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Husband and my lurgy

(83 Posts)
Framilode Mon 28-Jan-19 07:41:18

For the last few days I have had the awful virus that is going round. I have felt dreadfully unwell and have spent a lot of time in bed.

This was OK with him for the first couple of days but as time has gone on he has become dreadfully resentful and silent. Yesterday he didn't pop his head round the bedroom door to see if I wanted a drink until about 4 p.m.

The thing is I feel under pressure to get up and see to things around the house and cook for him etc. Does anyone else have this problem with their other halves? When I ask what is wrong he says 'nothing' but the atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Framilode Mon 28-Jan-19 16:29:42

Thank you for all the messages. I see I am not alone. Actually feeling a bit better and am up and dressed. Miraculously he has perked up as well. Like many have advised I will have a chat with him when I feel up to it. It reminds me of when I was in hospital with pneumonia and very ill he used to turn up at visiting time and spend the whole time moaning about what a lot he had to do because I was ill.

He is very good in many ways it is just the silent sulking I find so trying.

Fennel Mon 28-Jan-19 16:19:02

Mine is very kind, if a bit bossy.
Better than I was when he was ill.
As for my ex - "you should look after yourself better".

newnanny Mon 28-Jan-19 16:15:34

I would get a flask of coffee and go back to bed. If he can't see you are ill and need caring for he is an idiot. Make a list of what needs to be done in house and give it to him to do. Shop on line if need be. He can surely mange to go to fish and chip shop or order takeaway if he can't cook. Grown men acting pathetic are a real turn off. Don't be bullied into getting up before you feel better.

Caro57 Mon 28-Jan-19 16:14:21

Mine would be / is the same. 'Dying' when he has a cold but mine are different. Once my mother was confined to bed with a bad chest and when she dragged herself out - feeling dire - was met with my father saying ' are you going to do a washing load today?' when she was fit again we could laugh about it!

crazyH Mon 28-Jan-19 16:14:02

Yes, what about people like us who live on our own? No one to bring us a cup of tea ?

Lilylilo Mon 28-Jan-19 15:53:47

Having said that my OH is rarely ill and if he is he never makes a fuss and just wants to be left alone!!!!

shandi6570 Mon 28-Jan-19 15:39:09

Reported monica000 at 15.32

Patticake123 Mon 28-Jan-19 15:36:35

Unfortunately this sounds like my other half. I blame it on his being an only child! Several years ago I had the flu, not a cold, the proper flu and it laid me out flat. He wasn’t at all happy or caring and like your experience would leave me for hours without a drink, forcing me to go to the kitchen to be met with and angry retort of “I would have got that for you”. Fast forward to November last year, he has had a nasty chest infection which has lasted for 10 weeks, guess what was expected of me .... I had vowed to serve him with his own medicine but I really couldn’t behave that way. So what have I learned from this? Nothing. He is a selfish man and doesn’t have the capacity to care for others but if you met him you wouldn’t believe me!

Tooyoungytobeagrandma Mon 28-Jan-19 15:35:22

Sounds like my house. I do everything and if sick in bed could die and my oh wouldn't know as he never looks in to see if I need anything. After years of this I'm afraid I treat him the same and if I did play nurse I'd been doing it every other week as he always has "something wrong" he's turning into his father hmm

monica000 Mon 28-Jan-19 15:32:56

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Caro6699 Mon 28-Jan-19 15:22:52

Poor you Framilode, neglected and made to feel bad because you are unwell!
As others have said, in sickness and health cuts both ways, and Iwould definitely be having words with him once you are fully well. Sometimes we make too many excuses for partners, male or female who dont show the care and respect that the other partner provides to them.
I have to say that I am lucky that my other half has been very caring when I have been ill, or recovering from surgery but knows that I would do the same for him.
I hope that you are feeling much better soon.

Lilylilo Mon 28-Jan-19 15:20:34

If I retire to bed feeling poorly I could die of thirst and hunger! My OH might chuck me a carton of orange but other than that I never see him! What I really would like is copious trays of tea and little goodies like my Mum used to do if yo were ill! Dear Mum! Bless her heart.

Jalima1108 Mon 28-Jan-19 14:55:59

Poor you, and nanagem and others with hopeless OHs.
Do not get up and try to do jobs or look after them - if you are not being looked after just (if you can) make yourself a flask of tea or coffee and take a jug of water up to bed - and stay there.

