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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ban the inlaws from coming anywhere near the hospital...

166 replies

GoJetterGirl · 13/10/2017 22:41

While my DS has his central line fitted for his chemotherapy to start?

My inlaws are the worst variety, always questioning my parenting of DS, undermining DH and I and generally making the whole situation about them, bear with me, this could get quite long...

OP posts:
GoJetterGirl · 19/10/2017 14:52

Thank you everyone, we now know what protocol DS will be having, and I have denied the inlaws any knowledge of it, because simply, it's none of their business!!!

DH is getting a rude awakening later and will be told to either get on board or get out- up to him...

OP posts:
OnTheRise · 19/10/2017 15:39

I hope it all goes well, Jetter. And that your husband is on-side, very quickly.

FreeMeNow · 19/10/2017 15:50

I really hope he backs you up. You have enough to cope with without listening to that horrible, disgusting woman.

RochelleGoyle · 19/10/2017 16:04

Lots of love to you, your DS and DH. The ILs need to be kept the fuck away. FlowersGin

DarthMaiden · 19/10/2017 16:20

I’m so sorry you’re facing such an awful situation.

Of course YANBU. Your focus should absolutely be on your son and everyone’s else’s wants/needs are frankly irrelevant.

Anyone whose not supportive/helpful does not have to be tolerated.

I’m not sure if you’ve heard of the Ring Theory of support. I’ve copied it below. Frankly I don’t think showing it to your PIL’s would help but it might be worth speaking to your DH about - a good tool to explain exactly why his parents need to back off. Essentially they are refusing to accept their proper place in the ring - outside your son and you/your DH. They are putting themselves in the centre and making your son’s illness and treatment “about them” when it’s not - they are 3 times removed from this and need to act appropriately. If they can’t do that, then they simply have no place in the ring at all.

——
Ring Theory of Support

When there's a critical sickness or death in your social circle, emotions necessarily run high. Using the Ring Theory can help determine who to comfort and who to vent to.

While it's often obvious at the outset who needs the most attention (the person who is sick) but as time wears on, needs can get mixed up:

When Susan had breast cancer, we heard a lot of lame remarks, but our favorite came from one of Susan's colleagues. She wanted, she needed, to visit Susan after the surgery, but Susan didn't feel like having visitors, and she said so. Her colleague's response? "This isn't just about you."

"It's not?" Susan wondered. "My breast cancer is not about me? It's about you?"

The same theme came up again when our friend Katie had a brain aneurysm. She was in intensive care for a long time and finally got out and into a step-down unit. She was no longer covered with tubes and lines and monitors, but she was still in rough shape. A friend came and saw her and then stepped into the hall with Katie's husband, Pat. "I wasn't prepared for this," she told him. "I don't know if I can handle it."

This woman loves Katie, and she said what she did because the sight of Katie in this condition moved her so deeply. But it was the wrong thing to say. And it was wrong in the same way Susan's colleague's remark was wrong.

To avoid being unintentionally insensitive, Susan developed Ring Theory, which works like this...

Draw a circle. This is the center ring. In it, put the name of the person at the center of the current trauma. For Katie's aneurysm, that's Katie. Now draw a larger circle around the first one. In that ring put the name of the person next closest to the trauma. In the case of Katie's aneurysm, that was Katie's husband, Pat. Repeat the process as many times as you need to. In each larger ring put the next closest people. Parents and children before more distant relatives. Intimate friends in smaller rings, less intimate friends in larger ones. When you are done you have a Kvetching Order. One of Susan's patients found it useful to tape it to her refrigerator.

Here are the rules. The person in the center ring can say anything she wants to anyone, anywhere. She can kvetch and complain and whine and moan and curse the heavens and say, "Life is unfair" and "Why me?" That's the one payoff for being in the center ring.

Everyone else can say those things too, but only to people in larger rings.

When you are talking to a person in a ring smaller than yours, someone closer to the center of the crisis, the goal is to help. Listening is often more helpful than talking. But if you're going to open your mouth, ask yourself if what you are about to say is likely to provide comfort and support. If it isn't, don't say it.

Don't, for example, give advice. People who are suffering from trauma don't need advice. They need comfort and support. So say, "I'm sorry" or "This must really be hard for you" or "Can I bring you a pot roast?" Don't say, "You should hear what happened to me" or "Here's what I would do if I were you." And don't say, "This is really bringing me down."

If you want to scream or cry or complain, if you want to tell someone how shocked you are or how icky you feel, or whine about how it reminds you of all the terrible things that have happened to you lately, that's fine. It's a perfectly normal response. Just do it to someone in a bigger ring.

Comfort IN, dump OUT.

There was nothing wrong with Katie's friend saying she was not prepared for how horrible Katie looked, or even that she didn't think she could handle it. The mistake was that she said those things to Pat. She dumped IN.

Complaining to someone in a smaller ring than yours doesn't do either of you any good. On the other hand, being supportive to her principal caregiver may be the best thing you can do for the patient.

