which in no way am I comparing, but following some bad news about that yesterday he has today told me that I am medically trying to 'trump' him and take the attention away from him (even though I haven't told anyone else).  He tells me that I am not nice enough or good enough to look after him and that our relationship has to go 'on hold' until he decides otherwise.  If I try and keeps things 'normal' I'm accused of not caring and if I try and talk about it and see how he's doing I'm drawing attention to it and being a *** about it.  Not once has he bothered to see if I'm ok (I have an elderley mum who needs support, and autistic son and a full time job.  If I say I'm in need of a walk with the dog on my own I'm neglecting him.  He had a procedure two days ago (day surgery) and i genuinely feel that it would have been better for everybody if he hadnt survived the anaesthetic.  There, I said it.  I'm a kind and compassionate person and try and give any help to anyone but being hated and critisized and spoken down to day in day out is very challenging, actually I just want to cry but I'm too busy. Thinking about it he has become an abuser.  If I don't challenge his abuse then I am an enabler.  I'm just wondering if cancer has done this to other men, or if he's just decided to show his true colours?

 

Parents
  • My husband is on his 3rd session diagnosed after a difficult 3 years of constant diarrhoea, and refusing to attend his doctor. Never had a pill in all of his 80 years. So at the time of diagnosis he was no long leaving the house for a year....I was already tired from all the laundry, and cleaning of toilets. I got him to a doctor with the promise of a holiday we couldn't go unless his problem  was sorted.  I was the sole breadwinner in the home being 18 years younger than he.   The diagnosis was a shock.  (We had a period of ten years where we split - but bring very practical got back together. I was his second option, whereas I always loved him.  However. The truth was I took him back as I felt sorry for him and didn't want my children hating me for dumping him) he is of a generation whereby his expectations and demands are that wives must do everything, and I mean everything, yes sweep chimneys, replace roof tiles, lawns, paint house, drill walls you name it, Italian women are slaves to their men!   Fast forward having paid off two failed business ventures of his, sorted his taxes, paid his bank and loans, bought him his cars, second hand not expensive, we have the mortgage paid....hence the hope of a holiday after 15 years of paying bills....Stage 4 lymphoma hits, and all of the associated minding that that involves....including cooking food in the middle of the night, when in hospital not letting nurses wash him, demanding I drive 60 miles a day with fresh food, and clean clothes every day to wash him .....he has become impossible. What has become clear is how much he seems to hate me, yet demands I look after him.  We ended up in hospital together for a week, I had surgery, I walked to his ward every day, and he asked me to wash - I said I wasn't able, he told me to f...off!!!!   He never once asked how I was.  He is angry and every sentence is unkind. We have no good memories because we never went anywhere in our lives, never launched out as there was never any money, only my wage it wasn't enough....   I am ill treated daily and called a '*** ' daily.  I was anxious and shaking today as I am disgusted with myself for accepting this life and how he is towards me now after everything I did for him , I got him two jobs, and set him up in business,  with borrowings I paid back.      (I was Orphaned homeless and penniless at 16 and I just wanted to keep the family together) I think the price was too high, after his first session he was at his lowest, we fought, I didn't care about his cancer, I said everything that should have been said years ago hit and heavy. Today was yet another awful day. I get up telling myself make it memorable, nice, I can't take him anywhere but if the sun is out I'll do lunch in the garden tablecloth and trimmings etc....but nothing works, nothing begets a single kind word, I'm not looking for thanks, but a smile a caring glance, all he does is moan. Whatever he needs or wants I get him, but inside now I'm caught up with emotions of anger, trying to show affection and love to him when I want to scream at him, and all in the knowledge that he never actually loved me, I just paid for his life and wasted mine - and yet I'm still looking after him because no one else will. I also know when he is gone I'll grieve for the man who fathered my children and  whom I could never get to open up to me.  How can I hold myself together until chemo is over and he gets better. 

     

  • I am so sorry to hear what you have been through Maria-amanda and I admire your dedication through the years, that you feel it is your responsibility to look after him as no one else will. However, whilst cancer impacts everyone differently, no-one should experience controlling behaviour in their relationship, or domestic abuse. I know this can be quite a scary term to hear but it encompasses a wide range of behaviours including psychological or emotional abuse. You are literally going out of your way to look after him, you have done so much and it is simply not acceptable that he is unkind to you, that he didn't ask you how you were doing when you had surgery and that in your own words "every sentence is unkind". You have put up with a lot for years and I can't even imagine the emotional and psychological toll this has been taking on you year after year. You can't carry on having all these awful days and being treated in this way when you are doing so much and have in the past done so much to support him not only through his illness but financially too and in so many other ways.

    I think you have been bottling things up so much and for so many years that you would really benefit from talking to someone who has expertise in situations like yours. Simply talking to someone about it will perhaps help you think more clearly too about what to do and how to deal with every day. You can contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. They are free to contact and offer confidential, non-judgemental information and support.

    You can also seek support and advice from Refuge and Woman's Aid, the latter of which have a survivor's handbook that provides practical support and information.

    If you feel comfortable mentioning this to your GP, they can signpost you to local services in your area and offer emotional support to you as well.

    We're thinking of you Maria-amanda. You are such a brave and caring lady, you do so much for your loved ones but it's important that you focus on your wellbeing too and find peace and happiness.

    I really hope this information can help and I will now let our members who have been through something similar come and say hello and share their experiences with you. You are not alone as sadly many members of our community have been through something similar and it can help to talk to someone else here who understands. 

    Best wishes,

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

Reply
  • I am so sorry to hear what you have been through Maria-amanda and I admire your dedication through the years, that you feel it is your responsibility to look after him as no one else will. However, whilst cancer impacts everyone differently, no-one should experience controlling behaviour in their relationship, or domestic abuse. I know this can be quite a scary term to hear but it encompasses a wide range of behaviours including psychological or emotional abuse. You are literally going out of your way to look after him, you have done so much and it is simply not acceptable that he is unkind to you, that he didn't ask you how you were doing when you had surgery and that in your own words "every sentence is unkind". You have put up with a lot for years and I can't even imagine the emotional and psychological toll this has been taking on you year after year. You can't carry on having all these awful days and being treated in this way when you are doing so much and have in the past done so much to support him not only through his illness but financially too and in so many other ways.

    I think you have been bottling things up so much and for so many years that you would really benefit from talking to someone who has expertise in situations like yours. Simply talking to someone about it will perhaps help you think more clearly too about what to do and how to deal with every day. You can contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. They are free to contact and offer confidential, non-judgemental information and support.

    You can also seek support and advice from Refuge and Woman's Aid, the latter of which have a survivor's handbook that provides practical support and information.

    If you feel comfortable mentioning this to your GP, they can signpost you to local services in your area and offer emotional support to you as well.

    We're thinking of you Maria-amanda. You are such a brave and caring lady, you do so much for your loved ones but it's important that you focus on your wellbeing too and find peace and happiness.

    I really hope this information can help and I will now let our members who have been through something similar come and say hello and share their experiences with you. You are not alone as sadly many members of our community have been through something similar and it can help to talk to someone else here who understands. 

    Best wishes,

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

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