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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Devastated is an understatement

556 replies

redtulip68 · 11/03/2012 10:26

I'm so sorry to hear about your situation Starling. Unfortunately I'm in a very similiar position at the moment. My husband of 12 years left the marital home at 10.05pm last Sunday when myself and our two children were in bed. Not warning, nothing ran out in the night the coward he obviously is. The last week has been hell. i've had to tell the children because he only wanted to do it over the phone or in a pub, not in the safe environment of their home.

Apparently he had met some3one on line that he had connected with emotional - nothig sexual had occurred until after he left, or so he is saying. Over the last week I've heard nothing but lies and more lies. He has left the home in in such a state that part is uninhabitable. Environmental Health have been in contact due to the number of vehicles is has left in the garden, carport and other areas that we own surrounding the property. Since leaving I have found out that my wiring is condemned, the oven and hob are a danger to myself and my children. Cant have a bath unless a plunger is used to get plugs out. Had no hot water, could only have heating on for 30 minutes at a time, only flush toilets if someone contorlled the stop cock. Its been a nightmare. But he is living with someone and 'needing time to think what he needs over' whlst I live with two children in disarray.

Found we didnt have any contents or buildings insurance because he hadnt got round to setting up a new policy, bills were out of control because he hadnt got round to getting new quotes - I would have done it but evey bill was in his name at the time, obviously they arent now! Joint mortgage so thats ok.

Apparently will leave his income in my account for the next three months so I can arrange reapirs - what makes him think I can afford them now he has done? Then I'm to live off benefits - I've already established I'm only entitled to 10.43 per month. This is just so unfair, I really dont understand what I've done. he doesnt understand that our children deserve the truth rather than his web of lies which he now stating - I left beuuase we were arguing, 1 argument one night last week.

Visited children after I arranged it - 1 hour, then spoke to me for 2.5 hours, mean at the state but got better. I asked him to come back explained I still loved him and he said he would seriously think about it. He said that he still loved me but didnt think we could work it out because he has left.

Cant tell my family that I want him home bacuse they cant stand him, but I cant help the way I feel. its been made worse becauseof comments he keeps making on facebook which mean I then have to fiedl emails, messages and calls from joint friends and work colleagues. I know I'm having to do all his dirty work, clearing his stuff because he told me to, making calls left right and centre because that's what I'm expected to do.

refuses to give contactable address and often truns mobile phone off - so even in an emergancy I wouldnt be able to contact him.

cant sleep, havent eaten since our initial argument on 2nd march. i know deep down he isnt coming back but my children are young and own has AS. One hates their father, the other is in limbo becuase of promises father has made and subsequently not kept.

Nothing in my world is the same. I just dont know what I should be saying or feeling. Sick to the stomach of crying on my own. the pain is unbearable.

Please excuse the mistakes its just that really cant think straight. spoke this morning and asked if the comments he made yesterday about coming back were true or yet another one of the catelogue of lies he has told this week. Chidlren are lashing out at each other. But its not helped by their father telling them that he left because I was arguing rather than the truth that he was having an affair. There were several incidents this morning and I made him tell the truth but its still only part - now telling the children he is sharing a house with another woman. I just want to know where we all stand. Not lie after lie

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Startingagain88 · 14/04/2012 22:48

I do it all the time red, im not eating that much at all because i don't enjoy cooking just for me- i have noone to eat with, we used to love talking over dinner .

I find myself seeing him on the sofa or making a cup of tea in the kitchen, it is awful i know, i understand.

Startingagain88 · 14/04/2012 22:49

you are doing SO well red, just keep going :)

redtulip68 · 15/04/2012 15:40

its been a series of strange experiences today.....went to a car boot sale on my own, well with my DD as DS was away on cub camp, collected DS from said cub camp and am currently sitting here whilst my two DC play upstairs - they have missed each other so much! Getting things ready for the return to work tomorrow and feeling really quite sad with this situation.

Today is six weeks since he left and I know that sounds strange that I still refer to these as weeks refer then months but there are times this still feels so unreal. DD said it feels that everyday STBX is late in from work so she doesnt miss him, DS feels let down by a father who made promises that he is still failing to live upto. I feel that this entire situation has been forced upon me, with my thoughts, feelings and believes, as well as my DCs, being pushed aside in favour of his selfish requirements.

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midwife99 · 15/04/2012 18:21

So sorry you feel this way tulip. You're bound to have up & down days & feel devastated still Sad

redtulip68 · 16/04/2012 04:21

Been up for over an hour. Nervous about returning to work and in a lot of pain physically.

STBX called last night over an hour after the DC had been in bed! His excuse for not calling DD when DS was away was that he had run out of credit on his phone and why hadnt I called him so he could speak to DD! The cheek of it - somehow I know it would be my fault that he couldnt organise himself.

I know that today is going to be difficult but I only have to do it once then its over with. wish me luck! Confused

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fridakahlo · 16/04/2012 04:47

Good luck for tomorrow Red, having just read the last couple of pages, it sounds like you are doing fantastically considering everything that's happened/is happening. I hope your first day goes really well.
And Hmm at the lack of phoning, like that's your job to remind him to care about his children. Arsewipe!

midwife99 · 16/04/2012 15:32

Hope today went ok & another milestone over helps you feel better. Ignore the tosser! Don't remind him to call his DCs. Don't answer the phone to him if they're not there, gone to bed or don't want to speak to him.

redtulip68 · 16/04/2012 18:53

Well I went and thats all I can really say. i cried getting the Dcs up, cried in the car taking them to my parents, cried going to work, cried three times at work, cried coming home from work and cried in front of my parents. All in all I cried!!!!

