32-year-old husband is couch-bound after breaking his ankle, overwhelmed wife has to do everything alone and jokes about needing a week to herself, he takes this to heart: 'All of a sudden his demeanor changed'

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Jul 5, 2025 8:00 PM EDT

Mentally planning everything in our heads the night before bed: 

So, tomorrow we have to wake up at 6 a.m. to make it to the 6:30 a.m. spin class with Russel (ugh, he's such a cutie). Then we rush home (forget the shower), make breakfast for Jakey, and get him to kindergarten by 8:15 a.m. We drive home at approximately 80 miles per hour (don't judge), jump into the shower for an extra scrub because Jakey spilled orange juice on us. Then it's off to work, where we make small talk with Jill from marketing and get through the day. Later, we come home, grateful that Mark picked up the groceries. We make dinner for our little family of three, take another shower, read a bit, and hug Marky goodnight.

Somehow, we did it. And you know why? Because everything went according to schedule. No major bumps, except for that one roadblock on 4th Avenue.

Life can get a little crazy, especially for mothers juggling families, careers, and, if there's any time left, a bit of fun.

Even though it can be overwhelming, things feel manageable when the day sticks to the plan we created in our heads the night before. But when that plan starts to unravel, which has already taken away from our precious sleep time, that's when life gets a bit more complicated…

And sometimes you just need a week to yourself!

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  • Much like this story, this woman is left to take on all the household, work, and parenting responsibilities after her husband ends up couch-bound with a broken ankle. As much as she loves him, the weight of these demands would be overwhelming for anyone. She’s stretched thin and understandably exhausted.

    When she jokingly mentions needing a week to herself, the comment strikes a nerve. Her husband, already feeling like a burden, takes it to heart, and things begin to spiral.

  • 01
    O "I've been doing all the household chores, mowing the lawn, taking kids to and from school and bringing my husband to appointments"
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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    AITA for joking I want a week to myself?

    For context, my(31F) husband(32M) broke his ankle the day before Memorial Day which resulted in him needing surgery. With him unable to
    via Competitive_Glove_72
  • 03
    walk and on crutches, I have been doing everything for him and the kids. I've been doing all the household chores, mowing the lawn, taking kids
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    to and from school, bringing my husband to appointments, all while working 40hr weeks in a stressful job that just recently had 6 people leave
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    and workload has tripled. I'm stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted. My husband had an appointment today and he is to start weight bearing as
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    tolerated with his crutches and move up to weight bearing without them over the next month. So tonight after the kids went down,
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    my husband and I decided to watch a movie together and eat some ice cream. After I finished my ice cream I mentioned I wanted something salty to
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    munch on and he asked if I would get him some chips too. I jokingly, with a silly smile and tone, said "I guess I can do that" and I got up to get us chips
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    and he said "how ever will I repay you?” And wiggled his eyebrow in that se y way hinting he wants me. I put on a big smile and said "with a week to
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    myself" he laughed, I laughed and went to the kitchen to get chips. I came back and all the sudden his demeanor changed and he looked at
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    me and asked "should I go upstairs so you can start your week to yourself" in a salty tone. I instantly was defeated. I wasn't trying to fight with him, I was
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    making a joke and he laughed so I thought he understood it was a joke. I sighed, took my chips back to the kitchen and decided to go to bed. I did
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    not have any fight in me to deal with this. He came upstairs shortly after and said "I'm sorry I'm not doing okay" I didn't respond because I didn't have a
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    Cheezburger Image 10524799488
    via elnur

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    response so he says "are you not going to acknowledge me" so I turn towards him and just stare at him. He then says "I'm sorry, it just rubbed me the wrong
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    way and I know you're stressed and need time to yourself too" I turned back over and said it didn't matter. So Reddit, AITA?
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  • 17
    mhayu NAH. My goodness I had very similar fight when my husband broke his ankle and had to have surgery. It all boils down to the situation s cks for everyone and both of you are tired af.
    via mhayu
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    SalaudChaud Not all jokes are funny. Not every joke lands correctly. Sometimes a joke hits a person in a sensitive area. Whatever, that's probably not helpful or meaningful.
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  • 19
    You guys are under a good deal of stress. I don't think either of you did anything wrong. NAH
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  • 20
    AccessCrazy9154 NTA. You're overwhelmed and wanting a break. Your husband's reaction was way over the top and not helpful.
    via AccessCrazy9154
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    Saying that, this is exactly why communication is so important. Both of you are stressed and exhausted, jokes can get misunderstood and feelings hurt. You both need to be upfront about how you're feeling instead of letting tension build and explode over small things.
    via AccessCrazy9154
  • 22
    No-No-No-Yes-Yes-Yes NTA - Sometimes, when everything is coming at you all at once, you do feel the need to run away. You jokingly said it, but deep down, you ment it, and your husband knows that. You seriously need a break and alone time, even if it's for 1 night to decompress.
    via No-No-No-Yes-Yes-Yes
  • 23
    TheShovler44 NTA he's probably feeling incompetent/burdenish which is why your joke might have hit in the moment, but with you walking away to do yet another thing for him your statement had time to really hit.
    via TheShovler44
  • 24
    Steely 1809 NTA. You're carrying everything while he's injured and he can't handle one joke? That's on him
    via Steely1809

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school couple drama joker jokes siblings work wife relationship-drama askreddit reddit story fetching husband couples chores love-and-relationships family cabin you must be joking
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