Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

AIBU to suspect SIL is lying about broken foot

110 replies

thatistheq · 06/08/2019 11:01

Last Wednesday my SIL told me she had broken her toe. This morning she arrives at my house (with her kids) and is sporting an ankle boot/brace claiming she has broken her foot. I am now expected to look after her kids and wait on her hand and foot. SIL has form for being a pathological liar. I suspect she's lying as my sister is adamant she saw her at the train station on Friday evening in heels! I'm tempted to call her out but my PIL's get very touchy when SIL is accused/called out. Also, they're only here for a couple of days and I've spent a fortune on food and just want an easy life.AIBU?

OP posts:

Rezie · 06/08/2019 12:06

Depending on the fracture obviously. We use either a boot like that or a carbon fibre insole for fracture feet and toes. Usually a boot cause it is significantly cheaper. You dont also necessarily get crutches since the main thing is to avoid the foot bending like it does when walking in normal shoes. Some people might use the term toe and door since if you fracture a metatarsal it's in your foot but they are attached to your toes.

She could totally be a liar. Not denying that at all.

Buyitinbamboo · 06/08/2019 12:07

I'd just lightheartedly mention your sister saw her friday at the train station. Not mention the heels and see what she says.

HollowTalk · 06/08/2019 12:08

So she's going to have a lazy afternoon on her own while you babysit her children?

FurnitureAndBackgammon · 06/08/2019 12:09

My son broke his foot and it was fully in plaster so the fact she just has a moon boot says a lot

I broke my foot in 2 places last week (1st & 2nd metatarsals) and only have a moon boot. I can't put any weight on it still because it's soooo painful
😩

Just ask your sil what bone she has broken in the foot - she must know. I'd also have to tell her she was spotted in heels, cheeky bitch.

Oh and you can buy those moon boots on Amazon for as little as £15

4sausages · 06/08/2019 12:12

I once broke my 5th metatarsal and was given a boot, no crutches. Several months later it hadnt healed- I was operated on and had a cast for 3 months. During those months in between the boot and the op I was walking/driving etc. It was just bloody painful.

PuppyMonkey · 06/08/2019 12:13

I also don’t quite understand how it has come to pass that you must be the carer, OP. You’re “expected to” - by whom?

Nautiloid · 06/08/2019 12:14

She just turned up to stay for two days without asking? Broken foot or not, that's outrageous!

I wouldn't bother calling her out but I'd expect her to entertain ALL the children from the sofa while you get on.

And I'd make it clear that if such an occasion arises in future, she must speak to you rather than just turning up, because this time you've had to cancel all your plans, and in future this may be impossible.

Nautiloid · 06/08/2019 12:15

Basically don't make it too comfortable for her or she will do it again.

Nottobesoldseparately · 06/08/2019 12:18

I broke my foot.
I just don't know when or how.

It showed up on an x-ray I had, presumably years after I'd done it, when I fell and badly sprained my foot/ankle.

The nurse was amazed I hadn't known. It apparently healed very well with no intervention at all.

I'm still gutted I missed out on the sympathy and time off work!!

MirzyMoo · 06/08/2019 12:21

That is a support boot, clearly not broken or her ankle would be in a cast. Call her out, if her family continue to enable her behaviour she will continue to do it.

QuestionableMouse · 06/08/2019 12:22

I fell on the stairs a few years ago and broke my toe. Only it wasn't just my toe, I'd also broken my foot. I was given a boot just like that. It was spectacularly black and blue though so the best way to tell is to get a peek at her bare foot.

Sagradafamiliar · 06/08/2019 12:26

The best thing you could do is completely ignore it, if she's lying she would hate that.

SistersOfPercy · 06/08/2019 12:27

I broke my big toe a couple of days before Christmas. I was given a boot, mostly because the swelling made it difficult to get a shoe on. I was also given crutches.
Like @QuestionableMouse I was also multicoloured with bruising.

Still managed to cook Christmas dinner for everyone though!

PuppyMonkey · 06/08/2019 12:29

Oh that’s a good one, tell her in order to provide the best care, you need to do a daily examination to check for swelling - as advised by your doctor friends - so you’ll need her to take the boot off.

Damntheman · 06/08/2019 12:29

@MirzyMoo you're just plain wrong. I have an xray to prove my break and I'm in a support boot, no cast.

FurnitureAndBackgammon · 06/08/2019 12:40

That is a support boot, clearly not broken or her ankle would be in a cast.

Think your medical knowledge needs updating. Lots of pp and I have/had broken feet and NO cast.

JollyAndBright · 06/08/2019 12:40

A couple of years ago I fell off a curb (slipped on a wet paving in the rain in heels) a&e though it was just a sprain, strapped it up and gave me crutches because I couldn’t put weight on it due to the pain.

But when it hasn’t improved at all after a few days I went back and had it X-rayed and I had an aversion fracture and two fractured cuneiform bones and a broken metatarsal.

It was quite a bad break and the doctors though I might need it pinned at one point but fortunately heeled ok.

I never had a cast, I only had a support boot and crutches.

Wonkybanana · 06/08/2019 12:45

Rather than seeing it as her being a lazy so and so and getting you to babysit her kids, present it the other way round. As her DCs are nice, take them and yours to the rope park. Don't let her come. Talk endlessly about how amazing it's going to be and what a fabulous time you'll all have, but 'dear SiL, I'm sorry you can't come too, it's such a shame, but you really need to stay here and rest your poorly foot'. See how she responds to that!

PeachMoon · 06/08/2019 12:50

When I broke my toe a few months ago it was strapped up by the nurse and straight into a moon boot, no cast, no crutches, no surgery - it is perfectly possible that your suspicions are wrong.

Grownupkidsstillaworry · 06/08/2019 12:50

I’m in a boot at the moment like this, I’ve fractured my medial malleolus (inner ankle bone) and torn ligaments all round the outside of the ankle too. Two weeks after the injury and I’m only now starting to weight bear.

CorBlimeyGovenor · 06/08/2019 12:59

Definitely casually ask her where she was going on Friday. Could you invite your sister around for a cuppa and get her to mention it.

Skittlesandbeer · 06/08/2019 13:01

So many kids around, the chaos of a squeezed in busy house. Shame if the boot went missing, and she had to stay in bed to rest it up for a couple of days? Extra annoying if the modem got unplugged while you were out entertaining her kids. I mean, as long as she can get to the loo, right?

Sometimes old-fashioned rest is the best, when one is poorly.

MrsLinManuelMiranda · 06/08/2019 13:04

This is very unethical but, throw a heavy bag down stairs , shout out that her DC has fallen, then see how long it takes her to get to you.

UniversalAunt · 06/08/2019 13:04

I broke my foot many years ago - I fell off a wonky paving stone right outside a hospital, so in A&E within 10 minutes. I thought it was a bad sprain & had just wanted to limp home. But someone far more sensible than got me through the hospital doors.

I was told to spend 10 days with no weight on it, wear compression boot & use two crutches when hobbling to the loo. As it happens I woke up the first morning with raging flu so spending 10 days flat out in bed was not so difficult.

Insult to injury, the Cambridge’s wedding was the next day & nowt but wall-to-wall media coverage. Stuck in bed, raging fever, achy foot, bottled water/travel kettle, box of biscuits & Royal Wedding on a loop - not my best day.

Weezol · 06/08/2019 13:09

I like that Wonkybanana, it sounds like a great plan.

Agree with PP - why is all the 'care' falling to you?

Flip

1 2 3 4 5