Dear Abby: My son-in-law, who suffered from bipolar II disorder, died by suicide a year and a half ago while we were apart. We thought he was doing better, but his mother saw no reason for him to stay with us while we were gone for a few days. The police told us that he had made his own decision and there was nothing we could do about it. This person is my husband’s youngest child and has lived with us for 12 years. I grew to really like him, but we weren’t together for the first 18 years of his life.
I’m still grieving, but my husband is grieving even more. Five months after his son’s suicide, he suffered a heart attack the next day and subsequently underwent open heart surgery. As my friend said after visiting me yesterday, it’s depression to the nth degree. He doesn’t feel the need for treatment and he hates taking extra medication. what can i do? — I’m worried about him in Texas.
Dear friends, please tell your husband that you are still grieving the death of your son-in-law and that I know you are too. Explains that there is a strong suspicion that his recent heart attack may be related to the tragic loss of his son. If his doctor doesn’t know the whole story yet, he needs to be careful.
If your husband is adamant about not seeking grief counseling, tell him that you are attending a grief support group and that you would like him to come along because you love him and don’t want to lose him. please.
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Dear Abby was written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Dear Abby, contact: www.DearAbby.com or PO Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