DH is very good if I'm unwell. However, I have to say 'thank you so much' quite a lot.

Littleannie Mon 28-Jan-19 14:54:50

Some years ago I had 2 major operations within 12 months. On the evening of the second one, I was lying in my hospital bed in terrible pain when my husband came to visit. He sat down and said "I'm fed up of you having all these operations".
I divorced him shortly afterwards.

NanaandGrampy Mon 28-Jan-19 14:53:42

The thing is Esmerelda no-one HAS to put up with this behaviour.

While I feel terrible for the OP - she is letting him get away with this. And he'll continue to act like it until she tells him how she feels and what she is prepared to do going forward.

I had what might be called a 'life chat' with Grampy many years ago about his grumpy behaviour and winding up the children for what appeared to be sheer pleasure. I explained VERY clearly what was not acceptable and I also explained that I wasn't putting up with it any more and if he couldn't/ wouldn't change not to let the door hit him on the bum on the way out !!

A few days of thought and the marked change in him was remarkable ! He's been a changed man ever since, not perfect but hugely improved.

If we hadn't had that chat I think we might have been divorced by now . Take heart Framilode nothing will change unless you make it change.

Nanny41 Mon 28-Jan-19 14:52:46

Typical men when the attention isnt on them! Get up have a cup of tea and back to bed, and look after yourself until you feel you can be up longer, and definately leave everything that "needs to be done"It will still be there when you feel you can cope more.Get well soon.

Esmerelda Mon 28-Jan-19 14:41:15

Blimey, I'm so glad I'm on my own and don't have to put up with some of the things the OP and others have posted on here. When I get sick (and I have been for the past week) I can take to my bed in peace.

Gma29 Mon 28-Jan-19 14:27:31

The last time I had a fluey type virus, and felt unwell enough to stay in bed, my OH brought me a cup of tea and declared that he’d go out “to give me some peace and quiet”. He came back around 6pm, and announced that he’d eaten out to save me the bother.....

He is the biggest baby if he catches anything, and sits in the sitting room constantly groaning (and I mean that literally). Next time I’m going to go out for the day!

glammagran Mon 28-Jan-19 14:20:27

Omg, Framilode, Fernbergien and others with husbands as useful as chocolate teapots you have my greatest sympathies

blue60 Mon 28-Jan-19 14:14:20

Ask him straight out what is wrong. If he is just sulking, then tell him how he's made you feel on top of not feeling very well.

maryhoffman37 Mon 28-Jan-19 14:12:21

No Anja "men" are not "like this"! This particular one seems selfish, inconsiderate and unloving. Many if not most husbands and partners will look after a sick spouse, just as she will look after hers when ill.

Fernbergien Mon 28-Jan-19 14:08:54

Went into hospital for (2nd) new knee. The first one had gone fine. Not this time. Although the knee part O.K. organs were affected and I was very ill.On return after two weeks no bed change, no post open, house in turmoil, food not in fridge, no washing done. I was very shocked and disappointed. No wonder we get resentful.

Gemmag Mon 28-Jan-19 13:57:15

Framilode..........when you’re feeling a bit better let him know that you think he is a totally selfish p.. man and that if he does get sick you won’t be offering to look after him. I am married to a man who could do everything for himself when I met him. I put this down to years at boarding school. He would cook for me as I couldn’t boil an egg?.
When I was sick last year he was forever popping upstairs asking if I needed anything.
You have got to change the way this man treats you but I expect like a lot of other women you have been doing more than your share of everything round the house.
If I were you I would start to make a list of the things you want him to do, like the vacuuming, the dishes etc., Why should you put up with being treated this way. Get strong and plan your revenge. We all want a bit of pampering when we’re feeling unwell and he’s being very unkind and thoughtless towards you. ☕️??

Jobey68 Mon 28-Jan-19 12:55:50

That's awful Framilode,I'm sorry you're feeling so unwell and even sorrier that you are not being looked after! What a selfish so and so!
In this house we care for each other and pick up the slack if one of us is ill without question, my hubby is a diamond always and I wouldn't expect anything less when I'm poorly.
Once you are feeling better you need to pull him up on his selfish behaviour but in the mean time get well soon ?

sarahellenwhitney Mon 28-Jan-19 12:49:27

Frammilode My father was like this and remember receiving a call from him informing me my mother was ill and in bed and 'can you come over'? I immediately got in the car, at that time I lived forty miles away, and on arriving found father sitting in front of the fire reading the newspaper.