[AnnieBL]

All of us who are married and have 'come out' or are contemplating doing so must appreciate that one's previous emotional relationship with one's wife is likely to take a beating. That part of the relationship is going to need to be substantially revised or reconstructed, a quite difficult task in many cases that requires a real commitment of both partners which a badly damaged emotional relatioship may make difficult. If the emotional relationship is all that holds you together, then I reckon that the prognosis is not good. Fortunately most of us have a real friendship or at least a 'common cause' relationship with our wives, to which it may be possible to appeal to help carry us through. I count myself very fortunate that I was good friends with my wife for so long before we became lovers, that she regards our friendship (if not our marriage) as unbreakable, and she is just as anxious as I am to adjust our relationship to accommodate the new circumstances; and even so we have to feel our way so carefully. TG/TS compulsions may prove such as to overstress even a very long and strong friendship. I tell myself and my DW that I am too old, too big and not in good enough health too even contemplate full time transition, but my feminine side has been repressed so far and for so long that I don't know what may happen if it finally gets loose. Seeing so many people here that I value and respect moving forward into new territory makes me sufficiently envious that I fear that I may be kidding myself.