After the trauma, emotional exhaustion

Last week I wrote that my husband and Lovefraud co-founder, Terry Kelly, suffered a heart attack. I am very happy to report that Terry is doing really, really well, all things considered.

After being unconscious for a week, he finally woke up. The next day, the doctors took him off of the breathing machine. He’s now in a regular hospital room, rather than intensive care. He’s eating, drinking fluids and sleeping when he’s not coughing himself awake.

Terry has started taking walks down the hospital corridor, assisted by a walker. His feet don’t quite move the way they should, and he has some balance issues, although each day gets better. We hope he’ll soon be moving to a rehabilitation hospital, where he can build his strength.

I am happy and grateful.

Still, I am emotionally exhausted.

First there was the shock of the heart attack, and the very real possibility that he might not survive it. Then the decisions I had to make, with life-or-death consequences literally. Then days spent with him while he was unconscious, talking to him and holding his hand, to provide sensory stimulation to his brain. Then, once he woke up, staying on top of his medical care there were some glitches, requiring me to be forceful.

So for the past couple of days, when I came home from the hospital, I just wanted to collapse in front of the TV and watch mindless movies.

Obviously, my attention hasn’t been on my work, so that is piling up. But I find that I sit at my computer and I can’t focus. I wander aimlessly around the house. It’s easier for me to do trivial chores, like filling up the birdfeeder, than what really needs to be done, like paying the bills.

And as I said in my article last week, I’m dealing with a normal life crisis, not the betrayal of a sociopath.

I have plenty of support from family and friends. No one is actively trying to undermine my support by portraying me as a mentally unbalanced, vengeful, scorned woman.

No one is taking me to court, trying to pry the kids away. No one is trying to force me into destitution. No one is threatening my life.

So for all of you who are dealing with the machinations of a sociopath, and feel emotionally exhausted, well, you deserve to feel that way.

In this article, I’m not offering advice. I am offering empathy as best I can, because as far as I’m concerned, anyone who is still dealing with a sociopath has far bigger problems than I have.

So if you’re feeling tired, or spacey, or like you just want to curl up in a ball, well, cut yourself some slack, at least for a little while. Yes, you’ll have to pick yourself up and deal with it all, but if you want to watch a stupid movie for awhile, I think you should.

Trauma is exhausting. Recovery will take time.

Anyway, thank you to everyone who offered prayers and kind wishes for Terry’s health. With your support, I hope we’ll be back to living our life again soon.

UPDATE 3/10/16

GREAT NEWS!!! My husband Terry is home. He is well on the road to recovery. Thank you to all Lovefraud readers for your prayers and warm wishes.

Love
Donna and Terry