Your Spouse and Caregiver Stress/Burnout: What to do...

My wife and I were talking yesterday about how we both tended to respond to situations out of habits formed over the past two years.  I didn't to do something, my wife gets frustrated and mad, I feel guilty and withdraw. For any other vets and spouses, does this sound familiar?  I am sure we are not the only ones who have fallen victim to habit. 

When I realized what was going on, my wife and I talked about it and we came to an agreement, a compromise that will hopefully help us from falling into those habits.  Here's what we agreed on:

• If I don't to do something, my wife will not do it for me, making the assumption that I didn't care enough to do it.
• If I didn't to do something, my wife tells me and affords me the opportunity to do it.
• If the next day dawns and I still haven't done it, then she can get mad.

What's the reasoning?  I have a tendency to fall asleep for a nap after work because work is very energy consuming.  The end result:  There are a list of tasks that I would normally do that didn't get done that, over the course of time, made my wife resent me for not doing.   My wife and I talked about this and she agreed to afford me the opportunity to show her that I DO CARE.  So after coming to this agreement, I thought a lot about the stress my wife was under.  My wife did all of the work around the house.  This was because she either didn't think I would remember to do my tasks or she thought that I didn't care.  This led to an enormous amount of Caregiver Stress and eventually, Burnout.

So today we tried an experiment.  I had a day off today.  Last night I talked with my wife about going out somewhere and doing something.  While she was gone I would do chores around the house and afford her the opportunity to decompress and unwind.  She said, "Well, some of the folks from the gym are going out for breakfast tomorrow..."

So this morning we woke up, and my wife went out to breakfast with friends, leaving our daughter with me.  After breakfast, she went out to the mall.  While she was gone, I vacuumed, cleaned the bathrooms, mopped the floors, and folded my laundry - all while trying to keep my daughter entertained.  When my wife came home in the early afternoon, she said she felt stoned.  I jokingly told her, "This is what feeling relaxed feels like."  Later in the afternoon, my wife got ready and left for work.  I prepared dinner for Caley and me and then cleaned up the kitchen.  My wife came home from work relaxed, happy, and grateful - three things I haven't allowed her to feel in way too long.

Now the evening is mine.  I get the rest of the night to relax.  So it works out well for everyone.  It also helps me feel better because I don't feel like a burden rather than a husband.

I would really love to hear from Veterans and their spouses on this issue.  It's too important to ignore.