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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Should I let him go?

37 replies

Melscorp · 18/02/2009 14:22

I will try to make this as short as possible.

I had an operation a month ago. Two weeks ago I visited the GP and was advised that I needed 6 to 12 weeks rest as it was a very delicate procedure and the slightest movement could tear the stitches and I would end up where I started.

My husband's mother is due to return to her country on Friday morning, I still am not supposed to lift, carry, bend etc (which is EXTREMELY difficult with a two year old). My husband's mother insisted that he accompany her back, as she is SCARED to travel by herself.

I did ask my cousin if I could stay with him, his wife and toddler daughter, but they weren't sure as they are planning a holiday to Florida. The rest of my family are abroad.

My daughter is two and like many of you, I have NEVER had a day, let alone a night away from her. When my husband and I went away once for a weekend, she went with us. Every where I go, she goes. I think what I am saying is I have no one to help.

I am therefore worried to be on my own in my current predicament with my daughter for 10 days.

What do you think????? Am I just being selfish??

My husband says he will stay if I want him to, but he has paid for his tickets already and I am also afraid of being deemed as.........

OP posts:
screamingabdab · 19/02/2009 17:49

Oh, and if your husband has said he will stay if you want him to, then take him at his word, and tell him that you do want him to.

As others have said, I am sure the airline can help. I travelled to America with my brother when we were teenagers and we had lots of help, so I am sure they could help an elderly lady.

Why do us women feel so guilty about asking for help?

Nekabu · 19/02/2009 17:57

Melscorp, either:

a) dh and mil take dd with them.

b) mil travels without your dh. You can tell the airline in advance she is a nervous traveller. Plus, she won't be on her own, there'll be a whole planeful of people ...

Don't offer any option other than a) or b) and don't budge. If you give in and end up looking after dd whilst your dh and mil go away then you will almost certainly tear your stitches and end up in a worse situation than you were to start with. Every time you start to cave in to their pressure, think of that and keep your resolve!

ChampagneDahling · 19/02/2009 18:00

I'm sure you have looked after everyone else at various stages and now it is time for YOU to be looked after. If you do not recover after your op properly you could make yourself worse and then would everyone else be.

Take time to look after you and it is not unreasonable for your DH to look after you too - sure he promised something like that in his marriage vows.

I agree with whoever it was said that you need to ham it up, be a bit more pathetic and expect someone to look after you, especially if that's why MIL came in the 1st place .

If she got to you then she can get back, presumably she isn't ancient and disabled...

IMO your DH needs a kick up the whatsit and to readdress his priorities.....

jenhden · 20/02/2009 05:27

why don't you tell him she'll have to wait in this country until you are better and see how she likes having her plans put on hold! then put her to work!!

Melscorp · 20/02/2009 11:55

Thanks again to all of you!!!!

Helen31, Oh I made a point of throwing into my discussion with DH, that most people wouldn't even DREAM of leaving there wives so soon after surgery. His answer, was he only booked after my friend agreed that I could stay at her house with my DD. He then said he never wants to see her or my family sitting in our home again!!! Great!!! . Although I retorted that she is not responsible or to blame for the situation and the only person he should blame is himself as he should have waited until I was fully recovered, he is partially right.

My friend did say it was no problem if I stayed with her when I mentioned that DH had to escort MIL back to her home country. She said she would take DD every morning for a walk when she took her daughter to school and every evening when she collected her daughter. She said the only problem that could arise is if the social worker came over (she is planning to start fostering), but it would work in her favour as the social worker would see that she is able to look after my DD. Apart from that she said it would be fine, except on a Monday morning when she looked after this little boy, but she would ask his parents if she could bring my DD over as it would be good for the little boy to have company. I told her I would pay to stay at her house and would pay or buy food, whatever she preferred. That was two weeks ago. Last week I kept trying to phone her, but no answer. I finally got hold of her on the Thursday morning. She said she would call me back. I didn't want to push it, so i didn't call her on the weekend.