Most of us know this. Almost nobody would complain to the patient about how rotten she looks. Almost no one would say that looking at her makes them think of the fragility of life and their own closeness to death. In other words, we know enough not to dump into the center ring. Ring Theory merely expands that intuition and makes it more concrete: Don't just avoid dumping into the center ring, avoid dumping into any ring smaller than your own.

GlitteryFluff · 19/10/2017 16:43

Oh they are the last thing you need at a time like this.

You're handling it all very well, don't be afraid to be a dick. Tell them it's not about them, they're not welcome in your house right now, there's too much else going on etc. If you have the strength obviously. It might be difficult to be assertive right now.

Wishing you and your family all the best.Flowers

TheDodgyEnd · 19/10/2017 20:56

I’m a bit late to the thread but just wanted to offer you even more words of support and love. You do not have to put up with this. Not for a second. Under the circumstances you’ve acted incredibly reasonably, but I do think awful PIL’s need to be told enough is enough now. FlowersFlowersFlowers

GoJetterGirl · 20/10/2017 16:56

Update

DS is finally out of theatre and alone with me!

There were tears, tantrums and me finally yelling "I don't give a fuck, get out of my fucking house you arseholes!!!"

But, they've gone. And not a moment too soon... so now DS will start his treatment next week and I will continue to make sure that it is stress free for both of us!

OP posts:
Justanothernameonthepage · 20/10/2017 16:59

So glad you now get to concentrate on your DS. Fingers crossed it goes well

GlitteryFluff · 20/10/2017 17:08

Sorry it came to that but hopefully they are going to take note and stay in their place.
Hope your DH is on side and supporting you in regards to them?

RiversrunWoodville · 20/10/2017 17:14

Unbelievably awful people Flowers for you and DS I hope you and he are as ok as possible

chinam · 20/10/2017 17:15

I'm sorry your husband doesn't seem able to support you in this. You are doing an amazing job.

DarthMaiden · 20/10/2017 17:17

I’m so sorry you had to come to this point - but frankly needs must and your son is the priority

OnTheRise · 20/10/2017 17:34

I'm glad your DS is out of theatre, and I hope things go as well as can be expected from now on. And I'm so, so sorry that you had to shout at those terrible people to get them to leave you alone. At least it's over now, and you never have to see them again.

usernameavailable · 20/10/2017 17:58

@GoJetterGirl
I am so sorry you are going through this! My love to you, DH and your precious DS.

I want to say how amazingly dignified you are going through all of this! After the MILs vile statement about having a replacement already, I have no idea how you didn't punch her or fall to pieces! You seem like a very strong lady!
I am so glad they are now gone and you can stop giving them the mind space!

I do not pretend to know what you are going through. I hope you have a support network around. If you need a bloody good rant please feel free to PM me. I can not make your son better, but I can listen/read just so you can get it all off your chest if you need a release.

FlowersFlowersFlowers

DartmoorDoughnut · 20/10/2017 19:14

Glad your DS is out of theatre safely, sorry your ILs continued to be utter twats Flowers

AcrossthePond55 · 20/10/2017 20:28

I'm glad they're gone. And sorry you had to get so upset to make them leave! I certainly hope they remember this!

Glad all went well. Now it's time to (try to) relax and concentrate on DS.

ohfourfoxache · 21/10/2017 13:35

I'm so sorry they pushed you to yelling

You're doing so well, stay strong and give DS enormous cuddles. You don't need anyone to tell you that he's your priority, but try to ignore those fucking idiots as much as you can. They are not worth the head space

Lovelittlethings · 21/10/2017 17:48

My heart goes out to you, Flowers I hope your DP steps up and prioritises you and you children over his manipulative and selfish parents PDQ. He might benefit from the reading the earlier post on the ring theory of support.
I really hope you’re getting the support you need at such a difficult time Flowers

aaaaargghhhhelpme · 21/10/2017 18:05

So glad your ds is out of theatre and safe with you Flowers

So sorry you had all that unnecessary shit from you inlaws. Hope your DH has you back and you can concentrate on Ds

Take care FlowersFlowersFlowers

ememem84 · 21/10/2017 18:07

Good lord. Well done you!

And good luck for whatever comes next x

I hope you’re getting enough rl support

Sprinklestar · 21/10/2017 18:25

Well done, OP. Sounds like that's been a long time coming. Just think how much less stressful life will be without them around now.

Sending all good wishes to your little one.

Darth - love the Ring Theory, thanks for sharing.

LakieLady · 21/10/2017 18:31

Selfish cunts. And MIL sounds vicious and spiteful. Huge kudos to you, OP, for standing up to them. You sound awesome.

So sorry you and DS are having to go through this. I'm hoping for the very best possible outcome for you all. Flowers

TheGhostOfBarryFairbrother · 21/10/2017 19:30

Just read this and Fuck Me Sideways with a Halibut they are fucking terrible.

Do you know about the charity Post Pals?

Flowers
Protectingmydaughterfromfilth · 23/10/2017 02:06

Hi OP, how’s things?