I didnt realise that leaving the DCs was going to be this hard. I felt like I was abandoning them just like their father, the difference being was I was going to be coming home later.

STBX didnt call this morning, like he promised he would and he has 9 minutes in which to call them this evening. I await the newest excuse.

Got sols appointment tomorrow and another day at work.

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fridakahlo · 16/04/2012 22:07

Your not abandoning them, your stepping up to the mark and shouldering the burden that has been dumped on you.
And I know that you know that and that it still hurts. It will get better.

midwife99 · 16/04/2012 22:49

You weren't abandoning them you were earning a living!!

ThePinkPussycat · 16/04/2012 22:49

Well der, if I run out of credit I top my phone up. Rocket science it ain't.

You have done it all today, I hope you feel better after several a good cry, and getting today out of the way.

redtulip68 · 17/04/2012 05:55

MY DS was wonderful last night. when I was crying in front of my parents for feeling a failure he came up to me and held my hands, looked me in the face and said 'You have done nothing wrong Mummy. Daddy left us. He was wrong. Its he's fault that you are upset not yours. Daddy should be the one crying. You have done nothing wrong.' Where did such a empathic boy come from? Sometimes he is wise beyond his years. I love him and my DD so much. They have been far more adult about all of this than I have, maybe I need to take a leaf out of their book.

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midwife99 · 17/04/2012 11:22

I know it's really hard but if you could regain that amazing strength you felt a few days ago it will be much better for the DCs. I'm not saying hide your distress from them but if you are able to be strong for them rather than them having to be strong for you they will feel much more secure right now. They obviously love you loads & sound wonderful kids.

FidgetPie · 18/04/2012 23:25

Hope everything is going well - just wanted you to know I am thinking of you and your DCs and wishing you my best.

redtulip68 · 19/04/2012 18:48

Well its been a strange week of ups and downs. Went to sols - left feeling a total failure, went to work and cried, got told off at work for talking to someone about what has happened, got asked by boss what would happen if you lost your job! Just to add more stress to my situation. In pain and lossing lots of blood.

The positives - my DD birthday, her broom finally finished, house might be beginning to look like a home again soon and have a hospital appointment next week.

Not spoken to STBX since tuesday when he had contact so he hasnt been able to verbally annoy me but he has done by email.

Just reced email from sols with draft letter for STBX - made me upset because whilst it has all been real all along this just feels like the final nail in my marriage and the life I thought I had.

Anyway got three days off now so I've got to organise my life.

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ThePinkPussycat · 19/04/2012 19:16

How come you left sols feeling a total failure??

Is DD a quidditch player?

(sorry - just trying to cheer you up)

midwife99 · 19/04/2012 20:07

Lol pinkpussy! Don't feel a failure tulip - you have been amazing! You are a wonderful mother & have already achieved so much!!

redtulip68 · 21/04/2012 05:00

Well I'm finally beginning to learn to lower my expectations with regard to the relationship between my DC and STBX. It is difficult for me to understand how someone can go from stating what a family man he was and how much his children mean to him, to what he has become.

DD birthday this week and he just wasnt bothered. not a X at the bottom of the card, not a message just his name with a y at the end because he obviously realised what he had done after the fact.

Tried not to speak to him during the week, and whilst I'm managing to do that, I hate the fact that he passes messages via our DS.

So the future is - no expectations, that way I cant be disappointed on their behalf!

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redtulip68 · 21/04/2012 13:20

Just got myself all upset. Had a cry in the car just because I miss having an adult to talk to. I'm sure I'll be ok Sad

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AlistairSim · 21/04/2012 13:40

Of course you'll be ok, sweetie.

You are grieving for the life you thought you would be living. It WILL get easier, I promise.

ThePinkPussycat · 21/04/2012 13:41

[hugs] FWIW I missed having an adult to talk to for most of the last few years of my marriage - and hated having a fuckwit cocklodger adult in the house for the same length of time...

mirry2 · 21/04/2012 13:54

What a lovely dd you have. It broght tears to my eyes.

redtulip68 · 21/04/2012 15:15

Had a bit of therapy. Emptied the second of the three sheds STBX deemed it necessary to have. All the metal items were collected by a scrap man - lots of bike bits!!!!! The same shed is being dismantled and collected tomorrow to be reused by another person elsewhere, cleaned the rabbit hutch out, moved it, filled in the trenches the rabbit had created, got rid of piles of wood that the same STBX said we needed. I've lived here ten years and have never used the wood he either bought, collected from elsewhere or even bought with us from our previous home. Yes you read right bought with us from our previous house in case we needed it. Guess what? We never needed it so its now gone!!!!!!

The only down side is I got caught in a hail storm and am now soaked to the skin. I feel an afternoon bath coming on Grin

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wheredidiputit · 21/04/2012 16:27

redtulip68

I bet your garden looks a lot better with a lot of the rubbish gone.

redtulip68 · 21/04/2012 18:14

I wouldnt say it looks good but its a bit tidier! Once the shed is collected tomorrow I'll be able to more a few more items. Just need to organise the main shed now, its still full opf his junk and the collection of thousands of tools, drill bits etc that he continually purchased for no reason what so ever.

Now I'll have to get some grass to fill in the bear patches. You never know this year we might even be able to go into the garden - something we havent done for two years because it was full of bikes!

Bring on those sunny days. Grin

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