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Relationships

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

Some friendly words - part 2. It's over.

960 replies

ASmallBoxofChocolateBunnies · 30/10/2019 22:42

First of all I wanted to apologise to the lovely people who were so supportive on my original thread. I had it deleted because I had a weird 'outing' experience, but it doesn't matter now because this evening I had the phone call telling me it was definitely over.

I thought we had been making some progress trying to work things out, but no, it's done.

22 years destroyed in the space of a few months.

In his words, something just switched off. Which is nice.

I don't believe there is an OW, but I suspect there may well be shortly.

Moving away for a job, living in the village he grew up in which he had never wanted to leave originally, and where he now feels more at home than he has done in years. And yes, he did say that, although he did apologise when I pointed out that didn't make me feel super wonderful.

Too much time alone, too much time to dwell and gnaw at all the little things that weren't quite right, all the little niggles, and BOOM suddenly he's able to completely shut, bolt and nail the door up behind him,

And I am just broken. I know I am strong, I know I can get through this, but blimey, it is just, pain.

It seems such a dreadful waste. Ironically, if he hadn't got this job earlier in the year, we may well have been in Las Vegas now, celebrating 20 years of marriage, which is somewhere I'd always wanted to go, and we were going to splurge, irregardless of our not terribly healthy finances.

I just did not see this coming. I still believe our niggles, issues etc were eminently fixable. But fixing them needed someone who was present. And he evidently hasn't been for the past few months.

It seems to have happened very quickly in his head. There was a catalyst of moving within the village 2 months ago at which point it's like a light went out.

So we never had a chance really, he never said how he was feeling because there doesn't seem to have been a period of doubt, just love one day, nothing the next.

Have to work out how to tell the children (well, young adults).

As is so often the case, the one person I would turn to, talk to, the one person I could rely on to have my back, to make me feel better just by being there...is the very person who has broken me.

Of course I still love him. He's been my love, my person, my best friend for all this time, and to lose all of those is horrifying.

We 'got' each other so much, on so many levels just not having that is more than I feel I can bear. I feel like I'm bursting out of my skin.

When he first told me how he felt, and then when we were talking so I wasn't sure, but hoped there was a chance, I thought that limbo was bad, and actually knowing might feel better. It doesn't.

If anyone is there, please could you spare a moment.

I am very lucky, I have some wonderful friends, but at the moment I just can't go to bed and I feel, just, horrible.

Thank you

OP posts:
Bigpooh13 · 15/12/2019 12:53

I get really mad at myself too many emotions. I want him to leave me alone but then I want to see him.

Stillfunny · 15/12/2019 14:52

It sucks , doesn't it ? I get so sad at the unfairness of it all. He messed up and I have to deal with the consequences of his actions.
SuperbMonkey You can do this. Look on 2020 as the year of sorting your life out to your best advantage. Have you got RL support? Use them all you can to help you through this. Do whatever you need , whether that means time off work or time away.Put your self first and be good to yourself.And time and distance from events does truly make it easier.
Flowers Onwards and upwards ladies!

Bigpooh13 · 15/12/2019 15:58

Never been so alone in my life before.

SuperbMonkey · 16/12/2019 08:47

@Stillfunny, thanks. Still struggling for many reasons but will KOKO.

Stillfunny · 16/12/2019 09:03

Bigpooh13 Are you literally all alone in your house? Or just feeling that way ? I too felt like I was the only one with problems, but as you can see from this thread , many women are in the same situation .And there are SO many marriages all over the world also in this.

So ironic that men and women are so different and yet we are expected to live together.!

And on loneliness, I never felt so alone as living with my husband in this shit marriage.

Bigpooh13 · 16/12/2019 12:50

I'm all alone apart from my 3 cats which I see when they want feeding. Grin. I'm trying really hard to let him go n dont want to see him anymore it doesnt help

SuperbMonkey · 16/12/2019 14:35

@Bigpooh13, same boat without the cats.

@Stillfunny, your insight is helpful.

@ASmallBoxofChocolateBunnies how are you doing?

Bigpooh13 · 16/12/2019 16:55

Its traumatizing. Moans about her says it might not last long. Then buys a house with her and has today put a picture on FB of them where he looks very drunk. And wants me to keep his visits to me a secret. I'm really finding it hard not to retaliate on his FB

Stillfunny · 16/12/2019 18:04

Oh that is too shitBigpooh13.
Well , the OW has got some prize on her hands. Liar, cheater, user . Please do not let him take advantage of your feelings for him. It is so cruel of him.
My jerk has just informed me that he will be going to his family from 28th till 1st Jan. This is significant as we met 31 years ago on NYE. I am glad toCrown SadCrown SadCrown SadCrown SadCrown Sad avoid it , but so sad that it is such a waste. Even though I want to split up , it is not easy.

Bigpooh13 · 16/12/2019 18:12

Thank you still funny. 31 years thats hard. How do you do it. We too met on new years eve. Not looking forward to that either.

Stillfunny · 16/12/2019 18:30

He would love it if I could forget all his indiscretions and just stay in the marriage.
But I know that I will never get over it or forgive him.I think that every time I would be annoyed , I would have to slag him off.
And I really don't want to live like that. Financially , I am not in a good place , so just stuck until things change.

Bigpooh13 · 16/12/2019 19:28

You have to do what's right for you. People keep telling me that and it's starting to sink in. Trust is so hard to regain. It comes up all the time the hurt ,betrayal and it starts to make you doubt yourself which is wrong as they have the problem they are the ones that need the attention from elsewhere to prove to themselves that they are amazing. Financial is shite makes it harder having to stress about that as well.

