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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

WYB miffed? Dd in hospital and dh fucked off to Glastonbury?

889 replies

Hopetheportaloosareminging · 26/06/2025 15:58

Just that really.

Long story short, dd 12 has been in and out of hospital the last couple of weeks having to have her obs done as a result of an ED that has really accelerated in the last few weeks. It has been extremely stressful and is obviously upsetting. She’s under camhs and they took her readings last week resulting in me having to take her to A&E. She then had a ward review yesterday and her readings were so low they kept her in overnight. I stayed with her.

DH has been mentioning going to Glastonbury for a while to meet up with an old friend who goes every year. They haven’t been able to get tickets but h seems convinced they’ll be able to bribe someone his friend knows and get in 🙄 apparently “loads of people do it”.

I left the house for her appointment yesterday at 12pm (was supposed to just be a routine appointment) and didn’t manage to ring him until about 7pm as there was no signal in the hospital. I thought he’d have been trying to ring me but no, nothing. He has a stressful job (wfh) and I don’t honestly think he’d even given it a thought. He can be very one track minded.

He has form for being uncaring and unempathetic (I suspect he’s autistic - he has a lot of traits) but we nearly split last year after a build up of issues and he’s been like a changed man since. A lot more caring and considerate. I am starting to notice a few of the old behaviours creeping in though.

Came home last night to get some overnight stuff and after asking how it went/how dd was etc he was like “oh, I’m not going to be able to go to the festival now am I?” I said “it’s up to you, I’m not going to stop you - yes go if you want!” I said (in a jokey way) “it’s on your conscience” But quite honestly I thought he wouldn’t go.
Had a horrible night in the hospital. I’ve had one text from him this morning which I responded to telling him they were still concerned about her blood pressure/heart rate being low and low blood sugar etc and wasn’t sure whether they were keeping her in or not. The dr has now let us come home (he doesnt know this yet - I tried to ring him as we were leaving but he didn’t answer) but we have a nurse coming out at the weekend to check on her and do more obs, so it’s pretty serious. They said if she doesn’t improve over the next couple of weeks it will be another hospital admittance and complete bed rest with a feeding plan which is usually for two weeks.

Anyway, got home and he’s not here - he’s fucked off to Glastonbury!! No message either since the one this morning. No note, he’s just gone and when I asked ds he said “I think he’s gone to Glastonbury” (ds is a typical teenage boy hooked up to his Xbox and probably wouldn’t notice if the house was burning down)!

Im not angry I just think he’s a selfish arse and I’m a bit incredulous really. Can you imagine one of us mum’s doing that? It’s not even like he has a ticket and would lose the money.

Oh, and it’s our anniversary this weekend which I’m guessing he’ll be missing too.

He isn’t a sociable or “going out with the lads” type of person usually - this is a one off to be fair to him. He is a good dad generally, just often seems to be missing some kind of empathy gene. I know he’ll be thinking “it makes no difference whether I’m there or not”. But what if they’d kept her in and I needed him to bring stuff/come and take over for a bit? It’s selfish and unthinking imo.

Anyway, I think I just wanted to get opinions really. Feeling a bit upset and like “no, he hasn’t changed really has he?”

But maybe IABU and it’s not a big deal bc she’s not in imminent danger?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
alcoholnightmare · 26/06/2025 20:31

Have your kids responded to his text @Hopetheportaloosareminging? Personally, if they haven’t, I’d let the tumbleweed go past for the weekend on that group chat

TesChique · 26/06/2025 20:33

You told him it was fine to go and he...went.

He sounds like an arse but for gods sake use your words

"No you can't go to fucking Glastonbury our daughter is gravely ill."

IButtleSir · 26/06/2025 20:35

Anyone who fucks off to Glastonbury when they have a 12 year old seriously ill in hospital is the scum of the earth and deserves the very worst karma has to throw at them.

I'm so sorry for what you and your daughter are going through. Please leave your worthless husband so that he experiences some consequences for his selfish actions. And tell everyone he knows what finally pushed you into leaving him.

IButtleSir · 26/06/2025 20:36

TesChique · 26/06/2025 20:33

You told him it was fine to go and he...went.

He sounds like an arse but for gods sake use your words

"No you can't go to fucking Glastonbury our daughter is gravely ill."

What kind of parent needs to be told that?

Topjoe19 · 26/06/2025 20:37

I'd fucking let him have it both barrels. Then I'd divorce the bastard.

Hopetheportaloosareminging · 26/06/2025 20:39

Shetlands · 26/06/2025 19:26

Thank you. At the time, it seemed normal because that's what he was like. When there's a pattern of behaviour, it becomes normalised in a family and you become desensitised to things that others might be shocked by.

This is how I feel.

OP posts:
Takenoprisoner · 26/06/2025 20:39

IButtleSir · 26/06/2025 20:36

What kind of parent needs to be told that?

Exactly. I despair of the twats blaming op for 'letting' her husband go.

BMW6 · 26/06/2025 20:40

I'd be inclined to text him "How nice for you. Don't bother coming back. Ever."

AbzMoz · 26/06/2025 20:40

Wow OP. This is such a lot to be going through and I hope you and DD (and DSs) are keeping each other safe and well.
I can’t imagine dealing with such a selfish pathetic DH. Actions speak louder than words and after your conversations last year he has made quite the statement.
Whatever you choose to do now and next, I hope you find the strength and occasional humour to rise above. You’ve got a lot of supporters here thats for sure

loobyloo1979 · 26/06/2025 20:40

Have you messaged him back yet?

ChickalettasGiblets · 26/06/2025 20:42

Bin off the useless husband OP. Regardless of if he has autism or you said he could decide if he went, it’s unfathomable to me that a parent would swan off to Glastonbury when their child was ill in hospital. It’s beyond selfish and uncaring IMO.

Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery and I hope she’s able to beat her ED

Supersimkin7 · 26/06/2025 20:43

controversial I know, but I’m with DH - ED patients can suck the family into their crazy and a break is good for DD and DH.

As long as you get a break too.

ThatCyanCat · 26/06/2025 20:44

Hopetheportaloosareminging · 26/06/2025 19:58

Thanks everyone still reading, just went out for food with dd as I couldn’t be arsed cooking and she ate quite well which was good 😊

Just the above quote and:
can understand that autism might mean you don't pick up on sarcasm and nuance and may take things literally, at face value.

This isnt him. He understands nuance and sarcasm, it’s more that he never seems very bothered by anything that most people would be bothered by. He has a kind of toxic positivity of “oh everything will be ok”. He seems to think the camhs people etc are overreacting.

Anyway, they’ve also told me we probably won’t be able to go abroad on holiday over summer so maybe that will hit home to him a bit. Though I suspect he’ll just think it’s another overreaction.

When I say he has autistic traits, it isn’t extreme or anything - he functions perfectly normally in normal life.

Then it sounds like he's just a narcissistic arsehole who doesn't love his family and perhaps doesn't deserve it.

PyongyangKipperbang · 26/06/2025 20:45

So his "I want" is more important to him than his 12 year old DD's "I need"?

He does not deserve the title "Father".

Mumtobabyhavoc · 26/06/2025 20:45

IButtleSir · 26/06/2025 20:35

Anyone who fucks off to Glastonbury when they have a 12 year old seriously ill in hospital is the scum of the earth and deserves the very worst karma has to throw at them.

I'm so sorry for what you and your daughter are going through. Please leave your worthless husband so that he experiences some consequences for his selfish actions. And tell everyone he knows what finally pushed you into leaving him.

This.

Hopetheportaloosareminging · 26/06/2025 20:45

Goody2ShoesAndTheFilthyBeast · 26/06/2025 20:02

So do you think he already had a ticket or he was able to buy one there?

It wouldn’t surprise me if he had a ticket but has pretended he’s had to finagle his way in to add to his “adventure story” when he gets home. He thinks things like this make
him seem exciting and a bit crazy.

It’s sad, I know. I’ve never been able to trust anything he says 100%. He can be a bit of a Billy Bullshitter type.

OP posts:
Fran2023 · 26/06/2025 20:46

Cynic17 · 26/06/2025 16:01

Going without tickets is stupid, but going while the child is possibly in hospital......well, him being at home would probably not make any difference to her, tbh.
If he IS autistic, is all this disruption causing him stress? He may feel he has no choice but to "run away"?
Also, has anyone investigated possible autism in your daughter? It can be very closely linked with eating disorders.

Edited

I am so tired of the ‘is he autistic?’ defence.

He is an adult who holds down a job, is married, and a father. The OP says they have had previous difficulties and that he improved. His behaviour is in his control and I have no doubt that he is simply running away out of selfishness, not because of some meltdown related to being on the spectrum.

IlFestivaldelGelato · 26/06/2025 20:46

I think whether or not you told him he could go is completely irrelevant.

For whatever reason, he is incapable of seeing that it is not in his family’s interests for him to go (or he simply doesn’t care).

You shouldn’t need to spell that out to him - as a parent and partner, this should be blindingly obvious.

I’m very sorry your daughter is unwell.

femfemlicious · 26/06/2025 20:47

Hopetheportaloosareminging · 26/06/2025 16:01

Oh I do take responsibility - obviously these men have good points too otherwise we wouldn’t marry them would we?

True.

KeenGreen · 26/06/2025 20:48

OP your DH has been an arse!
To sod off to Glastonbury with no ticket even while DD is seriously unwell!

No consideration for supporting you, DD or your other children! So you are left to support your DD with hospital visits and stays, while also sorting other children.

Yeah you said you ‘can’ go.. but you are his wife not his keeper. DH should have had the consideration to make the right decision and want to support his family during a difficult time. Had you said no, you’d have been the bad guy!

I am so cross for you, I wish you and DD all the best!

Americano75 · 26/06/2025 20:48

Oh my actual God, I feel so angry for you. My ex husband was like this, one of the many reasons he's an ex. Is leaving him a viable option?

femfemlicious · 26/06/2025 20:50

Hopetheportaloosareminging · 26/06/2025 16:03

Yes, if only we had crystal balls!

I truly wish I had one. Women are not omniscient to know how a man will be.

PyongyangKipperbang · 26/06/2025 20:51

Hopetheportaloosareminging · 26/06/2025 20:45

It wouldn’t surprise me if he had a ticket but has pretended he’s had to finagle his way in to add to his “adventure story” when he gets home. He thinks things like this make
him seem exciting and a bit crazy.

It’s sad, I know. I’ve never been able to trust anything he says 100%. He can be a bit of a Billy Bullshitter type.

My money is that he definitely had a ticket.

Anyone who hasnt lived with their head in a bucket for the last 20 years knows that the "blagging your way in" days are long gone.

He had a ticket but needed to prove he is still young and cool and edgy by pretending he didnt. Its absolutely pathetic.

mullers1977 · 26/06/2025 20:53

Emma543 · 26/06/2025 20:15

Wow I’d be really sad initially OP but after the picture I’d be bloody livid.
although he can argue you didn’t say he can’t go I would say it was an opportunity to show putting his family first rather than himself.. which he failed.

Yes a father/partner shouldn’t need to be told how to behave, op has allowed him to show his true colours ….

Emilysmum90 · 26/06/2025 20:54

I'd just change the locks tbh and leave the rest to solicitors.

Sorry OP. Hope your DD is feeling better soon.