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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To sound panicked when my child is rushed into hospital

132 replies

TeeBee · 22/02/2013 16:28

Okay, your views please ladies. My children had both gone off to a half term activity this morning and whilst there my eldest got his finger trapped in the hinge of a door. The course leader had tried to get hold of me but the message had gone straight through to voice mail because the signal is pretty crap where we live. Anyway, he then tried to call a few of the other parents who knew us so someone could come and pick him up. Anyway, one of the parents finally managed to get through to my husband at work, who then called me. This time my phone actually rang and he told me that DS had been taken to hospital by a friend of ours. Cue me going 'oh, fucking hell' and scrabbling to get my shoes on to go and get to the hospital. His response was to shout 'listen to me, listen to me, stop over-reacting. I can go. Don't tell me I can't handle this'. (which I never once said at all). I told him it was nothing to do with him, it was about me wanting to be with my child when he has been taken into hospital. He continued to argue the toss as to why I was over-reacting, whilst I continued picking stuff up and getting into my car. Sorry, but does anyone think I was overreacting to say what I said and rush to see my child who had been taken into hospital. I really can't see how I was over-reacting. He, however, made the whole experience so much more stressful than it needed to me by being an utter arse. He has really pissed me off over this.

OP posts:
DoJo · 23/02/2013 12:16

"men just dont get the mums instinct thing at all, he should accept that." I think this is a truly awful thing to say, and I genuinely hope that you don't let your children see that you feel as though their father's care is inferior to yours just because you're the mother.

MrsDeVere · 23/02/2013 12:24

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cory · 23/02/2013 12:33

Agree with MrsDeVere; being visibly concerned just doesn't do your child any favours.

I had one panicking, flapping, over emotional parent and one who stayed calm and matter of fact in the face of disaster. I never for a moment suspected that my mother loved me any the less because she didn't panic outwardly: I thought "she loves me enough to make an effort for me".

FutTheShuckUp · 23/02/2013 12:38

Mrs DV- I always found that the parents of children with the most serious longer term unwell children were far calmer and reasonable than those attending with minor acute treatable illnesses.

MrsDeVere · 23/02/2013 12:39

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kelda · 23/02/2013 12:42

It's difficult to say. If he was still on the phone, it's easy to imagine why he thought you were overreacting.

I have a child who panics when she hurts herself. Today she fell down on a flight of steps ahead of me and nearly passed out crying and screaming. I did feel panic when I heard her because I couldn;t see her immediately.

I had to force myself to stay calm so I could calm her down before I could start assessing her. If I had allowed the panic to overtake me, that would have made the situation a lot more worse.

Follyfoot · 23/02/2013 12:46

The thing that strikes me most is that the initial post is all about the OP and how she felt/behaved and how the feelings/behaviour were responded to by others. There is very little about the child. The only thing that really mattered at the time is the child being supported. Which he was, by his father.

All the 'rushing to hospital' stuff for what was never going to be a life threatening injury, is a bit self indulgent in my opinion (sorry OP).

MrsDeVere · 23/02/2013 12:48

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fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/02/2013 13:07

My child has been seriously unwell and lost all her speech and some motor skills. We were told it was progressive. .which thankfully was wrong. At that time I wasnt very calm and found it hard to hold it together.

When my DD hurt her finger and had to go to hospital I was quite stressed too.

Doesn't mean I care for her less. Just that I am less strong in some circumstances. .we are all products or our upbringing.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/02/2013 13:08

My DH acts arsey in those situations too. We just move on afterwards and accept we were both stressed.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/02/2013 13:10

When I was stressing it wasnt making it all about me..was doing my best to be calm for DD but it proved difficult. No way am I a drama queen in that way.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/02/2013 13:11

Sorry..that was epic..am on a train.

What I am saying is..we are all different, don't judge people harshly for not being able to hold it together

kelda · 23/02/2013 13:14

FanjoForTheMammaries I understand that. It is incredibly hard to remain calm, and it doesn't make you a bad parent if you start panicking.

Everyone reacts differently to that rush of adrenaline and it can be incredibly difficult to overcome that.

cory · 23/02/2013 13:14

I suppose I am thinking about it from the viewpoint of the child- and I did use to judge my dad (much as I loved him). Being ill or in pain and feeling you have to protect somebody else who isn't is not a pleasant position to be in. I was angry with him because I had to waste my strength on being brave for his sake.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/02/2013 13:18

Well..you know him well...but I wouldn't assume he cared less just because he couldn't be a stoic person

PuzzleRocks · 23/02/2013 13:21

MrsDeVere

My daughter has a minor long term (thankfully easily treated) disease for which we spent a day in A&E this week and reading this thread left me quite keyed up. I can't begin to imagine how you feel. I'm really not sure what I am trying to say but I hope you aren't giving it the head space it doesn't deserve.

EllaFitzgerald · 23/02/2013 13:24

I do understand why you'd want to rush there. However, from what you've said, it sounds like he feels you've got no confidence in him or his ability to deal with situations. Have you ever told him or intimated to him before that he can't deal with things as well as you do?

MrsDeVere · 23/02/2013 13:26

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fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/02/2013 13:29

Yes I agree

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/02/2013 13:30

Many others were uber critical of the OP calling her a selfish drama queen etc though. Which I disagree with.

MrsDeVere · 23/02/2013 13:31

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MrsDeVere · 23/02/2013 13:33

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fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/02/2013 13:34

I certainly know you are very sympathetic. My point was that its not always easy to be the adult even if you know its best for the child. But yes, clearly we should strive for that.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/02/2013 13:35

Ok..maybe I skim read too much. Guess I am just sensitive as I haven't always coped as well as I could have.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/02/2013 13:37

Have to say my DH is super competent with DD though

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