Started calling her on Tuesday of this week. Finally got hold of her yesterday and her response was, she couldn't do it as her DD had made plans and had a friend staying over all weekend and Monday morning she had the boy to look after. I asked her if she had not asked the boy's parents and she said "no" as she didn't know what was happening. I said, "But last time we spoke you said you would ask the X's parents.". "Anyway tell Daniel I wouldn't be free until around 7.30 p.m. on Monday night when Y goes to .....". I couldn't believe it!!!!! I didn't know what to say, as this was the same person earlier on in the conversation had said she felt sorry for my DD being trapped in the house all day and would have poppede over to take her for a walk, but had loads on. I even pointed out, that I didn't have to stay at her house, but if she could pop in and check on DD and I. She said, it wouldn't be until late Monday.

Helen31, I did mention that he could extend her ticket and he said she had been away from her home long enough. It was her first trip away from home (International).

Thanks Wizzka!! I guess you are RIGHT!!! I don't think they are considering that!! I can't try the tears even if I wanted to as the last two times I told him she was crying, his comments were not nice (regarding the crying).

VinegarTits, she did travel here on her own from Romania. She claims the airport was scarey. The thing is I booked her to leave from a smaller airport, so......... You are FUNNY!! At least you made me laugh.

Mumof222222222222Boys, there is so much, but I don't know where to start. The thing that got me was the day she arrived, she said to him, "First you said you were leaving for a year. Then you said it would be three and now eight years later and....." What would you think of that comment? Maybe I was too sensitive when he translated it for my friend and I. He had pretended to hit his Mum on her arm and my friend told him not to do that. He then told us what she had said. Later on when I brought it up, saying that they blame me for keeping him here, he said I was PARANOID. He said they knew he met me after he had been here over four years. I have always said that I knew they blame me for him not moving back home, but he always said he wouldn't have gone back anyway. Before he met me most of his salary went home. When we got married, that obviously stopped. Oh, I made sure and told him that his priority should be DD and his DW. He retorted that we were and why was I even talking RUBBISH.

PINGVINER (I almost renamed you PINGGIVER!!! . Good thing that I doublechecked!! Thanks, you definitely KNOW your stuff!! I wish I had spoken to you two weeks ago or a month ago (but that would be another thread about the NHS). Two weeks ago my DH GP informed me how serious my operation was as it was an intricate procedure. He did inform me that the slightest movement could affect my recovery and may result in (as you knowledgeably pointed out) me having to have the procedure redone. I informed my DH who informed MIL. I also had tried to use GOOGLE translator when she asked me what the GP had said. So she knows, but I think she was just playing MIL games as you suggested. The ten days also facilitated him visiting his relatives who he hadn't seen for at least three years. Some more that that. He also wanted to have a health check over there. I didn't mind him visiting his family as he was over there, but I just didn't see why he had to go as I had no support.

I did mention paying someone, but finances wouldn't allow a doula and that is a SORE point (We paid for someone to come and stay with me and look after DD and I. We were supposed to pay for her ticket and I went the extra mile and bought a winter coat, underwear etc as I was so GRATEFUL to her. We obviously provided all the food etc and anything she wanted, plus we were going to give her cash. I handed over eighty pounds straight away. Four days after my operation she made plans to visit her family. I was surprised as she knew I wasn't supposed to lift, bend etc. All I had asked her to do was make sure DD' nappies were changed and she was bathed and fed. DD ended up spending most of the time with me anyway. Oh...I did ask her to cook one day!! Anyway, when she was leaving, she said, she was taking her bag. I thought it was her carry-on case, but it was her suitcase. She then phoned on the day she was due back and said she was staying another night. I was a bit surprised as on the morning before she mentioned she was going to her Aunt's I had asked her to help me get a cake as it was DH birthday. This was the evening she rang back at 6 p.m. to say she would be staying another night. The following evening she rang and left a message on my answermachine. We were at A & E. The thing was, it was her aunt that actually phoned and forgot to put the phone back in the receiver or turn the phone off, so we were privy to their converstion after the message was left. "Your conscious is clear!! You phoned and she wasn't in. It wasn't your fault!!", lots of giggling etc.
I won't go into it all as that would be another thread!! ).

