glutton for punishment?

So here it is... i have been dating this girl for about eight months and I am absolutely crazy about her. Whats the catch you ask? When we met she had only been out of a horrible relationship for about two weeks. TWO WEEKS?? some of you might be saying.. yes two weeks. To throw a couple more irons into the fire I had only been out of a six year relationship for three months. I know some might be thinking doomed from the start; that thought had even crossed my mind many times but I believe that people are put into our lives for a reason at the right time. So where is the problem you ask (if you didnt already think you found the answer in the previous sentences.)? The issue is that we stopped calling it a relationship about a month ago. Without going into all the sordid little details lets just say that I wasnt taking care of certain responsibilities that would make her feel like a priority so she called our "relationship" off. Well I took care of what needed to be done and we started to see each other again with the understanding that she needs time to heal some of the old wounds that she is still carrying from the last girl she dated and the understanding we took things slow. We both realize that we each have issues that we dont want to put on the other. Which brings us to the name of this blog. My big "issue" is that I am a caretaker. I want to make things O.K. I realize I cant fix her and that whatever she needs to do she has to do for herself but I have to wonder why I have again put myself in this situation? My last relationship I was the caretaker and so much of my pain came from not being able to make my partner happy. I setteled for not getting my needs met in order to try to accomodat another. I believe the label they have for that is co-dependent:) anywho... I find myself in that position again. My needs are not being met here. I want to spend time with her, I want her to be able to comfort me when I have had a bad day, I want to be able to comfort her,I want to feel that she is in love with me as much as I am with her, I want to feel as though we are working towards a future together, I want security. Right now I understand that she has nothing to give, that right now she is totally stripped. The question I have is how long do I wait? How long am I patient, understanding and loving? How long do I keep putting myself out there with no guarantees? I would like to say as long as it takes because I love her but I have to question how long.