Need some encouragement

[OhioJim]

I just signed up here, to see if someone could give me some encouragement.

I met my GF Patty online about 10 weeks ago. She was local to me, less than 5 miles away. In fact, one of the first things she asked me was if I was REALLY local to her (evidently, she had got a lot of 'hits' from guys farther away). We chatted and text for about a week, and I was going to take her out to dinner.

Then she disappeared. Not for very long, so I wasn't really worried. Then I got a text from a friend of her family, asking me when she would get there. I didn't even know she had left, let alone when. Turns out her family (mother and brother) lives in the Philippines, and her mother was having major surgery and wanted to see Patty before the surgery. But as soon as the friend said what kind of surgery I told him, in no uncertain terms, to not wait. Patty's mother was scheduled for a complete heart transplant. Even then, even though I did not know Patty that well, I was thinking of what it would do to her if her mother missed this once-in-a-lifetime chance. Many people die when on the waiting list, the donor hearts are good for only about 3 or 4 hours, and the trip takes at least 20 hours.

Several hours later I got a text from the family friend saying that the surgery was done and went well. Several more hours later I got a text from Patty. She was at the airport in Manila, was completely exhausted, crying, and in a panic. She couldn't get hold of anyone. Of course it was in the middle of the night there. I had to calm her down by text. So she went to a hotel and collapsed.

Turns out her mother was in a coma from something that went wrong in the surgery, and didn't wake up for almost 3 weeks. Not only that, because of being in the hospital for so long her mother had lost her house, so Patty had to go find another one. It needed renovation to be made livable.

Patty did say that as soon as the house is finished she would book her return flight.

So that is where we now stand. It will be almost 2 months next week. The house is being worked on. When her mother was in a coma Patty texted me several times a day. Now I am lucky if it is only a few words once a day. She does day that she loves me and wants to come back here so we can be together. Also said she fell for me because of my kindness and understanding.

Now a lot of people would say that this is a scam. In fact, I did block her number at one time, and the same family friend texted me asking what was going on, said Patty was crying, and assured me that it was not a scam. So I unblocked her number. Before I met Patty online, I had encounters with 3 or 4 that were scammers. After I met Patty online, I vetted her. She has sent me a bunch of pictures, with which I did a Google image search. And a background check. All came up clean. But what convinced me that she was real, was all the little things she says (or did say) in her text. Oh, yes. Her phone can only do text from there, so one day she borrowed a phone and we had a 15 minute video chat, which was nice. At least I got to see her in real time.

I even found a website where you answer some questions and they will tell you if the person is a scammer. It said there was a 83% chance that she WAS NOT a scammer.

I don't know. Maybe I am just overthinking this (my late wife said I do that too much). Or maybe I am just being impatient.

[cookiemonster]

In my opinion I would keep going now that you know that she is real. I also think you should talk to her about when the repairs would be done and when she would come back because you can't wait to meet her in person and if you are willing to wait for her, then do so. Where did you do your background check?

[OhioJim]

In my opinion I would keep going now that you know that she is real. I also think you should talk to her about when the repairs would be done and when she would come back because you can't wait to meet her in person and if you are willing to wait for her, then do so. Where did you do your background check?

Thanks for your response, cookiemonster. I have been wondering if anyone would respond since it has been about 1.5 months since I posted.

Things are looking good. We continue to text once or twice day---it is hard with a 12 hour time difference! And we had another attempted video chat. I say attempted because the connection (on her laptop using wifi) kept dropping. The internet where she is is not too reliable. I am trying to get her to borrow someones local smartphone. That worked quite good when we tried it before---cell phone system instead of wifi, I guess.

You have heard of the expression about a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, her reaction when she first saw me on our (rather short-lived) video chat was absolutely priceless! Later she told me her heart was pounding.

I would encourage anyone in a LDR to arrange video chat, even if you have to borrow someones smartphone!

From what she has said, the repairs to the house are almost finished. Then there will be nothing to stop her from booking her flight.

And, she keeps saying how much she really wants to come back here when things are finished there! Sent her a video clip of myself today, and she said she loved it, and that I was handsome and cute!