Yes, my husbad's VA did get progerssively worse as his health deteriorated. He had already had a major heart attack and quad by-pass surgery before they found the cancer. But when I look back I can see now that even before the health problems he had a very domineering personality. At the time I took that in a flattering way. How stupid I was. he had to control every aspect of my life. From how I dressed and wore my hair to who my friends were. And he did not allow many friends. These domineering qualities are classic for an abuser of either the verbal or physical type. I was just too uneducated to recognize the signs.