Sick husbands

[zengirl]

Does your husband (or boyfriend/fiance) act like a baby when he is sick? My husband sure does! It's crazy, he acts like he is dying or something. He has been sick for the last week and it has been really hard. Is this just a man thing? I would like to hear from men also, why this behavior occurs?

 

My boyfriend is a trooper when injured or sick and won't even admit he's hurting half the time. But he was used to taking care of himself.

 

I think it depends a lot on the man's mother and upbringing. I made him chicken soup and brought him a care package when he hurt himself a couple weeks ago, and he was so taken aback. He's not really used to being taken care of, even though I know he'd do the same if I were sick and always tries to take care of me. He's the oldest kid, though, of a single mother that worked A LOT, so he's used to fending for himself and caring for others, not being fawned over.

 

We have a long term employee here that in 29 years of being employed here he has never taken a sick day.

He prides himself on that record.

So he toughs it out if he is sick.. and goes to work and just closes the door to his office.

 

I think going to work sick is, for the most part, silly, and kind of selfish. At least he has a door to close! When I was supervising and someone came in sick, I'd send them home. Don't get us all sick!

[Stung]

That's why he went to the doctor to get meds, so he could get better in time for my surgery next week. Plus my birthday is in 2 days, and I was hoping he would be better so we could go to a romantic dinner. He has actually been sick quite a few times this year, and it's usually for an extended period of time which is weird. Normally when I get sick, it lasts a few days, I take meds and I get over it. But with him, he is usually sick at LEAST a week and calls off work. It's like his immune system isn't strong enough or something. If it was for a few days I could handle it, but he usually gets sick for at least a week or two.

 

Some people have weaker immune systems than others. I am more like your husband, I catch almost everything that goes around and it tends to hit me harder than it does most other adults, and linger longer. I tend to try to soldier through, not much other choice with little kids, anyway--but sometimes it gets depressing when I have a winter like the one I've been having. I get really sick and tired of being sick and tired. It helps that my husband is understanding and doesn't make me feel bad about it when I do need a little extra attention/assistance.

 

My husband has a much better immune system than I do, and he rarely gets sick at all. When he does get sick, though, he can be a bit of a baby about it, in my opinion. That is, he complains about it more than I think he should, since he doesn't usually get as sick as I often do. That's really just the smoke and mirrors of perception and socialization, though. I don't complain as much, but then, I'm more accustomed to it. He whines a little more, because it's not something he's had to learn to adapt to as much as I have. I remind myself that he puts up with my being under the weather a lot more often than I put up with his complaints on his own behalf. Give-and-take. He picks up soup and makes me medicinal tea and gives me a backrub for the muscle aches, and it's part of what makes him a wonderful life-partner.

[allina]

My husband rarely gets sick. When he does he insists that it's just a bit of a cold and he's fine. According to him he never gets sick

[goingstrong]

LB,

 

Don't empower him and start ignoring him....no negative or positive attention.

[Star Gazer]

Haha, yeah and he thinks I'm dramatic.

 

You're made for each other!!

 

Note: I'm still amused at the work I made up... "eskimotize."

 

I think it goes back to the fact that his mom probably babied him when he was sick and so he has projected that need onto me. Either that or he's just nuts. I love him though.

 

You're probably right about his upbringing affecting how he is now. Time to nip that in the bud and make his balls drop. Hand him a bottle of NyQuil, offer him some soup, and then go about your business.

[Els]

LB,

 

Don't empower him and start ignoring him....no negative or positive attention.

 

Geez. Good luck having a R with that sort of mindset.

[threebyfate]

H. is rarely sick but when he is, he wants to be pampered. It's kind of endearing considering how self-sufficient he normally is...except for the kitchen when I'm there. Strangely enough he's pretty self-sufficient in the kitchen when I'm not there or during the last trimester of my pregnancy when I was on forced bedrest. Funny dat!

[northern_sky]

Oh God. The guy I had a FWB thing with this fall was like this. He was frequently getting sick, and whenever he did, he would lay on the dramatics. At first I thought he was just using it as an excuse to blow me off, but then I noticed he did it around everyone. I've never seen a grown man sniffle and pout the way he did when he got a tiny cold. I thought an ENTJ would be more hardy.

 

My dad is like this too, but he totally uses it as an excuse to shirk responsibility and make my mom do stuff...

[Zodiac23]

I rarely get sick, I would have to say maybe twice a year I feel crappy enough to bed myself. Everyone has days when they do not feel well. However, I never say anything about it to my wife or anyone else. Between work and kiddos I don't want to add to her list of things to do or worry about. Unless it's really bad, she never knows. I was raised in a family where the men don't complain and they suck it up and deal with it. When the wife catches on though, and she knows I'm sick, she will go out of her way to baby me.

[whichwayisup]

I am the wimpy one when I'm sick..My H just likes to be left alone. Bring him tea, toast and water/juice, fruit he's happy. He doesn't complain or want me to rub his back or hold his hand. That's when he's really sick..But, when he's on the mend and still wants me to bring him soup or whatever (when he's capable of doing it himself) that kind of bugs me. But, I do it anyway because that's how he is and he's amazing when I'm sick and looks after me.

[Lauriebell82]

My husband is feeling better, we can go out for my birthday tonight! I'm very excited. He even went to work today! Starting next week though he will be taking care of me because I will have had surgery, so caring for him was worth it. He's my little drama king.

[tinktronik]

Happy Birthday! Glad hubby is feeling better.