I am a success story here. My ordeal happened a little over a year ago and I ended up reconciling with my WAW. It was absolutely one of the most painful things I've gone through.
Regarding going dark, I went complete and total NC for one month after the bomb. I helped her pack and then went pitch black dark. It was excruciating for me. My mind constantly went to worse case scenarios. Where was she? Who was she with? Did she ever love me to begin with? How could this be so easy for her?
I came here every day when I was on the verge of folding. I listened to the vets and trusted them.
She then texted me exactly one month after she left. To ask when she could pick up her things (that was gut wrenching). I stayed polite and told her she could pick them up whenever convenient. I remember this overwhelming feeling to start talking about our relationship etc. I didn't though because the vets said not to.
We then went back to NC for about another 3 weeks. Awful. I won't get into too much detail but after we reconciled, she told me was dying as much as I was. I had in her mind respected her decision to leave and let her go. This was the turning point for her. Eventually we slowly started texting jokes and non-relationship stuff and rest is history.
Whatever you do, stay off her social media, do not text, do not call, do not email. Just like DR says, act as if you are moving on with your life (even though you are dying inside).
