2. Michelle gets diagnosed with Diabetes. Our plans to expand our family were put on hold by her doctor for a year to see if things stabilize only to find out that she might also have some form of Liver disease or possibly Cancer. We find this out in April. Finally, in NOVEMBER we find out that cancer and liver disease can be ruled out - the increase in liver function was related to the Diabetes and has stabilized.

3. I moved my family closer to MY job. It was Michelle's turn to support me this time, having to leave a job she enjoyed to follow me to Springfield. A month after the move my company starts a wave of firings that directly affect my department. I miss the swing of the axe three times in four months while taking more and more crap from my employer for the express privilege of staying employed.

4. We start noticing certain things about our son that don't seem right... a couple quirky behavior patterns, an obvious delay in language development, etc.... We, as responsible parents, become concerned. We're told that "all kids develop at their own pace" and "don't worry. He's a healthy, intelligent child." In December we go to a new Pediatrician who asks if he's ever been tested for ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) or Aspberger's syndrome. Advises us to take action soon. We go to visit my family for Christmas a week later and TWO relatives ask us the same question (both teachers, both having lots of experience with autistic children). We now wait for the school district to set up a battery of evaluations for him and wait to find out what's wrong with our kid. In the meantime my wife and I are in a wicked fight at the moment because I'm not interested in having any more kids after this and she still wants to. Forgiving the fact, of course, that her emergent health issues could be exacerbated by what bearing a child does to one's body, she's not all that concerned. Apparently the notion of me being a single parent is far more appealing to her than to me. Thanks, but I'd really rather not go there. I do not wish to become what my mother was dealing with raising me alone.

Needless to say, in the past year having to look at the possibility of losing my wife whom I love dearly, having to come to grips with the fact that my perfect little angel may need a few dents banged out of his halo as well as the emotional, physical and psychological stressors that have filled the past 12 months of my life I've felt like going ballistic many times and haven't. Granted, I don't have the same burden of celebrity that Stappy has but maybe a kindly shrink will do him one better than a stiff drink (or whatever the hell else he's doing to cope) will. Maybe even a girlfriend who isn't the quintessential psycho slut from Hell...

He's whipped, mayhaps, because of the very happenstances listed earlier----death, illnesses, accidents, custody battles, domestic disputes, infidelities, addictions, canceling/postponing-making up, etc, etc. I can see that he is down now, but I will reserve judgement until I am able to see how well he can pull himself up out of it all and rise above it.

Joe Earles wrote: