After my last post "my WH refuses to be a cookie cutter" I had several "light bulbs go off" from everyone's answers and opinions. I thank you all for your honesty and advice.
I realized I probably never really knew the man I married, the man I loved without reservation from the day I met him, the man I trusted with everything. I realized I REALLY didn't know the man he was capable of becoming when he had his affair.
I realized how incredibly disrespectful he was during the affair, as if the A wasn't bad enough, he and his whore took disrespect to an entirely new level. I could write an entire topic on the things they did to/with me where the disrespect was beyond amazing.
I realized how easy it became for him to cheat, lie, manipulate information to hide his betrayal, talk to his whore about me, about our marriage, our finances, our DD, MY secrets (things I never told another soul besides him), a future with her.
I realized that my very "unemotional" husband quite easily became emotionally available to her, comforted her, said things to her that completely blew my mind, never thought he had it in him.
After he was caught, I realized how much lying has become part of him now, he seems incapable of telling the truth about anything, no matter how small or inconsequential. I realized how manipulative he has become. How selfish. My healing is all on me, "only I can help myself", he has no part in it because he only wants one thing - for it to all go away and let him live happily ever after in peace. Oh yeah, and he gets to keep all his stuff too. . .
I realized I DON'T know cheaters and how they work yet, but I'm slowly getting it. As someone pointed out - and click goes the lightbulb. Someone else pointed out I'm on the cusp of "getting it".
I have always said from day one I do not want, nor do I feel I can, leave this marriage. I am fearful of the future without him, of losing everything, starting over at my age, in my financial condition and with my health issues (tho many of those are from the fallout of the A).
Many have pointed out I won't lose everything, am entitled to half, maybe some support, etc.
I know that I am entitled to certain things. When I speak of losing everything, I am being more specific than just money. We have a vacation home that took 15 years of hard work to obtain - a dream we both shared. We WILL lose that. We both have businesses. Mine is very small, makes enough $$ to support itself and our "pin" money - small home improvements, vacations, doctor bills, etc. NOT enough to support itself and our main home. So we will likely lose our home too. His business is much larger, provides most of our income. In this economy, we are struggling mightily with it; spousal support from there will be difficult, and I can already see his excuses for not paying what he should; years in and out of court.
But God help me, my biggest fear is the loss of him, our marriage. I DO love him, despite his affair, despite the selfish shit he has become. I have come to count on him for so many many things in the last 25 years. Even during his affair, he was there for me if I was in trouble (only time he WAS there for me, but he was). The thought of never hearing him say I love you again, never making love to me again, not having him in my life anymore absolutely terrifies me. The thought of another man touching me makes me want to vomit. The thought of him being with another woman - well it's been over 15 months and it still makes me ill.
I am allowing him to GL, TT, manipulate me because of this fear. And I'm quite certain he knows this.
I am so torn. At some point, self respect has to trump love, I understand that. Right now it's safe to say I have NO self respect. That is not who I am, certainly not the woman he fell in love with. I always believed I could do anything if I wanted to. Now I don't give a shit about anything except THIS and our daughter. Every minute of every day of my life is filled with this mess.
I am so hurt, the pain is constant, never ending, hurts me emotionally and physically. I have become a doormat. I know that. But the fear is paralyzing. I am convinced that if I give him an ultimatum, he will just walk at this point; he is so sick of talking about this, re-living it, HE is so past this. And I still need to talk about it. Probably because we never really have. He told me he wants to save our marriage, he would stick with me to the bitter end, he loves me and can never do enough to fix the bad choices, mistakes he made,the pain and anguish he inflicted on me and our little family. But he's not doing that, is he?
I'm holding off making any decisions until we start MC again. I pray I can make it until then. Right now I just want to curl up in a ball and sleep the rest of my life away. I cannot handle this roller coaster any more. And my strength, which has always been fueled by my anger and pain - there's none left. I've used up all my reserves and then some.
How can I want to stay with a man that I don't even know any more, apparently never did? How can I possibly still love him? What the hell is wrong with me? What the hell am I going to do?
Once again, I am so lost. . . .