Reddit Stories - SUSTAINED an injury on the job that CONFINED me to a bed...

Episode Date: December 10, 2025

Summary: After sustaining on the job, I found myself confined to a bed for an extended period. The experience was challenging, as I navigated recovery while dealing with the implications of my injury on my work and personal life.

I hope you enjoy this story. Sustained an injury on the job that confined me to a hospital bed for half a year, but my spouse gradually reduced her visits, and eventually I found out she was involved in a relationship with someone else. With our neighbor the entire time while I was fighting to survive. I, 34M, have been married to my wife, Carla, 32F, for eight years. We've been together for 12 years, having met back in college. Honestly, it felt like we had one of those storybook relationships solid, full of love, built on years of shared experiences. Everything was great until about eight months ago, when my life took an unexpected and brutal turn. I work as a construction site manager, and last summer, I had a really bad accident on the job.

A scaffold collapsed, and I got caught in the chaos. It was as bad as it sounds multiple fractures in both legs, a broken pelvis, and some of the some spinal injuries. The doctor said I was lucky to be alive, but they also warned me that the road to recovery would be long, painful, and uncertain. The first few weeks after the accident were a total blur. I was in the hospital, completely immobile, relying on nurses for everything even basic things like going to the bathroom. I've never felt so helpless in my life. It wasn't just the physical pain, it was the emotional weight of feeling like a burden to everyone around me. But Carla? She was amazing at first. She was there every single day, sitting by my side,

reassuring me that we'd get through this together. I clung to her support, it gave me hope. But as time passed, something started to shift. At first, I told myself it was nothing. She was juggling a lot, after all. Between her full-time job, managing the house, and checking in on me, I could only imagine how exhausted she must have been. I figured the drop in her visits was just her trying to catch her breath. But the more I tried to brush it off, the harder it became to ignore. She started coming less and less often. Her once daily visits turned into every other day, and then maybe once or twice a week.

She'd text me to say she was busy or too tired after work. I didn't want to be needy or push her away by complaining, so I just accepted it. I told myself things would get better once I was discharged and we were back under the same roof. Then, about a month after my accident, Carla mentioned a new neighbor who'd moved in next door a guy named Jeremiah. He was 36, divorced, and worked from home. From what she said, he seemed like a nice enough guy, and I was honestly glad she had someone nearby to lean on. He had apparently been a big help mowing the lawn, fixing a leak in the roof, and even helping her carry groceries. At first, it sounded harmless.

I mean, what kind of husband wouldn't be grateful that someone was there to help his wife when he couldn't. But Carla kept bringing him up. During her visits, she'd casually mention something he'd done or said, and over time, I noticed her tone shifting. She seemed, excited when she talked about him. It felt like a small act of kindness in the middle of everything else that was falling apart, and I held onto it like a lifeline. I never thought much of it. At one point, Carla even brought Jeremiah to the hospital to introduce him as our guardian

angel neighbor. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy friendly, easygoing, and the type who didn't seem to have any ulterior motives. Nothing about him raised any red flags. I remember even joking with him about how lucky we were to have such a helpful neighbor. He laughed it off and said he was just happy to help. And honestly, I appreciated it. With everything else going on, having someone to rely on seemed like a blessing.

Months went by, and I was still in the hospital. My progress was slow, and each day felt like an uphill battle. Carla continued to visit, but the frequency kept dropping, and the moments we did have together felt, different. She was there physically, but emotionally, it felt like she was already halfway out the door. I kept telling myself she was just tired, overwhelmed by every day. everything on her plate her job, the house, me. I wanted to believe that once I was back home, things would return to normal. But deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness. It was

eating me alive. I missed her in ways I didn't even know were possible. I wanted to feel her next to me, to have her close, to remind myself of the life we'd built together before the accident. Instead, I was stuck in a hospital bed, isolated and helpless, watching her drift further away. Finally, after six long months, I was discharged. I wasn't back to full strength far from it. I was in a wheelchair most of the time, with a walker for short distances, and my body still felt fragile. But I was going home. I thought that would be the moment everything would start to feel normal again, but the minute I rolled through the front door,

I could tell something was off. The house felt different. It wasn't anything obvious at first. Just a strange energy in the air. Carlo was there, but her presence felt muted. She wasn't the same woman I had kissed goodbye on the day of the accident. She was distant, like there was some invisible wall between us. I tried to tell myself it was just the stress of adjusting to this new reality. I mean, it wasn't just my life that had changed it was hers too. This accident had shaken the foundation of everything we knew. But the little thing started adding up. She seemed distracted all the time, always on her phone, and she'd get startled whenever I wheeled into the room.

