Friday, December 01, 2006

Quandry

Today I've been thinking about what direction my life is taking. The image of "driver or passenger" kept running through my mind. As in, am I in control of my life or am I being driven along where life takes me? I am clearly at a crossroads, and I don't know how to proceed.

My husband was extremely ill last week, yet he continually denies me the right to share my concerns with anyone other than him. He yelled at me again this evening that I completely destroyed his privacy by talking to people (his office, his family, my family) about his being hospitalized with something other than pneumonia.

He claims he can no longer tell me anything because I blabbed his personal business to everyone. Yes, I did. I called his nurse to ask for her help in knowing what was happening with him in the ER. The nurse notified his partners, and they scaled back his schedule. He screamed about that. I blabbed to his family, telling them we couldn't join them for Thanksgiving as planned because he was in the hospital. Now, they're inquiring about his health and blood pressure, and he feels violated. I blabbed to my family because they're my family, and I know they'd do anything they could to help me. He told me he'd call from the ER. I was supposed to go home and wait by the phone for my husband to call me and tell me what to do. What if, G-d forbid, the worst happened? I would still be sitting by the phone waiting for a call that would never come. I did what I thought was right, and now he's punishing me for it.

Am I supposed to be the mindless, brainless, automaton, Stepford Wife that he can control? Or, am I supposed to trust my gut feelings and do what I think is right? My guts have never steered me wrong, but they might just break my heart. He thinks he's lost control of his schedule because I asked his partners for help. How would his schedule have been affected if he was hospitalized for a massive, debilitating heart attack, instead of pneumonia and other problems? Why is he blaming me for his failure to take care of himself?

The soundtrack in my head is playing an obscure little song by Mary Chapin Carpenter:

"The Bug"

Well it's a strange old game you learn it slow
One step forward and it's back you go
You're standing on the throttle
You're standing on the brake
In the groove 'til you make a mistake.

CHORUS:
Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're a fool in love
Sometimes you're the Louisville Slugger
Sometimes you're the ball
Sometimes it all comes together
Sometimes you're gonna lose it all

You gotta know happy – you gotta know glad
Because you're gonna know lonely
And you're gonna know sad
When you're rippin' and you're ridin'
And you're comin' on strong
You start slippin' and slidin'
And it all goes wrong because

CHORUS

One day you got the glory and then you got none
One day you're a diamond and then you're a stone
Everything can change in the blink of an eye
so let the good times roll before we say goodbye because

Sometimes you're the windshield
Sometimes you're the bug
Sometimes it all comes together baby
Sometimes you're a fool in love
Sometimes you're the Louisville Slugger
Sometimes you're the ball
Sometimes it all comes together
Sometimes you're gonna lose it all

These days I feel like the bug, the ball, and that I'm losing it all.

5 comments:

Francesca said...

I wish you courage as you find your way out of the quandry. I really wish that life were simpler, that people were too. I suppose it would be less interesting, but I think I'd be willing to trade a little interest for a little smoothness.

While I vaguely understand where your husband might be coming from, you did nothing wrong (as you clearly know). Perhaps as he gets better (as I hope he is) more things than just his health will improve.

It's a powerful song/poem. But you're far far from buglike.

BunnyBubblette said...

Alto, of course you needed to talk to people about it and ask for help! You can't be expected to just carry on like nothing's wrong when something like that is happening. Maybe your hubby feels out of control because he's a doctor and doctors are not supposed to get sick?

Heather said...

Yikes. His reaction seems harsh from someone who knows neither of you. If my husband were in the hospital I'd be worried sick and lean on others for support. I wonder if he's reacting that way because he too is scared?

Anonymous said...

I feel for you -- we went through something similar. Its tough to dance the dance of self care and maintaining spousal privacy. I am glad you took care of yourself and sorry you had to experience the wrath.

Mary said...

A *moment* in his defense (and that's all he gets). I wonder if he's a bit nervous about all that has happened, and feels that lashing out at *you* gives him something to control, since he might feel as though he can't completely control his health.

And, of course, after about 2.5 seconds, anyone would realize that NOBODY ain't gonna "control" alto2 :}.

And you can always remind him that *YOU* aren't a health care professional and *YOU* never had to sign a HIPPA (or whatever that is) agreement so you can say whatever you want, whenever you want.