CDS,
As all the others have said previously, I'm sorry that you have to be here but am thankful that you seem to be sincerely trying to figure your situation out.
I'm very new to this site & haven't posted in a while but I couldn't help reading all of your posts as well as the replies thinking this poor girl is still choosing to believe the best about her husband. (Denial) Honey, I have been married 37 years & only recently (2months ago) discovered my husband is a sex addict. I had never even heard that terminology before even tho, I too, am in healthcare. My husband accidentally left his email account open when he left the house one afternoon. When I got on the computer to google something that's when I found the emails to local prostitutes he found on Craigslist complete with meeting times & room numbers. This man had been paying for sex for the last ten years and I can tell you that I was completely blindsided by the information. If I had not seen it with my own eyes I would have denied the very hint of his misbehavior. We had four beautiful children whom he adored. We made it thru the darkest time of our lives when our oldest child died of a brain tumor at the ripe old age of six just after our 4th child was born during the 7th year of our marriage. This man has sat in church next to me every Sunday since we have been together holding my hand as we worshipped. He was the official "greeter" at church and has done many projects around the church grounds in an effort to be of help. When our grandchildren come to town he gets up early & takes them to the doughnut shop so their mommies can get an extra hour of sleep. He's an all around "good guy" who is a sex addict. I am still coping with the trauma of finding out about his secret life of porn & afternoon escapades which were all about what he says was "monkey sex". So you see, there are some very good guys that make some very bad choices. I don't know you but just reading your story on here let me tell you what is screaming at me.
1. I hear how you believe what he tells you because he is just not that kind of guy - I didn't think mine was either.
2. You are making excuses for him ie. "he works long hours", the dancer got too close to his face....He should not have been there
3. This is so out of character -SA transcends all barriers. It does not discriminate.
4. You feel guilty snooping around on his computer or cell phone. - I always did too but now I feel completely stupid for having been so trusting. It was all right there on an app that was accessible at the touch of his finger.
The facts about your husband as I see them are:
1. His porn use has escalated - this is typical. His brain became tolerant to the porn thus he had to start "acting out" to get the same high that he got when he started porn.
2. He obviously scouted out this particular strip club for whatever reason-he knew what he was doing was wrong but was able to reason that he "deserved" it.
3. He made a conscious decision to go inside
4. Once inside he made another conscious decision to go sit down even tho he saw what was going on ie crotch grabbing
5. He made a third conscious decision to purchase a lap dance.
6. The last decision, conscious or impulsive, was to put his mouth on this woman's genitals.
My suspicion echoes those of some of the other women on here in that he is now diverting your attention to the fact he physically incapacitated as a result of guilt so you wont go about any fact finding missions. I dont doubt for a minute he is torn up (maybe depression & guilt but I suspect he is scared to death you might find out more) but, honey don't let it distract you from seeing the train wreck that just happened.
When I found the email on my husband's computer there were several communications from several women. He tried to tell me at first that he merely attempted to meet up with them but nothing really came of it. By the end of the night he told me he had hooked up with one of them, twice. I love my husband & didn't see the need to throw away a 37 year marriage because of a serious lapse in judgment so we started MC. Since all of this started on 2/19/13 truth has trickled out that there have been at least 5 confirmed women over the last 10 years. I am still trying to get full disclosure & he told me last night that he would rather take a bullet to his head than to give me that information. So that's where we are today.
I'm sorry if this has been long & rambling. I'm just begging you to place your trust aside for a while & investigate this matter thoroughly. Don't put a band aid on it. This is not a flesh wound. From what I have learned over the last two months I truly suspect that this is a much larger problem than you want to give yourself permission to believe. Try not to let what he says deter you. You just need the facts. Addicts lie. All of them. Even the nice ones! :(
I hate you are having to go thru this but please, please listen to the advice of those who have already blazed this trail. I too am trying to stay close behind the one in front of me & am paying close attention on how to protect myself as I navigate my way thru this freaking mine field!
Hugs & blessings to you as you find your way too!