Emotional shutdown

Hi Laura,

Thank you so much for sharing something so deeply personal. I can’t imagine how overwhelming it must feel to carry all of this—watching someone you love in pain, holding up the day-to-day, and feeling so much inside while also feeling... numb. I just want to say, your emotional shutdown isn’t a failure or something to be ashamed of—it’s a very human response to trauma. Sometimes the brain goes into “survival mode” when the heart is too full.

You’re not alone in this, even if it feels like it right now. There’s no right or wrong way to cope with something so heavy. Silent tears are still love, and that quiet strength you’re showing—just being there for him while holding yourself together—is something deeply powerful.

Please don’t forget that you matter in all of this too. Your fear, grief, exhaustion—they deserve space and support. If you ever feel like you’re sinking, reach out—to this community, to a counselor, to a friend. You don’t have to carry all of this without someone walking beside you.

I’m sending you and your husband so much care and strength.

With warmth,
Butterfly Resilience