She stopped lingering to talk and would often leave the room as soon as I entered. At first, I brushed it off. I figured she needed space, time to process everything we've been through. But then there were the late nights. She'd tell me she was working or catching up on something, but I knew she wasn't. The glow of her phone screen in the middle of the night told a different story. And then there was Jeremiah. His name kept popping up in conversations, and not in a casual, passing way.

It was always, Jeremiah helped with this or Jeremiah fixed that. It was like he was suddenly the go-to solution for everything. At first, it didn't bother me. I thought she was just trying to father-in-law in the gaps where I couldn't. But the more I heard his name, the more I started to notice an odd tone whenever she talked about him. It wasn't something I could put my finger on right away, but it lingered in the back of my mind. One day, about two weeks ago, I needed to check my email, and Carla's laptop was nearby. My phone was charging, so I decided to borrow hers for a few minutes.

As I was logging into my email, a Facebook message notification popped up. It was from Jeremiah. I don't know why I clicked on it, but something in my gut told me I needed to. What I found made me physically sick. The messages weren't just casual conversations, they were intimate, detailed, and left no doubt about what was happening. Hundreds of them, stretching back months. Carla and Jeremiah had been having an affair the entire time I was in the hospital,

fighting to survive and rebuild my life. They weren't just sneaking around, they'd been together in ways I never could have imagined. They'd had SX in our bed, the one I couldn't even get into anymore. As I scrolled through their conversations, my heart sank deeper and deeper. But the most devastating part wasn't just the affair itself, it was how they talked about me. Jeremiah had asked her several times if she was planning to leave me, and her responses cut me to my core.

She said she wasn't sure that they needed to wait until I was more recovered before making any decisions. She said leaving me while I was still disabled would make her look bad, like she was the villain in the story. One message stood out more than the others. She said she couldn't wait for me to get better so she could finally move on. They joked about me, calling me a deadbeat and wondering aloud if I'd ever work again. Carla complained about how hard it was to play nursemaid while I was recovering, saying she felt trapped.

She told Jeremiah that she wanted someone who could make her feel alive again, that she was tired of dealing with me and my problems. I sat there, numb, reading and rereading those words. Every sentence felt like a new punch to the gut, each one cutting deeper than the last. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't believe that the woman I had loved, the woman I thought would stand by me through anything, could talk about me like this. And all of it had been happening while I was lying in a hospital bed, struggling to even sit up on my own.

That night, I confronted Carla. I thought maybe, just maybe, she would show some shred of remorse or guilt. I thought there'd be tears, an apology, something to indicate that she regretted what she had done. But instead, she got defensive angry, even. She made it clear that she didn't think she had done anything wrong. She said she had stuck around when most people wouldn't have, that I should be grateful she hadn't just left me right after the accident.

She painted herself as the victim in all of this, as if being there for me had been some monumental sacrifice on her part. She said she felt unappreciated and weighed down, that she needed someone like Jeremiah to remind her what it was like to feel alive again. She didn't see the betrayal for what it was she only saw herself as someone who had been forced into a life she didn't want anymore. Her words broke me in ways I didn't even know were possible. It wasn't just the affair, it was the lack of any empathy or guilt. She justified everything she had done as if my accident, my pain, my recovery had somehow been harder on her than

it was on me. I left that night and went to my brother's house. I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't stay there, not in that house, not with her. The physical pain from my injuries felt like nothing compared to the emotional agony I was going through. I kept replaying everything in my head those months when she'd come to the hospital, acting like she cared, all while sneaking around with him. Those moments when she'd tell me she was too tired or busy to stay long, and now I knew why. My brother thinks I should get a divorce lawyer and start the process of cutting ties with her. But I don't know if I'm ready for that yet. Part of me still clings to the idea of her not the person she turned out to be, but the version of her I thought I knew, the woman I fell in love with.

