I'm back to report a milestone - 150* clean days!!
I can tell there is real progress. Today, I was sent a link to a podcast for some Torah learning for my son, and realized that this podcast platform works on my computer despite my filter. In the past, I would have run through a bunch of news podcasts, and eventually go to some explicit ones to numb out anxiety. Instead, I recognized the inherent dangers involved for me and closed the platform before I went down the ol' problematic pattern. I will be contactingcontacted right away (!!) my filter company to blacklist it for me.
Somehow, through a really challenging time and a very interesting process, Hashem has given me enough awareness, resilience, hope, priorities, focus, vayimaen videos, and time out from all elements of satisfaction through stimulation - including over 3 months of no intimacy - to overcome this challenge.
I know that my issues in this area may just be what has been holding me back from a good, successful life, and there are some huge opportunities lurking around the corner, so this victory gives me hope.
Real tough seeing my wife in bed all day, struggling to manage basic survival. Last two months have been extra rough. Though she has been worse off before - to the point I was afraid she wouldn't make it - its hard to see progress and then see what appears to be regression.
(I had a long process to come to the clarity that my spiritual machalah could not have been the sole cause of her physical diseases. But I do still have to hope that each time I overcome my yetzer, I have an opportunity to ask for a yeshuah for her.)