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AIBU?

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MIL in Palliative Care Unit

129 replies

Ggggggggggggggggyh · 14/01/2025 15:09

Ok, so my DH and I are currently took a week off with our toddler to spend some time with his mum who has been admitted to a palliative care unit in the hospital. The rest of the family have been visiting my MIL who has been up and down and the doctors have clearly said that the inevitable will soon come to pass and that everyone should just make my MIL as comfortable as possible. My DH is very protective and caring and super loving towards his mother out of everyone in the family. Ive never been close to his MIL because she reminded me of my late father who did nothing to help improve their health despite the help and care given.

My DH has been so stressed and upset and of course he will be and Ive been giving him so many hugs and comforting words...but not anything to give him hope. He's been insistent on having our toddler see his grandma everyday and I refused because I do not want our son to be exposed to something like this so early on in his life. I just want our son to remember happy memories with his grandma. He basically was forcing our son to give his mum kisses and hugs while she had her oxygen mask on and our son kept saying, 'I don't want to' and was visibly upset. Our son eventually did but I said that once or twice is fine but not everyday. My DH is positive that his mother will get better soon and he's getting his hopes up again because his MIL is now being moved to a different unit.

Im really just wanting my MIL to kick the bucket now and just get everything over and done with. Honestly, she's better off gone because all she ever did was just sit and watch TV and complain about her pains and constantly moaning about everything. I sound like a bitch but I really don't care. It's just stressful having someone like her around and it doesn't help my son and I when DH is constantly wanting immediate updates on her and simply refuses to admit that her time is nearly up.

My lack of empathy probably stems from my relationship with my father. We loved each other so much but we both knew that when my father's health deteriortated, he just really wanted to die and didn't want to make a big deal out of it. I had no other family left when he passed away and that was only two months after my son was born and I had to take care of it all myself. No time for tears or grief, just the need to get it over and done with because I had a son to think about. That's basically how Im feeling now. People who have been suffering from a long term illness for a long time eventually do pass away and when that reality is staring right at you in the face, I don't get why some people just refuse to believe it.

Would you say that it's better to just leave my DH be? Or do I need to tell him outright that what is happening to his mum is just out of our control and that we should just let the doctors do their jobs?

OP posts:
MagentaRavioli · 14/01/2025 15:21

Perhaps it’s because you feel so strongly about this, but the way you’ve described things makes it seem that your behaviour comes across as monstrously selfish. The pleasure and comfort your MIL will get from seeing her grandson should come ahead of your primness about not ‘exposing’ your child to ‘something like this’. Crikey. Step back and let your DH lead on this one.

SnakesAndArrows · 14/01/2025 15:16

Apart from not letting him force your DS to kiss her and be there all the time, you have to let him get on with it in his own way.

You’re obviously still grieving your dad in your own way, and the situation is upsetting for you, but saying what you want to say, unless you do it very, very gently, is just callous and will not benefit your DH.

LordEmsworth · 14/01/2025 15:14

Have you thought about therapy?

All my mum did was watch TV and moan. I am still grieving 2 years later. Let your DH deal with it in his way, don't try to impose your way of dealing with losing a parent on him.

crumpet · 14/01/2025 15:13

Look, you’re (hopefully)going to be married for a long time. This period is very difficult for all of you, but realistically if your MIL is at end of life stage will pass in a few weeks or months. A drop in the ocean in the grand scheme of things.

you do sound like a bitch,I’m afraid. How you dealt with death in you family and how your dh is dealing with it in his may be different, but each person deals with things differently. It’s not about your MIL, it’s about how you want to support your dh who is clearly finding it very hard.