It's hard to let go of that, even though I know deep down that the person I love doesn't exist anymore. I feel completely lost. I don't know how to move forward from this. I'm still recovering physically, and now I have this emotional wreckage to sort through on top of it. The thought of dealing with lawyers, paperwork, and the legal mess of a divorce is overwhelming. But the alternative staying with someone who betrayed me so completely feels unbearable. How do I even move forward from here? Update 1. First, I want to thank everyone for your overwhelming support and advice.

I wasn't expecting so many people to care or offer help, but I've read every single comment. Some of them were tough to read, but they helped me see things more clear. I realize now that I've been making excuses for Carla's behavior for far too long, and it's time to focus on myself and my recovery. A lot has happened in the past 48 hours. After posting my story, I took some of your advice and started documenting everything. Before I left the house, I made sure to screenshot every conversation I found between Carla and Jeremiah on Facebook. I emailed the screenshots to myself and saved them in a secure folder. I also started recording any interactions with Carla when she calls or leaves voicemails. My phone has a voice recording app, so I figured it was better to be safe than sorry.

I also reached out to my employer. They've been supportive throughout my recovery, and I asked them for copies of all the documents related to my accident, including medical records, the workers' comp paperwork, and my ongoing rehabilitation schedule. I want to make sure I have everything I need in case Carla tries to come out of after me financially. Workers' comp isn't a lot, but it's the only thing keeping me afloat right now. The most important step I took was meeting with a divorce attorney yesterday. I didn't want to rush into anything, but my brother pushed me to make the call. I'm so glad I did. The attorney

I met specializes in cases involving disability and infidelity, and the consultation was a real eye-opener. She explained that Carla's actions especially abandoning me emotionally and financially during a medical crisis could work against her in court. Infidelity doesn't always carry much legal weight, but in my case, it could. The attorney also reassured me that my workers' comp settlement should be protected in the divorce since it specifically tied to my injury. That was a huge relief because, honestly, I've been worried about how I'll manage financially. Since leaving, Carla has been bombarding me with mixed messages. She sent angry texts accusing me of overreacting and blowing things out of proportion.

In the next breath, I'll get a tearful voicemail about how much she loves me and how we can work things out. She's even tried to guilt-trip me by saying I'm throwing away our marriage over a mistake. The Cherry on Top Jeremiah himself tried to contact me. He sent a text saying he wanted to explain his side of things and that I shouldn't believe everything I read in those messages. I didn't bother responding I blocked both their numbers right after.

I'm done with their excuses and lies. The most unexpected thing happened earlier today. Jeremiah's ex-girlfriend reached out to my sister-in-law. Apparently, she is a close friend of my sister-in-law and she got to know about what happened. Small world, ha. She found me through my brother's Facebook page and sent a message saying she'd heard about what happened. She wanted me to know that this wasn't the first time Jeremiah has been involved in an affair with a married woman. Apparently, he has a pattern of targeting vulnerable women, usually ones whose husbands are dealing with medical issues or are deployed in the military.

She told me about her own experience and even offered to provide documentation from their divorce that shows his history of predatory behavior. I don't know what to think about Jeremiah anymore. At first, I just saw him as a scumbag who betrayed me, but now it seems like he's much worse than that. It's like he thrives on destroying marriages. Knowing this doesn't make what Carla did any less painful, but it does give me a different perspective. Through all of this, my brother has been my rock. He's been helping me in ways I can't even put into words. His house isn't exactly set up for someone in my condition the guest room is upstairs,

but he's been working nonstop to convert his home office into a bedroom for me. He even bought a portable ramp so I could move around more easily. On top of that, he contacted our parents to let them know what was going on. They're flying in tomorrow to help, and I'm looking forward to seeing them, even though I'm embarrassed to tell them the full story. My mom is a retired nurse, so she's already offered to help with my physical care needs. Just knowing she'll be here makes me feel a little less overwhelmed. My dad's more of a quiet support kind of guy, but he's always been someone I can lean on when things get tough.

I'm meeting with my attorney again tomorrow to start the divorce paperwork. I won't lie I'm still scared about the future. I don't know how I'm going to rebuild my life from this point, especially with all the physical challenges I'm facing. But for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm taking control of my life. This isn't the path I wanted, and it sure as hell isn't easy, but I'm starting to believe I'll come out stronger on the other side. Update 2, the last few days have been just a lot to bear. My parents arrived, and while I was relieved to see them, it was hard to face how much this situation has impacted everyone around me. My mom, who's usually strong and composed, broke down in tears when she saw me.

