HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR A FADING RELATIONSHIP?

MY BOYFRIEND AND I OF NEARLY 3 YEARS HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOME ROUGH TIMES. HE SLIPPED AND FELL INJURING HIS BACK TO THE POINT OF NEEDING SURGERY AND HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK FOR SOMETIME. I WAS IN CHARGE OF PAYING THE BILLS AND BEING RESPONSIBLE. IT LED TO REGRET AT SOME POINTS AND BITTERNESS BECAUSE MY DESIRES TO GO TO SCHOOL AND HAVE A PRODUCTIVE LIFE WERE PUT ON HOLD. I WAS MAD AT HIM SECRETLY BECAUSE I WANTED A LIFE TOO AND I WANT TO DO THINGS I WANTED TO DO IN LIFE. NOW THAT HE HAS A PART TIME JOB AND STARTED HELPING OUT, IT'S TIME FOR US TO RENEW OUR LEASE AND I'M FEELING UNSURE OF WHAT TO DO. WE SEVERAL TIMES HAVE BROKEN UP BECAUSE I GOT TIRED OF HIS ATTITUDE AND TEMPER AT TIMES AND HE WASN'T TREATING ME THE WAY I WANTED IN THE RELATIONSHIP. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GO TO SCHOOL AND BE WORKING TOWARD MY OWN PERSONAL GOAL'S..I FEEL LIKE "ME" ISN'T THERE ANYMORE AND THE GIRL I KNEW IN THE BEGINNING IS GONE. ON ONE HAND I'D LIKE TO MOVE BACK HOME WITH MY MOM AND GET INTO SCHOOL...BUT YET I DON'T WANT TO THROW AWAY A RELATIONSHIP THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME. I WANT TO BE THE PERSON I KNOW HE'D RIGHTFULLY DESERVE IN LIFE..BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS I NEED TO DO FOR IT TO BE POSSIBLE? WHAT DO I DO? I'M SO CONFUSED AT TIMES AND LOST. I DONT WANT TO KEEP HURTING HIM AND CONFUSING HIM PLEASE SOMEONE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS AND LEND AN EAR.