Marriage vows famously include a promise to love each other in sickness and in health. When your partner goes through a major medical procedure, the normal reaction is to step up, take over the household chores, and make sure they are resting comfortably. You bring them water, you fluff their pillows, and you certainly do not force them to perform manual labor. But one wife on Reddit completely missed the memo on basic human empathy and decided her newly disabled husband was the perfect candidate to become her personal chef.
The Original Poster is a woman whose husband recently broke his ankle. This was not just a minor sprain. The poor guy had to undergo actual surgery to repair the damage. He is currently stuck in a heavy cast and has to use crutches just to hobble around their house. He has been home from the hospital for less than a single week. This is the absolute peak of the surgical recovery period where patients are usually exhausted and hopped up on pain medication.
Before this tragic accident, the couple had a perfectly fair routine. They would either take turns cooking dinner or tackle the meal prep together after they both got home from work. But since the husband is now temporarily out of work and stuck at home, the wife decided the division of labor needed an immediate update. She told her injured husband that since he is home all day, he should be completely covering dinner for both of them.
The husband kindly agreed to do what he could manage. On his first day as the newly appointed head chef, he managed to make grilled cheese sandwiches and soup. On other nights, he simply ordered takeout. To any rational human being, a hot sandwich and a bowl of soup is a fantastic and comforting meal. It is especially impressive coming from a man who has to balance on one leg just to reach the stove. But the wife was entirely unimpressed and complained that his efforts did not constitute a real meal.
She decided to push her luck even further. She boldly asked him to prepare something with more sustenance. Her specific request was a baked dish accompanied by a side salad, complete with dedicated protein and vegetable sides. She essentially demanded a full restaurant quality dining experience from a man who literally just got out of the operating room.
The husband understandably argued against this ridiculous demand. He pointed out the very obvious fact that he is supposed to be staying off his injured foot as much as possible to ensure the surgical site heals properly. He also gently reminded his wife that he is in a significant amount of physical pain. Doctors generally recommend elevating a broken limb, not standing on it for an hour to chop fresh vegetables.
Instead of showing a single ounce of compassion, the wife offered the most unhinged solutions imaginable. She reminded him that he has his crutches and suggested he just bring a stool or a rolling office chair into the kitchen. Because wheeling around a hot stove with a freshly operated ankle is completely safe and totally normal. She even suggested he carry all the ingredients to the dining table and sit down to do the prep work.
Despite his wife acting like a complete tyrant, the husband actually tried to compromise. He cleverly utilized a slow cooker to make a batch of chili and had premade salads delivered directly from the grocery store. This brilliantly checked all of her demanding boxes. It had protein, it had a vegetable side, and it required minimal standing on his broken ankle.
You would think the wife would be thrilled that he found a safe workaround to meet her strict dinner criteria. You would be completely wrong. The wife was absolutely furious. She stubbornly refused to eat the chili, marched into the kitchen to make something for herself, and threw a massive tantrum. She scolded him and claimed she was getting fed up with him disregarding her wishes and feelings.
Having finally reached his absolute breaking point, the husband called her out. He told her she was being incredibly bossy and desperately needed to cut him some slack. Realizing he was not going to get any actual care or rest in his own home, he packed his bags and went to stay with a friend. He has been gone for a whole day and is rightfully keeping his phone calls with her very short.
The internet unanimously crowned this woman the ultimate ahole. You do not force a surgical patient to cook you a baked ziti while balancing on a rolling desk chair. If your spouse breaks a bone, you order a pizza and let them rest on the couch. The fact that she is prioritizing her desire for a side salad over his physical recovery is genuinely alarming. Hopefully, his friend is treating him to some decent takeout while he heals. How would you react if your partner demanded a home cooked meal days after surgery? Sound off in the comments below!