Hi PM
Although living with your parents is probably not how you want to see your life, it seems to me it is better than being lonely in a one-sided stressful, relationship.
You say that living with her is a ‘risk’ and that word, in itself, suggests everything that you should be avoiding. I have seen stress hasten my friend’s downhill slide with Parkinson’s disease giving him severe, unpleasant physical reactions. I am pleased to report that I have been instrumental, in a small way, in removing a lot of his stress and those particular unpleasant reactions have disappeared.
Your parents sound great and I am glad they are there for you – you deserve all the support you can get.
Put all feelings of guilt behind you, you have nothing to feel guilty about – no man or woman would choose to have Parkinsons in their lives. You have offered your wife counselling and she has refused it, you have supported her and received little or no thanks – surely this, more than any other time in your life, is the time for you to look after yourself. You cannot change your diagnosis but your wife can change her behaviour. If she wants to share your life completely again, she should accept her addiction and actively seek support because words are not enough – the change is surely down to her.
I have yet to meet any compulsive gambler who has taken control of his/her addiction without support which makes me very sceptical about your wife’s belief that she is not gambling
Having said all of the above PM, I cannot tell you what to do, I can only listen and feel for you. Whatever you decide to do I will understand. Your unique situation has no simple answer apart from, in my opinion, – you should do whatever you feel is right for you and never mind what anybody else thinks.
I wish you well and I hope you will keep posting
Velvet
