Yes, cplnorton: I am my husband's "backup." As I have mentioned many times on this site, my beautiful husband, soulmate, best friend and fantastic dad of our 4 children is terminally ill.
You mentioned something about your wife losing it in midlife due to whatever reasons you grasped at. Okay. My husband is really and truly and literally losing his mind. The neurons are dying and soon the cascade will begin until my man is reduced to a teen, then a child, followed by an infant, and finally his death.
Yeah I was my ex wifes backup.
I was the backup to a 24 year old white trash guitar player with a beard down to his waist.
My ex wife was seeing him as the primary, and when he was at work. She would come see me and the kids, and play wife/mother for a couple hours. And I let her do it. Each time she left, I felt my heart being ripped out even more, and what was horrible I let it happen to my kids. I wasn't protecting them as much as I should have, as I was selfish and wanted my ex wive back. So I let her hurt us all, just in some vain attempt to bring her home.
About six months ago I knew I wasn't strong enough to tell her to stay away, so in a moment of strength I did the one thing I knew that would keep her away. I sent her boyfriend the text messages she sent me. Where she said a lot of things she never wanted him to see. lol
As soon as he saw them, he confronted her, and she immediately called me and I got full monster. Now the OM keeps such a tight leash on her, that she cannot even come her kids if she wanted to, let alone see me.
IT was the hardest decision I ever made. But it was for the best. I knew I wasn't strong enough to say no, and I knew she would just hurt me over and over, so I removed the option for her even to come over. Even though I even regretted it right away, I'm so happy now I did it. Because with her gone, my kids have been so much better off. I've been able to find peace in so much of the chaos. And I'm looking forward to life.
I still have hard days. I still miss her at times. But it would be so much worse if I left her continually come into my life and then disappear again.
But yeah I was my wife's backup too. D@mn it hurts. I'm really sorry you are going through this. It isn't fair.