My mother-in-law is 78 years old and can’t be left alone anymore, but she flatly refuses to move into a nursing home. Her memory is slipping, and her health has been declining.
Without even consulting me, my husband decided to bring her to live with us. When he told me, I snapped, “I already have enough burdens! I’m not a free nurse!”
He fired back, “She’s the one who helped us get this home! Show some gratitude!”
I didn’t argue further. Instead, I forced a smile and quietly took care of her that first day. But that night, when my husband was asleep, I silently went into the closet and began packing my things.
The next morning, he was stunned when he realized I was leaving. I looked him in the eye and said, “It’s either me or her.”
He stood there speechless, so I went on: “For all these years, I’ve been cooking, cleaning, and doing your laundry for free, yet you’ve never shown me an ounce of gratitude. If you’re such an expert on gratitude, then show it to your mom—by taking care of her all by yourself.”
It’s been three days since I left. My husband keeps calling, begging me to come back. He says he’s completely overwhelmed, trying to manage both the housework and his mother’s care on his own.
Now, I find myself wondering if I did the right thing. I don’t want to lose my marriage of eighteen years over this, but I also feel like I reached my breaking point.
Did I overreact by refusing to let my mother-in-law live with us? Am I being unreasonable?
Source: brightside.me