Hey, guys! I know I haven't been on here in awhile, but I just wanted to touch base and let you all know how things turned out after a few months. Thank you all for your responses and encouraging words...that really means a lot and helps extremely to know I am not alone in all this! :)
First of all, I think I messed up on the number of years he served in the Army. I don't remember exactly how many it was now, but at the time I remember thinking that number was too high. I apologize...that was totally my bad, but am pretty sure he enlisted when he was 18.
So, I ended up sending him the novel-length Facebook message and just left it alone, as hard as that was to do! :( I talked with my mom who is a guidance counselor and continued to research and read posts regarding PTSD...reading about both actual sufferers and caregivers helped me heal much more than you know! And the letter served as my type of closure to myself that I needed to end that chapter and move on. My advice to anyone dealing with this is to go on forums like this and continue researching...you are not alone and you will get through it! :) Also, I realize some may argue with this, but I personally found that going out with my friends and trying to move on with dating helped me out, although not at first! Take time to heal and then when you're all cried out, don't sit around and continue to be miserable. Go out, with friends or otherwise, and have fun and enjoy life. I am by no means recommending getting into another relationship before you're completely healed...I'm just saying don't wallow for too long. The type of pain I experienced was extremely intense but relatively short...it hurt like hell for a month or so but eventually I made it to be an out of sight out of mind thing. Do NOT cyber stalk them either...don't look at their FB or any other online profile...that will only prolong the pain. Cut off all contact completely and move on with your life and TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, as hard as that is to do! :)
So, did I ever hear from him again? Yes...
He sent me a text on August 4th, exactly 3 months to the day he sent me the "breakup" text at 2:20 in the morning. The text simply said "I need a buddy. Need your help." I responded later that day and just said "Are you okay??" I heard nothing...
On August 7th, I sent him a text that said "You know that I'm here for you...just like I told you I would be. I do care about you and want nothing but the best for you and your life. If I can do anything to help you, please let me know." Again nothing...until...
I was downtown on Aug. 11 with a bunch of my friends celebrating one of my girlfriend's birthday parties. He called me around midnight (the 1st time I had a call from him since we were together). But my phone was in my pocket and it was loud so I missed the call. I texted him saying "Sorry I missed your call--I'm downtown and can't hear anything anyways...it's so loud. :( What's up?" He just responded and told me to have a great time. I said it would be more fun if he was with me and asked him what he was up to that night. He said he was out with his friends singing karaoke and to make a long story short, he PRETENDED to be extremely wasted. What do I mean by pretended? I'll get to that. I asked if he had a ride home and told him I just wanted him to be safe. He replied that he did need a ride. I rode downtown with one of my friends and my car was actually parked only about a few miles from the bar where he said he was. I told him I had no idea where that bar was but if he could somehow make it to my car I would take him home. He agreed...and called me when I was on my way acting totally hammered. Well, of course I believed that he truly was, since I had seen him that way in the past. I got to my car...he got out and looked at me just the way he used to and hugged me for an extended period of time. I felt all of my feelings coming back but my guard was definitely up this time! He got in and began the drive to his house...we started to talk a little about what happened, but most of that came when we were actually at his house.
He and his room mate had moved, so he now lived in a new house than the one I knew of. When we got to his house, he gave me a tour and eventually sat down on the couch to talk. He was playing music in the background and got up and started to clean. He said that he couldn't look me in the eye when talking to me and that he just had to keep busy to get his true feelings out. I reassured him it was okay. Here's the long and short of what he said...
First of all, I asked him if he read my FB message; he had not. He told me that I intimidated the you know what out of him. Although he had been in the Army for a number of years and been through some hardcore stuff, he had never met someone in his life that intimidated him like I did. He said I was absolutely perfect (I'm not by the way lol) and that he wished he could be as perfect of a person as I am but knows that he never can. Basically, he got scared and ran...not just withdrew...hauled a** out of there and never looked back! All the while, he continued to live his life like nothing had happened. He said he just wasn't good enough for me. He said that he would like to try to move on with me, as friends first and take things slow. He said he understood it would take a very long time before he earned my trust back but was willing to take baby steps. I naturally was hesitant, but I agreed. I didn't give him any grief...just simply tried to understand and hear his side of the story for the first time. We just talked a little more after that and then I left to go home. I asked if I could have my movies back and he said, absolutely, but not tonight...you'll be back.
He walked me to my car and asked when he could see me again. I said I don't know. He asked if I was free tomorrow (a Sunday) and I said tomorrow night should be okay. We hugged and parted ways. He called me late Sunday around 10 and asked if I still wanted to hang out. I asked if we could do it another night since it was already late and I had to be at work early the next day. I asked him if Monday was good and he said yes. So, I called him Monday during the day and didn't hear anything...and just waited. He sent me a text at 7:36 p.m. that said "Hey sweetheart. I'm not going to be able to hang out this evening. I have to hang out with one of my guys." That was IT for me...I was thinking here we go again and although I was excited to hang out with him again, I definitely withheld excitement because I knew something like this would happen. I had my guard up and it would take a LONG time before I let it down with him...I just said okay. I did send him a text on September 10 that said "Hey, babe...I really would like to see you soon." Haven't heard a word since, and moving on with my life for good this time.
Will he pop up again someday? Who knows...but I cannot wait around and put my life on hold to find out. I really do love him and want nothing but the best for him, but I'm simply not willing to wait around and put my personal life on hold for something so uncertain. Also, after much thought and reflection, I have realized that I can't live the rest of my life that way. Anyone that chooses to stick it out with their partner had my utmost respect and admiration. I just decided for myself that I cannot do it. Since then, I have continued to date and experienced the normalcy of relationships. I know PTSD is not his fault and I will ALWAYS be in his life as his friend if he wants me to be.
I apologize for such a long post, but I hope that I have helped at least one person by sharing my experiences and final decision. I cannot tell anyone else what to do, as everyone's relationship is different and people want different things in life. Whatever you may decide, always remember to take care of yourself first, mentally, physically, and every way possible! Life is too short to be miserable...live it up guys! Take care!!! :-)