Well, MIL left this morning. DH is at work. Lots of words exchanged. Lots of tears shed. DH is extremely moody. I phoned him earlier this morning and when I questioned him, he told me to leave him alone. I tried to explain that this was not my fault and he said he was not blaming me, but he didn't want to see my family or friends again. He told me to leave alone and then he would be sweet once he has his space. At first I told him he should jump on the plane and go with his Mum, but he was not impressed and became angrier as he had just left his Mum at the aiport!!!!!!

I don't know who else to talk to, so I guess writing this here, is my only form of getting it off my chest.

Sorry, for the length!!

OP posts:
TrillianAstra · 20/02/2009 12:04

Your DH doesn't want to see your family or friends? Eh? What has that got to do with all of this?

Helen31 · 20/02/2009 12:11

Hi Melscorp - did I read right that MIL has left by herself and DH is still with you? In which case, yay!!

Sounds as if DH is mega-grumpy though - maybe best to just let him have a bit of space, given you have got what you needed!

Doula you had sounds totally unprofessional. There is a trainee one on MN in SW London (turtle23) - not sure where you are, but here is a link to her website.
www.sarahhopewell.co.uk/services.html.

Keep well!

Melscorp · 20/02/2009 12:17

PINGPING by herself via plane.

SCREAMINGABDAB Oh, I did. Lastnight I went on and on. He kept saying he wasn't upset with me, but he is upset. I went through everything.

CHAMPAGNEDAHLING. Don't worry, I don't know where I got the strength from, but I did mention the marriage vows too. I guess, knowing I had backing helped!!!

JENHDEN, I did suggest that too, but he said she couldn't stay longer.

NEKABUI didn't even offer him the option of taking DD. I did offer that he could still go and I would muddle through.

You see I have ALWAYS been A MUG where friends and family were concerned and I guess that is why DH is so upset that now we need them.....I was always the first to lend a hand, or money (most of the time I didn't have it...credit card/overdraft) etc.

OP posts:
Wizzska · 20/02/2009 12:18

Your DH is being unreasonable, but I'm glad your MIL has left now and hopefully given time things will get back to normal. I don't want to cast aspersions, but it sounds like she's probably being a poisonous old bint and getting to your DH a bit. I hope he sees the light soon.

Oh and about that carer person, and your friend and her changes of plan. WTF! I'd want to skin them alive. None of this is your fault by the way, don't let your DH blame you, stand tall (as tall as your stitches will allow you) and don't let anyone let you believe it is your fault.

Wizzska · 20/02/2009 12:18

Shame about the tears thing. Works a treat with my DH!

VinegarTits · 20/02/2009 12:41

Just caught up

Glad your mil has gone back on her own, your DH will get over it, and so will she, it might even teach her a lesson or two

If he is grumpy about it just give him some space, concentrate on your recovery and maybe when you are fully fit you can all go over for a holiday and DH will be able to catch up with his relatives who have missed him and they will all get to meet your DD!

Melscorp · 24/02/2009 07:20

Thank you very much to all of you who took the time to read my thread and an extra hug to those of you who responded. I really appreciated the support!!

Thanks Wizzka. I am sure you are right, but DH is so blind to it all. As for my friend, DH has said he doesn't want to see her in his home again. It is not the first time she has let me down. I can't understand her behaviour. Sometimes I do wonder if it is me. DH says it is because I am a soft touch and people see me coming!!! It is quite upsetting.

Thanks VinegarTits. DH is less grumpy, but he has stated more than once that he doesn't want to see my family or friend in our home. He doesn't mind if I Dad comes over from Canada, but ......... Part of me knows he is right, but........

OP posts:
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