I am a survivor of domestic abuse. I was married at 18, it took about a year before the abuse started. My husband held a gun to me, beat me,
broke my nose, and I wound up in a shelter for battered women, with no contact to my family for 2 weeks. I finally got to contact my mom and went back home, found a job, but then my husband convinced me that he would change and I went back.

Needless to say he didn't change and I left for good. I joined the Air Force, volunteered at a shelter in Rapid City, South Dakota where I learned and helped other women there.

Recently my ex contacted me at work (after over 30 years). I was pretty shaken up, still am. I shared a few emails with him and told him no more phone calls. Now he wants to exchange addresses, phone numbers, etc., said he may not be around much longer. I told him I did not want to ever hear from him again and so far nothing, it's been two weeks.

This has brought back a lot of memories, ones that I had lost a long time ago, but I am feeling the need to tell others. I just want to help others who may be going through what I did.

If you need someone to talk to, e-mail Pat and she will get in touch with me. It's a tough decision to leave someone who says they love you, it was the hardest thing I ever had to go through, but it is possible.