Corri,
That "emotional buffer zone" isn't really a fun place to be, in fact it plain sucks. The sh!tty part about it is you just don't feel like you have the strength to pull yourself out of it anymore, so you just sort of sit and wallow, or should I say flounder, in it. Its like when you are sick with the flu, been in bed so long that all you want to do is get up, but you just can't find the strength anywhere in your body to even pull the blankets off much less get up, KWIM?

GEL, you take care of yourself while you fight this emotional flu. Let him take care of his own needs, as you need all your energy to take care of yourself.