I think seeing me in a wheelchair, coupled with everything I've been through emotionally, hit her harder than I expected. My dad, on the other hand, tried to stay calm and supportive, but I could see the anger simmering beneath the surface. Their presence, though, has been a huge comfort. Just having them here reminds me that I'm not alone, even when it feels like my world has fallen apart. Yesterday, the divorce papers were officially filed. My attorney suggested serving Carla at her workplace, and while it felt cold and harsh, it was the right call. serving her at work establishes a paper trail, making it harder for her to later claim she didn't receive the papers. According to the process server, Carlo was shocked when she was

handed the documents. She apparently started crying and ran out of her office. I wasn't there to see it, but knowing she got the papers gave me a mix of emotions relief, sadness, and even a bit of guilt, though I know I have no reason to feel guilty. Last night, she showed up at my brother's house completely hysterical. I don't even know how she found out where I was staying. My guess is she got the address for mutual friends. She was pounding on the door, screaming to be let in. My brother, ever the quick thinker, started recording everything on his phone before opening the door. The interaction was something out of a nightmare. She alternated between begging me to come home and threatening to destroy me in the divorce. At one point,

she tried to blame the affair on me, saying I had been emotionally unavailable during my recovery. Hearing her twist the narrative like that made me feel physically sick. My dad, who is one of the calmest people I know, eventually had to step in. He asked Carla to leave before things escalated further, and his tone was so firm that even Carla seemed taken aback. She left, but not before yelling something about how I'd regret this and how I'd ruined her life. My brother made sure to save the recording and has already shared it with my attorney.

Today brought another shocking discovery. While reviewing our finances, I noticed that Carla had been slowly transferring money from our joint savings account into a private account over the past few months. At first, I thought it might have been for household expenses while I was in the hospital, but the amounts didn't add up.

Some of the transfers were substantial, far more than what she'd need for groceries or bills. I felt this deep sense of betrayal all over again. She wasn't just cheating on me emotionally and physically, but also financially. I immediately called my attorney, who is now working on freezing our shared assets. Thankfully, my disability payments and workers' comp are deposited into my personal account, which Carla can't touch. It's another layer of stress, but at least I caught it before more damage was done.

done. On the legal front, Jeremiah's ex-wife came through with the documents she promised. Reading through them was disturbing. The pattern of his behavior is identical to what happened with Carla and me. He moved next door to her while her husband was deployed, ingratiated himself into her life by being helpful and slowly manipulated his way into their marriage. Her story feels like a mirror image of mine, and it's chilling to see how calculated he is. She's offered to testify if it comes to that, though my attorney is confident we already have more than enough evidence to support my case. The hardest part of this week was going back to the house. I needed to retrieve more of my things, and my brother insisted on coming with me.

I was dreading it, but it had to be done. When we arrived, Carla was home, and it was immediately clear that she'd been drinking. She was slurring her words and had this wild, unhinged look in her. eyes. As soon as she saw me, she launched into a tirade, calling me every name in the book and blaming me for ruining her life with my accident. What happened next was something I'll never forget. She started grabbing my medical supplies things like my walker and therapy bands and throwing them around the room. She screamed that I had made her a prisoner in our marriage and that my injuries were a burden she never signed up for. My brother, always the protector,

recorded the entire meltdown while also helping me gather my belongings. As much as I tried to stay calm, the look in her eyes so full of hatred and resentment broke something inside me. This was the same woman who stood by my hospital bed, holding my hand and promising we'd get through this together. Seeing her like this, so far removed from the person I thought I knew, was devastating. We packed up what we could and left. My brother has been helping me sort through everything,

both physically and emotionally. He keeps reminding me that I'm doing the right thing by leaving this toxic situation, but it's hard to process. The woman I married is gone, replaced by someone I don't even recognize. For now, I'm focusing on taking things one day at a time. My parents are still here, helping me adjust to this new chapter. My mom has been incredible, helping with my physical therapy exercises and making sure I stay on track with my recovery. My day, dad is handling some of the logistics, like contacting our bank to make sure everything is secure. I don't know where I'd be without them and my brother. This whole ordeal feels like a bad dream I can't wake up from. But with each passing day, I'm starting to see a glimmer of

