Just a Bad Temper?

[misrbl1]

Monday afternoon, Wifey had let me the dogs out. She had KFC on her plate at the edge of the bed. Carson, our black lab, immediately went over and made a play for her chicken. He missed and bit off her fingernail. Not just the acrylic, mind you, but the real nail underneath. She automatically grabbed a broom, and for the better part of 6-7 minutes beat him mercilessly. My question is this; as some of you know I'm on the verge of leaving her. We have a 10-year old son, with a load of medical problems. I'm pretty sure I would get custody of him, but there's a chance, albeit a small one, that he'd end up with her. She's already lost a child to the system, because of her temper. My instinct is to get out of there and take him with me, but I'm not sure what that would do to her.

[IrmaJean]

This sounds very upsetting and stressful, misrbl1. This kind of violent response would be a great concern with children involved. I want to apologize for being unaware of your story. I need to go back and read your posts. Your son has medical problems? Do you feel his safety would be in jeopardy in the care of his mother?

[GettingWiser]

No such thing as 'just a bad temper' darling, the woman is clearly disturbed. You can tell this by how out of proportion her reaction was to the event. Most of us gradually increase our level of aggression as the context requires it, but people like your wife go from 0-150 in seconds at the slightest provocation. Regard her behavior in the context of the general population.

Don't blame yourself and you are not perceiving her behaviour incorrectly - she truly is a problem. Get help hon, if only for yourself and your own safety as well as your son's. Who cares what it would do to her? She's banked on you thinking that for years and hasn't cared much about you - time to start thinking about you xxxx

[misrbl1]

Irma, very much so. He is on several pieces of equipment that he needs. Most of which she doesn't know how to use. She can't lift him, being sick with the same muscular disease he has. He can be very frustrating to take care of sometimes. A simple thing like replacing a feeding tube, had her in a frenzy. I came home and had it done in three minutes.

Getting, I agree I need to get him out of there. The only problem is, moving this kid anywhere is a logistical nightmare. There's his hospital bed, the nursing to redirect, all of his medicine. I've been right on the verge of leaving a couple of times, but I've always come back. She threatened suicide when I tried to leave the first time, not something I want to live through again.