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How to cope when partner is chronically ill and angry.

13 replies

Sadworld23 · 29/03/2026 14:16

May not be any point posting this as DH has just left in a grump and not sure if he's planning to come back.

General story is that he's quite unwell and has been for 3-5 years, worse in the last3.
He has significant abdominal pain, but can't seem to get a diagnosis..its more specific than IBS and is more like gallbladder/pancreas area but his tests come back normal. I'm not looking for diagnosis here, it either will or won't happen eventually. He had recent surgery to remove a lesion which was benign.

The issue is, how to navigate this. DH has sort of abdicated out of family life, unless it suits him. We have one 3y DC who is spicy and demanding. DH often doesnt get put of bed til after 11am and then potters about with DC for 10mins or so.
DH does zero housework, maybe 10percent food shop. On a good week he picks up DC maybe twice a week and cares for him for 45mins til I finish work. On a bad week I have to finish work early.

DH does go to work, sporadically as he struggles to keep a contract. I'm ok with that and I'm forgiving of lack of domestic help as I'm sure work isn't easy for him. Claiming benefits is difficult without a diagnosis and we have some savings excluding us from some benefits. I work 30 hours pw.

But he's so angry and frustrated and erratic, I feel like a cushion being thrown around. He's not physically violent but verbally agressive.
DH complains when I try to make up work time, like I should be doing house jobs or spending time with DH. Nothing is good enough although he rarely complains about food I cook

When DC was sick recently DH just assumed I'd take unpaid leave to cover it.

DC needs a haircut, DH says he will do it, but then doesn't and will no doubt flip off if I take DC to barbers.

DH is also horribly inappropriate, he will make sexual gestures and comments in front of DC and DHs own mother. He is flippant with people we meet, some seem to take it, but i cringe.

He's also angry with me for not fancying him.anymore, but honestly, I get in bed, on a good day I might have the energy to give him a little personal massage but I rarely get anything in return and I confess I often nod off, bc I'm exhausted.
Our child is a poor sleeper and DH won't get out of bed, so I'm often on the floor or in DCs bed with or without DC. There isn't room for 3 in the bed.

Eggshells, are just exhausting and my own health is suffering from the stress and lack of downtime. I often can't shower as DC would wake DH etc.. sort of given up waiting for him to rise before we eat bc I was starving every afternoon.

OP posts:
PoppinjayPolly · 29/03/2026 14:18

He’s an absolute abusive arse. Is he able to manage his illness if it’s something he wants to do?

ChaToilLeam · 29/03/2026 14:20

Granted, being ill doesn't usually bring out the best in anyone, but he sounds like an absolute arse. What was he like before?

AmberSpy · 29/03/2026 14:23

Sorry to say it OP but it sounds like your life might be easier without him in it. Having a chronic illness is horrible but it sounds like he is expecting you to pick up all the slack while not making any effort whatsoever himself. My heart broke a bit for you reading he expects a "personal massage" even after a day of being horrible to you.

Can you find a neutral third party to speak to in real life? Someone who can help you unpick this? I think you should start thinking about how you want your life to look going forward.

aWeeCornishPastie · 29/03/2026 14:25

He sounds absolutely horrible. You want to be stuck with this abusive man baby the rest of your life ?

devildeepbluesea · 29/03/2026 14:25

How to cope? You cope by shedding 12 stone of arsehole, that’s how.

The sheer amount of shit men I read about on here is at once both depressing and reassuring to me, that my conscious decision to stay single is the right one.

BreadInCaptivity · 29/03/2026 14:33

Being unwell isn’t a free pass to being an abusive arsehole.

He’s got you right where he wants you hasn’t he?

Responsible for everything in the household including “massaging” his “ego”.

Leave. It won’t get any better and you owe yourself and your child more (far more) than this.

Smallorveryfaraway · 29/03/2026 14:36

It is horrible being in pain all the time but that doesn't mean you get to check out of your responsibilities, which it sounds like he has done.
Fix your boundaries too, he's treating you really badly and you are letting him. See what this is teaching your children. You need to start being much nicer to yourself imo.
My DH has incurable cancer and works when he can, but he also does all of the shopping, sorts out all the insurances and car stuff, does his fair share of the cleaning and is lovely to me all the time. He does get frustrated and peed off but would never dream of taking that out on me. If he's in a grump he keeps to himself until it passes.

ILoveDaffodills · 29/03/2026 14:39

If he doesn't come home today would he stay at his mother's? What does she say when he's inappropriate in front of her?

hus behaviour is totally unacceptable! Totally!

my first questions though are-

do you want him to come back?
do you still love him?

Sassylovesbooks · 29/03/2026 14:44

I understand your husband is unwell, and he's likely angry and frustrated by the hand he's been given. However, that doesn't give him a free pass to treat you and your son, like shit. Is he in pain 24/7 365 days per year? I suspect not. So there will be times, when he could help out with your son or do chores and be involved. He chooses not too, that's the difference. No one is expecting him to run a marathon or climb Mount Everest but he should be doing some things, that he can manage, to help his family.

How is he managing his symptoms on a daily basis? Is he doing anything to help himself? Or is he wallowing in self-pity?

You are drowning in responsibilities, trying to keep your family afloat, whilst he's sitting back and letting you. You need to start prioritising yourself and your son, and that might mean separating from your husband, for your own well-being.

1000StrawberryLollies · 29/03/2026 14:52

Wtf?! No part of his behaviour is remotely acceptable. I have abdominal pain a lot of the time due to as-yet-undiagnosed coeliac disease and endometriosis. I still go to work full time and manage to be a nice wife and mother rather than a lazy, uncooperative, abusive, aggressive, sleaze. Why on earth are you tolerating this? Not to mention favouring him with 'personal massages'?

ShallinloveDelight · 29/03/2026 14:55

He'd have to go. What a drain on all of you for no apparent benefit.

Sadworld23 · 30/03/2026 10:06

It does feel one sided and he came back late last night.
I just wondered if I was being Unreasonable expecting more input from him.

My DC adores DH making it a hard decision.

OP posts:
ChocoChocoLatte · 30/03/2026 10:10

Send him home to his mother and allow yourself to breathe a little. His behaviour is appalling and I live with a chronic illness. I’d never treat my DH like that.

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