Hi I am new and this is going to be a long story but will try to make it as short as possible.
My husband and I met 16 years ago. Though there is no such thing as a 'perfect' relationship, we were very trusting, open and honest and supportive. My husband had a dream of being in the army. I supported, convinced and assisted him in doing this. I followed him leaving my career, friends and family and support networks. I spent a lot of time alone, I had little to keep my motivated and happy. I had 3 kids but never got to share those moments with people that are important to me. No hospital visits or flowers or support. We struggled financially. My husband became depressed. He never wanted to recognise his depression as he felt that he was the 'man' and that if he did it may effect his career. It became so bad the he was verbally abussive. I know his job was hard and I know he felt he was letting us down but it became too difficult to live with. So I left.
I met someone 3 months after our seperation. I did not love this person and the relationship, though not quite just sex partners, was never one of emotional closeness or had any future. I think I sort this relationship because I was afraid with 4 children I would be alone forever. It failed of course. My husband was very hurt.
After that relationship I have not had any others. My husband has.
One time he had a relationship while on tour of Iraq. When I found out and of his intention to move to America to be with this lady I hit the roof. I forced him to leave her and we tried again. It was terrible. We both had so many fresh hurts and anger inside that it was impossible.
Then for a time he was posted near me. Slowly, after the pressure of trying to make it work wore off, we became good friends and I started to see he was becoming the person I had met and married and loved so dearly. He had started to learn to deal with his depression. We were very close and happy but I could not say to him I wanted to try again as I feared the pressure would drive us apart again and I needed to be sure we were ready.
He got posted away again. He, not knowing my feelings for him and the hope I had that one day we would be together again, started a relationship. He was with her 10 months before he told me (or I found out). He didn't want to tell me because he felt that it would mean no hope for us ever. He was with this girl for 18 months. He came down to assist me during a surgery. He is a medic and he was very doting and caring. We got along so well and one thing lead to another. Our feelings became so apparent. But he lied to me saying it was over with this other woman when it wasn't.
When I found out I was so angry and hurt. I argued with him but he had returned to the state he lived in and to her. When my hounding became too much he turned off his phone and spent time with her. He told her he was upset over missing his kids. He was worried, he didn't want to hurt her but he felt so much for me and he had always wanted our family back together.
So i did the silliest thing. I told him to have her. I told him that since he was posting out again soon, closer to me that his relationship would slowly end and then we had no pressure of hurting another and that we could see what happened between us.
Of course I was selling myself out on that. It hurt like hell to know he was with another and felt like he could move on when I couldn't.
He saw me hurting and off his own back ended it with this woman. She knows nothing about me other than being the ex wife. She thinks he left because he was posting away.
My husband is very depressed because he hurt her and hurt me. I hate seeing his sadness and knowing some of that hurt is for her. I want it back together and I know that after 7 years of separation neither of us could move on or ever divorce or give up hope.
I am mean and I want her to know the truth about me. I want her to know that he came to me not that I was after him. I am hurt by her treatment of my kids and her not wanting to give up time for him to see them or her complaining about the money he had to provide for them.
I want him to hate her even though in doing so it would be untrue to his nature.
I want to know the truth even though it hurts.
I want to feel secure but have doubts because he could be with another again and I could never move on.
Are we crazy? Are these feelings normal? How do we survive my hurting? How do I get past the pain and work on the future which is what I want so badly?
help and advice much appreciated