hope. I know there's a long road ahead, but I'm determined to keep moving forward. Update 3. It's been a little over a week since everything came crashing down, and while my life still feels like it's in pieces, I'm finally starting to see some light through the cracks. The divorce is officially underway, and my attorney is confident we're on strong footing. She's pursuing an at-fault divorce based on Carla's adultery, which could work in my favor during the division of assets. We're also seeking temporary spousal support due to my disability in Carla's blatant abandonment during my recovery. Dealing with the legal process is overwhelming, but having a competent attorney who understands the complexities of my situation

makes a huge difference. She's already filed a motion to freeze all joint accounts to prevent Carla from moving any more money around, and she's gathered all the evidence of her affair to support our case. Knowing I have someone fighting for me helps me feel less helpless. Something I didn't expect was the reaction from Carla's family. Her sister, who is friends with one of my cousins, found out about everything and told their parents. Carla's dad, who has always treated me like a son, came to visit me yesterday. When he walked in, I could tell he was barely holding it together. He apologized over and over, saying he couldn't believe his daughter would do something

so cruel. He even offered to help with my legal fees. While I declined his offer, I was touched by his gesture. It's bittersweet he's not responsible for Carla's choice. but his shame over her actions is heartbreaking to witness. There's also been some fallout for Jeremiah. According to my neighbors, he packed up and left in the middle of the night a few days ago. Word about the affair has spread throughout the neighborhood, and apparently, some people

confronted him directly. I'm not sure where he's gone, and honestly, I don't care. Carla, on the other hand, has been telling anyone who will listen that I've turned everyone against her and ruined her reputation. It's laughable, really her reputation was ruined the moment she decided to cheat on her disabled husband and then mock him behind his back. I'm following my attorney's advice to document everything but not engage with her. It's been hard seeing her attempts to rewrite the narrative, but I know responding would only

fuel her fire. I'm focusing on keeping my side of the street clean and staying as far away from her toxicity as possible. One unexpected silver lining is that my physical recovery has improved since leaving the toxic environment of our home. My physical therapist says my determination and progress have noticeably increased over the past week. I can now walk short distances using just a cane, though I still rely on my wheelchair for longer periods. It feels like a small victory every time I take another step forward, literally and figuratively. My employer has also been a source of immense support.

They've assured me that my job will be waiting for me once I'm cleared to return, and they're already looking into making modifications at the site to accommodate my mobility needs during the final stages of recovery. On top of that, they connected me with a support group for people who've experienced life-altering workplace injuries. Talking to others who truly understand what I'm going through has been eye-opening and reassuring. Meanwhile, the support I've received from my family, friends, and even neighbors has been

overwhelming. My parents have been nothing short of incredible. My mom has taken over as my unofficial nurse, helping with my physical therapy exercises and making sure I stay on top of my recovery plan. My dad has been handling all the logistical stuff, like helping me sort out my financial accounts and contacting utility companies to remove my name from the bills at the house. Even the elderly couple next door to my brother has stepped up. They've been bringing over home-cooked meals every evening, which has been a godsend because cooking is still a challenge for me.

It's humbling to see how many people are willing to step in and support me when I need it most. Emotionally, I'm still processing everything. It's hard to reconcile the woman I married with the person Carla has become or maybe she's always been this way, and I just didn't see it. The realization that the person I thought I'd spend my life with is gone has been one of the hardest pills to swallow. But I'm working with a therapist who specializes in physical trauma and infidelity, and it's helping me untangle the mess in my head. She's been helping me understand that none of this was my fault that Carla's choices were hers alone, and her actions reflect more on her character than anything I did or didn't do. For now, my focus is on rebuilding

my life. I'm setting small, achievable goals for myself, like improving my mobility, reconnecting with old friends, and regaining some sense of normalcy. Several colleagues from work have been visiting regularly, and their support reminds me that I'm not just the guy who got hurt but still a valued part of the team. The divorce process will likely take months, but I'm no longer unsure about my decision. The woman I married doesn't exist anymore, and staying with someone who could hurt me so deep isn't an option. It's a strange mix of sadness and relief, but I'm starting to feel hopeful about the future. To everyone who commented on my original post and updates, I can't thank you

enough. Your advice and support helped me find the strength to stand up for myself when I didn't think I had any left. I'll post another update when there are significant developments in the divorce proceedings, but for now, I'm focusing on putting one foot in front of the other literally and figuratively and rebuilding my life from the ground up.