When people vow to look after one another in sickness and in health, it’s not something that should be taken lightly. Unfortunately, some married people tend to forget that they made that promise and only look out for their own well-being.
This is exactly what a man did after his wife got diagnosed with cancer and he realized that he could milk her illness to get free stuff and preferential treatment. She didn’t catch onto his cunning plans until it was a bit too late, and when she finally did, she felt helpless.
More info: Reddit
Loved ones are supposed to be by your side when you need support, instead of only looking out for their personal gain
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster shared that after being diagnosed with stage 2 blood cancer and starting chemotherapy, she struggled to manage her work and social life
Image credits: jet-po / Freepik (not the actual photo)
After she got ill, the woman noticed her husband always mentioning her diagnosis to people and getting gifts, money, and even better parking spaces
Image credits: mladenmitrinovic / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Finally, when her husband tried to get their food early at a restaurant by mentioning she had cancer, the woman had had enough and yelled at him for upsetting her
Image credits: Throw-Away-911309
Instead of apologizing for his actions, the man made himself out to be a victim, and then continued trying to con people into giving him money
It’s clear that the poster had been dealing with a lot ever since getting diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, and that she was still struggling to cope with the physical symptoms of the illness. Apart from that, she was also trying to manage her work and social life, which must have been tough to do.
According to healthcare experts, when a person is diagnosed with cancer, it doesn’t just affect them physically but can also negatively impact their emotional well-being. Patients might report feeling fearful or anxious about the treatment and their future, as well as depressed about their health.
During such a difficult time, the poster definitely needed the support of her loved ones, but it seemed like her husband had other plans. Instead of looking after his wife, he started using her illness to get unnecessary gifts from people, money for medication, even though her medicines were free of cost, and self-care products that his wife couldn’t even use.
It definitely seems like the man only wanted to use his partner’s diagnosis to gain sympathy and get free stuff, and he wasn’t looking out for her well-being. This can be extremely damaging, as research states that support and care from loved ones are essential and beneficial after a person is diagnosed with cancer.
Image credits: Jose Calsina / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The man’s cunning behavior became even more apparent when he cut in line by telling people his wife had cancer, and how he used her diagnosis to park closer to the hospital entrance. Even when the OP told him how uncomfortable his actions were making her feel, he disregarded her and kept doing it anyway.
This kind of situation, where a person might intentionally exaggerate physical or psychological symptoms for personal gain, is called malingering. Psychologists state that people might do this in order to get small benefits or even for bigger reasons, like getting money, an insurance settlement, or avoiding unpleasant situations.
The poster’s husband must have also seen the benefit of using his wife’s illness to gain sympathy and attention, which is why he did it so often. Eventually, the OP had had enough, and she lost her cool after he used her diagnosis yet again in a restaurant in order to get their food delivered sooner.
Even though he had caused her so much pain, the man didn’t seem to realize that he had done anything wrong. In fact, he tried to turn the tables on his wife and said that he was only making a “joke” out of himself for her sake and that he was also affected by her illness, which left her feeling confused.
What do you think about the husband’s actions, and how would you have dealt with such a situation? Let us know your honest thoughts down below.
People were shocked by the man’s behavior and told the woman to leave him because he was a con artist
