After 10 years of bitter struggle, I can finally celebrate a huge success: My husband finally started therapy and the therapist told him after listening to our story that he believes MIL has a narcissistic personality disorder!
My husband said the therapy sessions were extremely difficult for him because the therapist confronted him with everything that had been done to me and the children by MIL and SIL over the years. The therapist was often speechless, tried hard to remain professional, but my husband could see that it was visibly difficult for him.
Background: MIL not only cheated us during the house transfer and almost financially ruined us, she repeatedly tried to turn our children against me through lies, she consistently ignored the pediatrician's instructions and then managed to turn my family against me through lies to such an extent that I had to break off contact with my own family. On top of that, she's been damaging my reputation in our neighborhood. I confronted her about it several times, which led to her feigning heart attacks and demanding to be taken to the hospital by my husband (each time, she was released hours later and the doctors said she was perfectly healthy!). My SIL is a choleric and used to yell at me, sometimes even chased me.
I broke off contact with MIL and the choleric SIL years ago and the children are safe from them, too. The therapist agreed with me on this point as well!
After years of struggle, I'm completely burned out, but it was like a liberation to hear from a doctor that it wasn't my fault and that my husband should have helped me all these years.
My husband now has to deal with the guilt of having abandoned me all these years, which is clearly taking a huge toll on him. I don't yet know if I can continue this marriage. I first need to get my health back on track.
I can recommend involving a therapist or a suitably qualified counselor. It was a real eye-opener for my husband.
Please never stop fighting for your children and yourselves! ❤️