SuperbMonkey · 17/12/2019 10:24

Bumping up thread. @ASmallBoxofChocolateBunnies are you doing ok?

SuperbMonkey · 18/12/2019 09:15

Are we all ok, ladies?

Bigpooh13 · 19/12/2019 08:58

I feel that you others are coping much better than me. Absolutely dreading xmas on my own. So using to buying presents for the family and cooking and organising and this year nothing.

SuperbMonkey · 19/12/2019 09:14

@Bigpooh13 I wouldn’t assume anything about how we are coping. I suspect that we all feel much the same. I am definitely struggling today and I have a lot on. Christmas is proving to be much more challenging than I was expecting. Everyone in RL has their own things to do. I feel discarded.

Bigpooh13 · 19/12/2019 09:19

Totally discarded by family and friends ,betrayed, broken. And skint

Stillfunny · 19/12/2019 10:21

Different situations but still trying to get through it. Family all around , nobody mentions it
So I take breaks In my room to cry. And drugs fo work - legal.
Will be awkward but I will be OK for the sake of my family
I was dreading NYE as that is when we met. He said he will. go to UK for it. Glad to avoid it , but also annoyed that he will celebrate .

Bigpooh13 · 19/12/2019 12:00

I know what you mean he likes telling me plans

SuperbMonkey · 20/12/2019 16:27

Hi everyone. I’m not having such a great day today but have made progress with some tasks. Increasingly angry about situation, which is good. Looking forward to updates on here including from @ASmallBoxofChocolateBunnies who seems to have disappeared. Hope she’s ok.

Bigpooh13 · 20/12/2019 17:19

Me too. Gone quiet. I like to hear how people are coping. It's so unjust. I wonder if these men ever think about us. How can they not miss all these years together. How do they switch of so quick.

ASmallBoxofChocolateBunnies · 20/12/2019 18:55

Hi all you wonderful women.

I haven't been reading or posting, as have just been focussing on powering through after having a bit of a slump last week.

Worked quite well and have had quite a productive time and had some enjoyable moments.

Had work Christmas lunch today, and that's now me done until 2nd Jan. Have now come home and totally crashed. While trying not to think about things too much, my brain has obviously been working against me, as I seem to find myself so hoping H will realise his mistake - can't seem to hold on to the idea that he won't be here for Christmas. While I knew it, I haven't had to focus on the actual, hard reality of it. And now it's there in front of me like this huge, dark horrible thing.

After 22 Christmases together, how is this real??? The whole physical pain is back, and I can't stop thinking of last Christmas which was lovely.

Sorry to be back with a downer, and sorry I am not replying to everyone individually.

We all seem to be struggling just now, and I guess it's such an emotionally charged time of year, it's not really surprising. I really think it's a case of taking every moment at a time, and really trying to recognise those little moments of happiness - there will be some among the sadness.

Lovely counsellor talked about mindfulness, and being in the present, which sounded a bit 'woo', but actually, taking the time to really focus on a moment, or a thing, just briefly, is something I've tried this week, and it has been quite good.

So I had lunch with some friends yesterday, and really concentrated on being with them, and listening and looking at them, which sounds odd, but it didn't allow anything else to intrude, if you see what I mean.

I'm going to try more over the next few days, especially Christmas Day itself. I want to be 'there' for the dc, and make sure I do enjoy as much as possible, and not waste any little happy bit.

Got to be worth a try, eh? Otherwise I worry I will just spend the whole day as a puddle. I know I will have sad/painful times, but got to try and take pleasure where possible too.

Sorry, waffle as usual.

I am so, so sorry we are sharing this experience, and I really wish I could wave a wand and make it all go away for all of us.

We are strong, we all give each other strength and comfort, and I know you have all helped me enormously.

We really are awesome.

xx

OP posts:
SuperbMonkey · 20/12/2019 20:00

Bunnies, how lovely to get an update from you. We were worried about you. It sounds as if you have got yourself into a really good mental place from which to face Christmas. After a long time (26 years in my case) having a different Christmas is going to be odd. You are right in saying that we have to mindfully make the most of it. That’s what I intend to do. Life is too short to waste it on giving headspace to men who have behaved so badly. We are indeed awesome, full of integrity and honesty, unlike those men. Let’s cheer ourselves on. xx

Bigpooh13 · 20/12/2019 21:16

You are amazing. I dont know how you do it. Hes cut me off financially. I just feel so broken n worried. No income no family. I'm trying not to remember how soppy he was with me last xmas.

ASmallBoxofChocolateBunnies · 20/12/2019 23:09

Sorry for worrying you Superb. Trying to keep my head 'in the game' as it were worked for a while, but I feel back to square one just now.

I think I'm trying to convince myself about the merits of mindfulness, as much as anyone else!

My 22 and your 26 years is going to make Christmas hard. I have some plans. A different game for me and the dc and I am going to make cocktails. I think at least mildly tipsy is going to be the order of the day.

Bigpooh, that sounds so hard. I have been constantly going over things in my head - H was very soppy too, even up to a few months ago.

I talk a good game sometimes but bloody hell, I am a shattered mess inside. I have to say that the anti-depressants I'm on now are helping some. They seem to give me a bit of balance.

Like Superb said though, we have honesty and integrity and we have great worth - all of us sharing on this and other threads, going through the same stinking experience. And cheering each other on.

x

OP posts: