How to be a supportive spouse

Hi I am new to this forum. I am the wife of a man who is afflicted with HIV and Hep C.Right now he is undergoing Interfuron treatment ( 1 shot a week for 72  weeks) While under the treatment this man who is generally very kind patient and loving has become verbally abusive, very short tempered and depressed ( which I know is a side effect of the treatment) I would like some input on how to deal with this without taking it personaly At times I feel like just walking out on him ( not for good)  I love him very much and we have been through a lot together.This is the second time that he has done the treatment and we sirvived the first time. This time is longer and a stronger dose. I have known of people that have separated over this. I plan to stick it out and am just looking for others that are helping their loved ones through a treatment of any kind with similar difficulties for the caretaker
All input will be appreciated
God bless you
Helene

[swampcritter]

Well, Swampy's mother once was on medications that made her cranky. Worse, it was during Christmas, so everyone was visiting. The secret to handling it was to all learn that the emotionalism was caused by the medication, and to personify it separately.

So when Swampy's mother would yell at someone, we would sort of all look at each other and say "wow, that was a good one, medicine". Swampy's mother would then giggle and say, "well, the medicine really got me that time!" and we would go back to whatever we were doing.

This was possible because of the way Swampy's family works, we have a sense of humor that extends to talking in a very blunt style, then laughing about it. Not all families are this way.