Friday, December 7, 2012

13. (Not So) Happy 17th Anniversary


Friday, December 7, 2012

I went to bed at 11 P.M. last night.  Most people would find this 'normal' and in some cases even late. It is about three hours early for me.  My sleeping habits were rearranged over the years.  Mark used to fall asleep no later then 9 P.M. on the couch.  I would stay in my office and do Facebook, Twitter and read.  About 11 P.M. I knew it was safe to go out to watch my recorded shows.  Of course, Mark always woke up anyway, crack open a beer and begin to ridicule what I was watching.  We would argue and he'd finally go to bed. 

But, last night I was exhausted from the entire day yesterday.  My nerves were shattered.  Honestly, with the exception of last night, I have been going to bed pretty early.  I think midnight is the latest I have stayed up since I have moved here. 

I didn't sleep well.  I tossed and turned most of the night.  I woke up about 2:30 A.M. with my cell phone beeping non-stop next to my head.  I picked it up and saw, "I had messages."  Sure enough I had a few messages on Facebook:



You will note the last entry was at 2:21 A.M.  I put the phone back down and tried to go back to sleep.  Eventually I was able to.

I got up at 7:15 A.M. to get ready for work.  I arrived at work by 8:25.  I knew we had a busy day.  Joe only was working a half day as he had sold his truck and was picking up his new car.  He had put in for three days of vacation, but with Mark out, he worked anyway to help us.

Work was incredibly busy.  Mark was not there.  Joe left at noon to drop off his truck and Chris followed him so he could go get his new car.  That left just Pat and I alone to run the company.  The phone rang non-stop and I had customers all day long.  Pat was on the road all day.  I didn't have time to do anything.  I also did not have time to check my messages or email.  I did that right before I was leaving work.

In my email I had a message from Lucie Jordan, the producer from that reality TV show.  She was sorry to hear about Mark and I, but also wanted to know if I had the profiles ready for the people in the shop and my daughter.  She wants to come down here in January and film us.  I honestly didn't even know how to respond to her.  It certainly isn't her fault for not knowing what is really going on here.  In fact, everything in my life would make an excellent Reality TV show.  I just wish it wasn't my life.  I sent her an email back and told her I would get back to her.  I have decided I will just send the link to this blog.

I checked my phone messages after I read my email.  Mark had called:

This was the voice mail message:

8:59 A.M


It appears he hasn't slept as you can hear.  I was a tad optimistic that he was saying he would actually go and get the new medicine.

Since I was the only one at the shop I had to close up the shop.  I finally got out of there about 5:10.  Then I ran to the bank to make a deposit for the company.  The line was long being it was a Friday afternoon.

About 5:30, Mark called me.  He said he thought I would already be at the house for our anniversary.  I was confused as I had never said I was coming out for our anniversary. He said he needed me to drive him to the grocery store to get his prescription and various items he needed for home.  The store is less then 2 miles from our house.  Also, didn't he say in the voice mail at 8:59 A.M. (above) that he was going to pick up the prescriptions this morning?  I told him I was exhausted, hadn't been home yet, I was still in my work clothes and just wanted to go home.  I said I would come out on Saturday and maybe we could go to lunch.

I got to Kristin's and as I was changing my clothes I guess my phone rang.  I didn't hear it.  I did listen to the message after:

5:44 P.M.



As you can hear he isn't "OK."  Not to mention the 'meds' he is referring to is that holistic stuff he got online. Like a dope I actually considered going out there to drive him to the store.  My mind was saying, "Don't DO IT."  My heart was saying, "He is crying out for help."  I did call him back but got no answer.

A little bit later he called my cell phone again.  This time I was outside.  I listened to the message when I came in:

6:01 P.M.



When I heard this he seemed to sound almost 'normal' to me.  It made me feel sad for both of us.  I just truly was exhausted.  I also couldn't find the strength to act happy when I am clearly not.  If I didn't act like everything was hunky dory we would end up fighting, he would be angry and I would be even more stressed.  It just wasn't worth it.

The kids and I had dinner, played with Matthew, my African Grey Parrot and had the start of a quiet night.  I came in to look at Facebook.  I thought it would be nice to find a song to post on Mark's wall since it was our anniversary after all.  I looked for over an hour.  I didn't want to post some 'lovey dovey' song.  I do love him, but right now, I am very confused, hurt and unclear as to our future.  After looking for awhile I saw the song, "The first time ever I saw your face", by Roberta Flack.  I thought that would be a nice one, so I posted it to his wall.

