AIBU to be heartbroken the cleaner ruined my platypus?

[RightYesButNo]

I have a few painful autoimmune conditions, so we have a cleaner once a week. Currently, I’m in a very bad flare, sleeping through the pain, etc. I asked if she could change the bed and I’d just stay in the living room until she was done. I fell asleep on the sofa in just a few minutes and then I awakened when she was kindly telling me I could get back in bed. Already embarrassing.

I sleep with a stuffed platypus every night. My condition causes really painful trouble breathing so hugging him makes it a bit better. He’s just the right size, etc. He’s been on countless hospital visits, hospitalizations, even a few surgeries with me.

I didn’t notice until the cleaner left and I found him drying on top of the hanging sheets that were also drying. I’m ashamed but I cried; his fur is a bit ruined, his insides are all balled and smell wrong; I think it may be time for him to go to the “beloved stuffed friends retirement shelf” with DH’s one-eyed childhood teddy.

But I can’t believe how upset I am. I feel just so sad. I know this is definitely some HUGE hospital PTSD, and fear of facing more pain without a comfort object. Erm… AIBU to ask if anyone has a stuffed friend who helps your fears at the age of mumble mumble over 30? And if you might cry (a lot) if they were semi-destroyed?

So you had a 2nd platypus all along you could use if desperate for something to hold !?!

You could look up 'dolls hospital' or 'toy restoration' near you. They can re-stuff toys,a dd new eyes and give them a general refresh.

Bloody hell I didn’t expect to be crying over a strangers platypus today!
Your Dh and the kind mner who offered to help need massive hugs.

@Eleoura

So you had a 2nd platypus all along you could use if desperate for something to hold !?!

You could look up 'dolls hospital' or 'toy restoration' near you. They can re-stuff toys,a dd new eyes and give them a general refresh.

Both platypuses (can that really be the plural?) were in bed at the time the cleaner changed her sheets. Both were washed and in need of grooming/ reshaping. OP was worried both had been permanently damaged.

I’m so pleased your lovely dh has sorted the fur. How is the lumpy stuffing? Has it gone back regular shape now dried, OP?

I gave ds my stuffed dog when he was in hospital. I had had it forever but ds needed his love.
He got lost and although it makes me sad I like to think someone else is loving him now.

I need to go and do something grown up because this thread has made me revert to a 6 year old pining for her stuffed dog!

There are companies that will remake your stuffed toy so long as you can send a photo or the item itself. I saw this on Steph's Lunch so look in their Instagram.

I feel your pain and understand how upset you must be. Toys like that need to be hand washed gently to wash out bacteria.

If you haven't read The Velveteen Rabbit then do as it's very relatable

Your husband sounds utterly amazing and I'm so pleased platypus seems to have survived his ordeal.

Your lovely DH you're very lucky and Platypus is looking mighty fine

AND NOW THIS THREAD IS IN CLASSICS.

Hope your flare de-flares very soon, OP. Sending love. My hair's terrible in humidity too. #mammalproblems

@Eleoura

So you had a 2nd platypus all along you could use if desperate for something to hold !?!

You could look up 'dolls hospital' or 'toy restoration' near you. They can re-stuff toys,a dd new eyes and give them a general refresh.

Ah, sorry, if I wasn’t clear enough, I was hugging both of them and they BOTH ended up in the wash somehow. They were both in the DH Salon last night trying to get a repair.

@FreddieLounds I think the stuffing is going to be okay? It may be good that they’re from a not so expensive brand so filled with maybe beads of stuffing or something? It still says not to wash them on the tag (which I can barely read at this point), but they aren’t incredibly lumpy in the same way. My biggest concern is that whatever is inside them still feels slightly “damp” through their fur, so I was worried about having damp issues. (Oh God, can you just imagine me and some builders sitting around? Them: “Yeah, we’ve been dealing with terrible damp in houses in the south of the village lately.” Me: “Oh yeah, I’ve had terrible damp problems, too.” Them: “Where?” Me: “Er… in my platypus.”)

@atleastitswarm

That’s the best drip feed ever OP. I love Platypus and Furious P Are they husband and wife too like you and DH or do they have a different relationship

Funny you ask… so, now MORE accidental drip feed… gah, sorry…

When my husband was on the way back from Hong Kong, he had to go through Australia and I’d had the absolute crap surgery while he was gone (this was pretty recently - right before COVID) and so, I don’t know if they’re husband and wife but… this is tiny Platypus. He was not in the bed yesterday, so escaped this entire incident. Though he sometimes travels in my purse now when I have to go for painful or scary medical in and out tests (like I have a head MRI tomorrow).

I thought threads had to be submitted to a committee for consideration for Classics status but this one is straight in there. Even before Tiny P showed up.

Ok, OP, so do you have - for particularly stealthy needs - also have a stash of platypus eggs you can surreptitiously squeeze? If not, perhaps you should.

Best wishes for tomorrow.

Ah it gets better!!!

There’s a baby!

Best drip feed ever. You have a lovely husband. Sending you and Platypus lots of unmumsnetty hugs.

Tiny P!!

Tiny baby platypus!

OP please drip feed platypuses into every thread!

Ah, I have a Tiny Platypus too! Yours is prettier though.
I love your full Platyfamily!

Oh my word, tiny platypus wins the thread!!

Best thread ever.

to you @RightYesButNo. Wishing you wellness.

Please don’t namechange - you’ve nothing at all to be embarrassed about.

Baby platypus are called puggles!

@ErrolTheDragon

The addition of the ex military platypus and solicitous DH are lovely.

Re The Velveteen Rabbit - I once went to a wedding where someone chose that passage about love as a reading. I never cry at weddings...

I had to read that at my brother's wedding (maybe you were there?) and sobbed all the way through the reading (I always cry the minute the bride appears so I was maybe not the best choice to be a reader). It was embarrassing but lots of people told me how beautiful my ugly-crying reading was.

See the little family makes me want to send mine to you. I won’t, cos my dh bought me them and I’m a selfish cow with my teddies but still

I work for a company who had a platypus on their adverts a few years ago. There were lots of cuddly platypuses dotted around the office. I’d not given them a second thought, but now I’m worried they may have been lonely with everyone working from home.

Your DH sounds amazing OP and these have been the best drip feeds I've ever seen, especially the last one with little Babypus.

DD has ASD and the IKEA shark mentioned by others has been her best friend ever since she got it, if she's having a particularly bad day she just snuggles up with him and it helps her so much more than anything else.

RightYesButNo, I'm laughing hard at the thought of you telling the builder "I've got damp in my platypus"!

Glad the texture of the stuffing is feeling ok. Hope both parent platypuses are thoroughly dry soon.

Babypus is adorable!

I don’t know if they’re husband and wife but… this is tiny Platypus.
So cute. The relationship of the two big platypuses should be DP on MN

Oh @zedders now I’m welling up again at the thought of this this is the thread that just keeps on giving (the feelz.)