I had similar problems with my mother for years before
we knew she had HD. She was never particularly nice
to us, but she became increasingly uncompromising and
even violent. My dad was the only person to intervene
for me, the last kid still living in the house.

The hard part is that as the disease gets worse, your
wife will become less and less reasonable. At some
point, you will have to take full parental control of
your family, including your wife. With my family, my
dad and I became the parent to my mother. It wasn't
easy, but you have to understand that for the most
part, she doesn't see anything wrong with her
behavior. Her brain is changing, and she just doesn't
understand.

Having young kids makes it hard. It's hard to
understand why mom is acting crazy. It was hard for
me. My mom was diagnosed when I was 18, but she had
already had it for a while. She's now 65 and in a
nursing home at end stage care. But you have to try
and explain to your kids, however you see fit, that
she doesn't mean to be this way, she just can't help
it. It won't get easier, I'm sorry to say. But you
can use it as a time to try and strengthen your
family.


> --- lionsntigers02 <lionsntigers02@...> wrote:
> > My wife was diagnosed with HD last October. This
> > diagnosis explains a
> > lot of problems we've had in our family for quite
> > some time,
> > behavioral mostly. We have a 16 yr son, 14 yr
> > daughter, and a 5 yr
> > daughter. There isn't a day goes by when my wife
> and
> > son or myself
> > have arguments about trivial things to things that
> > are very important
> > to my teenage kids. My wife is very controlling,
> > dictatorial, and
> > unbending. We've all been in counseling to help
> iron
> > out problems,
> > which has helped, but it is so laborious. My 14 yr
> > daughter lived with
> > her grandparents this past school year because of
> > the severity of
> > problems between her and her mom. The move was
> > initially because we
> > thought it was our daughter problem, now we know
> > different. She will
> > be returning home for the summer, and wants to,
> with
> > the agreement
> > that she can retreat to grandmas if things get
> > really bad.
> >
> > Sorry about this long intro. I'm a teacher and am
> > not going to work
> > this summer cause I guess I'm expecting the worst.
> I
> > know thats bad,
> > but probably realistic.
> >
> > I walk a fine line, advocating for my kids and
> > supporting my wife's
> > view when it is rational and fair. The latter
> > doesn't happen very
> > often. I want to with all my heart dignify my
> > wife's views and
> > parental rights, but sometimes I just can't. I
> have
> > to advocate for my
> > children!
> >
> > Can anyone give me some advice for remaining sane
> > myself, advocating
> > for my children, and dignifying my wife?
> >
> > Kim



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