Cast Iron Rose

by Cast Iron Rose
(NH)

Married 40 years.

Husband was OTR first ten years of marriage, primarily western US. Wide open highways, low traffic, no city driving. Old-school west coast style trucks in great shape. He often traveled in small convoys of trucks from the same company, with friends. He was very happy and in the young prime of his life, me too.

We moved to New England and he began hauling blueberries and potatoes from N. Maine to Islip NY. He was attacked in NY in a truck hijacking attempt. I got the call from his company saying he was in the hospital. He got better...but quit trucking after that. Driving in the Northeast, well, sucks.

So, he became a firefighter for a couple decades and was home.

At age 58 he left that career and returned to trucking.
He is 61 now. He is hauling up and down the rt 95 corridor, again thru NY. Cities, cramped highways, road rage drivers. Yet, he loves being behind the wheel of a big rig.

My problem is that I worry about him CONSTANTLY. I am happy and positive and loving and a good listener to him when he calls and comes home so as not to cause him anxiety or stress.

But, I worry ALL THE TIME about him getting hurt, attacked, in an accident, eating bad food, being lonely, cold, mad, frustrated, missing our home and me and the dogs.

I worry that I am home or at my desk job in total comfort while he is working at such a stressful dangerous occupation.

I am NOT normally a worry wart and have great coping skills in all other matters. I am not a clingy wife and I have lots of my own things to do. I rationally know he is very capable behind the wheel with any load and has over a million miles under his belt with no accidents. I never ever worry that he'd cheat on me. I just worry CONSTANTLY that he is OK and safe and sleeping enough.

He calls once a day and I am reassured while I hear his voice...but then I worry until the next call. He is only gone about 4 or 5 days a week...

Do other wives worry like I do?