Shirley has lived all across the eastern United States and holds a B.A. degree in  sociology/psychology from Appalachian State University. She worked in sales in both the medical and veterinary fields. Spending time with her two daughters and their families is one of her joys as well as riding her horses and spending time with her other animals, dog, Molly, cat, Fritz, and seven hens.

I entered this relationship with a trusting heart and was very optimistic about our future. But gradually I began to see cracks in this man’s personality. I can’t begin to tell you how shocked I was the first time I was on the receiving end of one of his verbal outburst. The incident happened 8 months into the marriage. I felt betrayed and angry. This was not what I signed up for.

As the years passed it became a guessing game as to who was coming to dinner, Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde. We still had a lot of great times together, but our home life had become an emotional minefield. I had trusted him with my emotional and physical well-being, but I knew I could no longer depend on him. I felt alone and vulnerable. My guard was up 24/7, anticipating the next “encounter”.
It is not always easy to determine if a person will become abusive. The abuser may seem wonderful initially but becomes more controlling and manipulative as the relationship progresses. This was my experience. I can say I was totally blindsided.

Writing my story was, of course, a healing process. But, by sharing my experience, I am hopeful that “Get Out of My Bed” will help others avoid becoming trapped, as I did.