Well here's what's happened to me in
the last year:
1. My wife decided to make the break
from Wal Mart after 8 years. I supported her decision. She has been
fired outright from one job, had another phased out from under her,
found one that she liked and then...
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:
...Scott Stapp was worthy of at least some degree of
admiration. If anyone
thinks he's NOT on a serious downward spiral you are
kidding yourself. I
just wish I knew what was REALLY going on because he
wasn't anywhere near
this whipped at the end of the Human Clay tour.