I called our house, but he didn't answer.  I left a message about 7:45 to tell him I would come over tomorrow at noon.  We could go have lunch.  I posted a message to his Facebook page to let him know I left a message.  He responded almost at 9 P.M.:

Things started going downhill after that:

  • Diana Rae Walter

    did you get your pills? there were 2 prescriptions
    • Diana Rae Walter

      did you go pick them up?
      • Mark Walter

        yes 'm momma 
        house is becoming immaculate
        • Diana Rae Walter

          that's great  and I am not your mother.
          • Mark Walter

            damn moths 
            still here
            • Diana Rae Walter

              take the cages outside the moths will disappear with no food.
              • Mark Walter

                been outside since last Monday, painting them except for Muffins <#
                • Diana Rae Walter

                  painting the cages? with what? You have to use special paint for birds
                  • Mark Walter

                    i miss Matty and all u guys so much
                    i know that! geeeeeez
                    i have a "special" different colored paint for every room 
                    • Diana Rae Walter

                      great 
                      Sorry for being a pest to you. I didn't know that you already knew you cannot use paints from paint store or home depot. They are toxic to birds. I am glad though that you already knew that.
                      • Mark Walter

                        nice "anniversary" i'll remember this 1 for sure 
                        • Diana Rae Walter

                          Even apart it seems we just are not nice to each other.
                          I had hoped that once you were on the meds he gave you and we had counseling we could work our way back to each other.
                          In this 1 conversation I have been referred to as your 'momma', made you upset because 'I asked about paint' and now made you upset because our anniversary fell in the middle of all of this.
                          You are not the only one suffering. I know it doesn't feel that way to you. But, I wanted more then anything for you to be better and love you. I can't and won't be with you when you are manic ever again.
                          I am going to log off for a little bit.

                        I did log off for about a half hour to clear my head.  I could see this conversation was really going downhill quickly.  When I came back he had left another message:


                        • Mark Walter

                          Really? and on December 7th 2012? Our "anniversary".... Really? Both, my pharmacist AND my personal physician Dr. Tim Toward, told me NOT to take his drug. Both individuals told me, to my face, it is TOO strong a dosage for you.. They did not "know" you had peppered your hand picked psychiatric doctor, with an 87 page letter you refused to let me see. I've now "seen" that letter you wrote. Patient Doctor confidentiality you know? Anyways, to sum it all up.... I'm manic, always have been always will be... i'm a better person than when you met me 12/7/94. Are you? I'm concerned @ you but i'm not your father
                          • Mark Walter

                            sorry i capitalized some words, plain and simply hon  you don't like me anymore.......... 

                          I started to respond to this.  I kept reading what he wrote over and over.  I knew he was manic.  No matter what I would say he would misread it.  I wrote what I wanted to say on Notepad.  I re-wrote it. And, re-wrote it.  What I wrote was very factual, but it was also written out of anger.  So, I re-wrote it again.

                          My original draft was going to call him out about what he 'says his doctors had said.'  I am quite sure he didn't speak to Dr. Tollard, and if he did, the doctor would never say that.  Also, I highly doubt the Publix Supermarket pharmacist would say that to him.  Not only does he not know Mark, he certainly would never override what his psychiatrist would say.

                          The 87 page letter he was referring to was the FAX that I sent to Dr. Agrasti yesterday.  I wanted to correct him explaining it was 4 pages and that I highly doubt the doctor sent it to him without my knowledge.

                          I finally wanted to add that it was wonderful that he understands that he always has been manic and always will be.  I wanted to state that it was good to know he felt he is a better person now.  I was going to finish with telling him he didn't need to worry about me, or my mental health.  I can take care of myself.

                          Then I deleted that 5th draft.  I realized trying to reason with a manic person is very unreasonable.

                          At 10:56 I re-wrote it again - what I actually sent:

                          • Diana Rae Walter

                            You have the right to not want to change how you act and the right to not want to take the new meds.
                            Since you have chosen not to take them, this has now become my problem, and no longer yours.
                            But, I just can't be around you anymore with you in this condition. When I am, I become angry, hurt, and depressed.
                            I really do love you. And, I really am sorry it has to be this way.

                          I thought what I wrote was non-confrontational, honest and to the point.  Maybe I am wrong.  He sure didn't like it.  (Note for below, Matt is his divorce attorney from his first wife):

                          • Mark Walter

                            i took them tonight
                            Time for me to call Matt? 3013984? lol ? seriously?? takin your post down now it was lovely but you hate me now, i can see. You had a good "teacher". i now have crying chairs everywhere. So sorry for "teachibg you how to be mean to me" cie lave 
                            teaching you 
                            my phone is working now. can you just please call me, we have so much history 
                            • Mark Walter

                              onto year 18 wow, congrats, Happy Anniversary..561 795 5020
                              • Mark Walter

                                planned on loving u tonight you were tired, me 2
                                recorded a 1 song CD fur ya. It'll be here around noonish, u have tomorrow off.

                              Please re-read his above posts.  At 11:31, he tells me he took his new meds.  Then he asks if he should call his divorce attorney.  He then tells me he took down the anniversary song I posted to him. Next, he asks me to call him.  At 12:24 AM he once again asks me to call him.  At 12:36 he reminds me I had said I would come over the next day.

                              I then went to bed. I had enough.

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