OH housebound for 2 weeks - what to do?

Noctu

Hi everyone,
My OH had an op on his nose on Thursday, and got discharged yesterday. He has 2 weeks off work, and I'm currently on Easter break from Uni. So I'll be with him whilst he's off.

I'm helping him out as much as possible as he's obviously feeling quite bad after the op. However we're on the first full day of him being at home and I'm getting the feeling that we're going to run out of entertainment/things to do!

We've got some DVDs to catch up on.. and we could do a bit of baking.. but I can't think of much else to do

Can anyone suggest how to keep us occupied during his recovery? He can't leave the house really - he has a big bandage and splint on his nose, and currently he looks like he's had a fight with Tyson! (massive swollen eyes due to the bones being broken).

Thanks

Oldernotwiser

I don't mean to be rude but you speak of him as as if he's a child that needs to be amused! Surely he can read, watch tv, listen to music, surf the internet and talk to you. All the things that he can't do when he's working. When he feels a bit better there's the garden and maybe a spot of diy. Surely you should be expecting to enjoy this extra time together?

daphne_descends

Oh, I do sympathise. I had a hip/leg injury last summer and was housebound for weeks. As the weather was so nice I was able to spend a lot of time in the garden. Otherwise, board games kept me busy a lot - OH and I played domino's, learnt backgammon and chess (badly!) and played scrabble endlessly. I got into a nice - but lazy - routine which included afternoon naps I miss that. Puzzle books, too - I'd never played sudoku before then, and became addicted.

The paradox of it is that at first the days seem to stretch ahead and you're not sure what you're going to do - and when it's all over and your normal routines are back in place you do kind of miss having all that space and time.

3KIDSNOMONEY

He Could Take The Opportunity To Sort Through Paperwork, Photographs, Stuff On The Computer, Cupboards - All Things That We Never Seem To Find Time To Do!

shopndrop

How about doing some jigsaws. Always available from charity shops quite cheaply.

blue_monkey_2

Oh my, I read this post and laughed. If this has been my post it would have read 'Oh my god, my husband has been given 2 weeks off work, can anyone give me a free 2 week holiday', LOL. If it was me after 1 day I think I would have been short of screaming for someone to come and get me!!

He is a grown adult isn't he? I read your post and it is the kind of post I would have expected at the start of half term. My kids are 3 and 4 and they can keep themselves entertained. So what if he doesn't want to go anywhere, get him to watch TV, DVD's, mess around on the PC and do some housework. Does he know what that is? I don't mean to sound funny but it sounds to me like you are treating like a bit of a baby - treat him this way and he will expect it forever, how about some colouring books and reading him some stories!! At the end of the day he isn't confined to a chair, he has had an op on his nose - sure he has swollen eyes that won't stop him from seeing the washing machine, hoover, etc.. will it. make the most of it, get him to do some housework and look forward to the time off you'll have because from the way you are treating him now I am sure he does not do it now so get him helping.

On the other hand - you could go for days out on your own and let him enjoy the peace and quiet and to 'fend for himself' for the day and maybe you will come home to a clean house, all the laundry done and then for him to have a nice dinner on the table for when you get in........

Noctu

blue_monkey wrote: »

Oh my, I read this post and laughed. If this has been my post it would have read 'Oh my god, my husband has been given 2 weeks off work, can anyone give me a free 2 week holiday', LOL. If it was me after 1 day I think I would have been short of screaming for someone to come and get me!!

He is a grown adult isn't he? I read your post and it is the kind of post I would have expected at the start of half term. My kids are 3 and 4 and they can keep themselves entertained. So what if he doesn't want to go anywhere, get him to watch TV, DVD's, mess around on the PC and do some housework. Does he know what that is? I don't mean to sound funny but it sounds to me like you are treating like a bit of a baby - treat him this way and he will expect it forever, how about some colouring books and reading him some stories!! At the end of the day he isn't confined to a chair, he has had an op on his nose - sure he has swollen eyes that won't stop him from seeing the washing machine, hoover, etc.. will it. make the most of it, get him to do some housework and look forward to the time off you'll have because from the way you are treating him now I am sure he does not do it now so get him helping.

On the other hand - you could go for days out on your own and let him enjoy the peace and quiet and to 'fend for himself' for the day and maybe you will come home to a clean house, all the laundry done and then for him to have a nice dinner on the table for when you get in........

Wow. Where on earth did I say that he doesn't do any housework? He had his own house for 3 years before I came to live here (he's 27), and certainly managed to "fend for himself" during that time.

Here's a breakdown for you.

I do:
- all the cooking
- some cleaning (less than 50%)
- some laundry.

He does:
- all the washing up
- most of the cleaning
- some laundry
- takes out the bins
- feeds the cat
- sorts out the cat litter tray
- all the DIY.

Perhaps I should mention that he may not be confined to a chair, but due to the medication he's been given and the fact that he's type 1 diabetic, his blood sugar levels are all over the place which also makes a person very groggy indeed. Which isn't condusive to doing paperwork or housework. Not only that, but his eyes are so swollen up at the moment they are practically shut. They'll get better of course, but I'm not expecting - or wanting - him to do any washing up or anything whilst he's in that state. He also cannot bend his head down due to the pressure it puts on the nose.

I'm more than happy to do the housework during this 2 week period. He certainly pulls his weight round the house, in fact I feel guilty because he does more than me whilst working full time, and I'm in uni 2/3 days a week for only a few hours at a time.

I was only innocently asking for ideas of things to do as he has never had this much time to sit and do as little as he has been advised to. It's no different to the recent "date night" threads, apart from for health reasons instead of financial reasons.

If I had to have some kind of operation which left me mostly debilitated for 2 weeks, I'd be very appreciative if my OH did the majority of the housework. I'd be pretty pee'd off if my OH decided to p*ss off all day for days on end (if he was on holiday as well, of course), and then expect me to do all the laundry, washing up, clean the house, AND prepare a meal.

If you couldn't stand to spend more than 1 day alone with your husband, then may I suggest that it's not me you should be slating, and take a look at your own relationship?

Noctu

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Surely you should be expecting to enjoy this extra time together?

Au contraire, I'm loving spending this extra time with him... where did I suggest otherwise?

I'mcomingbackasaman

He needs to convalesce and rest up after his op. So I recommend while the weather's good to sit outside with a few liquid refreshments perhaps .
If he's up to it, you could invite family or friends round for a barbeque so you both have company for a bit.

He can rest up until the swelling goes down and then after he has the rest of the time to 'potter' about doing what he wants.:j

calleyw

I would personally let him sleep as much as possible if he is groggy.

Do you drive and have access to a car? Why not take him out on drives. He does not have to get out of the car. This is of course once the swelling has gone down a bit.

Why not read him his favourite book. Get talking books from the library.


Yours


Calley

Noctu

I'mcomingbackasaman wrote: »

He needs to convalesce and rest up after his op. So I recommend while the weather's good to sit outside with a few liquid refreshments perhaps .
If he's up to it, you could invite family or friends round for a barbeque so you both have company for a bit.

He can rest up until the swelling goes down and then after he has the rest of the time to 'potter' about doing what he wants.:j

A BBQ - now there's an idea, we have a disposable one sitting in the cupboard from last summer!

Thanks