My girlfriend hasn’t supported me during my amputation – perhaps she’s cheating
DEAR DEIDRE: WHEN I had to have my foot amputated due to diabetes, I hoped my girlfriend would shower me with TLC.
Instead, I suspect that while I’ve been stuck in hospital, she’s been cheating on me.
I’m 56 and she’s 49. We’ve been together for four years.
Needing to have my foot cut off was a huge shock, as you can imagine, and my recovery has been slow and painful. But my girlfriend rarely visited me in hospital, and when she did, she was always on her phone.
Since I’ve been home she does the bare minimum to look after me.
If she’s not at work, she’s out with her “friends” or texting someone.
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All my instincts are telling me that she’s playing away.
I’ve tried talking to her about it, but she just gets annoyed and says I’m being paranoid because of all the painkillers I’m taking.
What should I do? I can’t face being alone.
DEIDRE SAYS: You’ve just had major, life-changing surgery, which is bound to make you feel vulnerable and insecure. But from what you’ve said, it does sound like your girlfriend has not treated you with the love and care you expect or deserve.
That doesn’t prove she’s cheating, though, but it does show something isn’t right in your relationship.
Maybe she’s scared of the responsibility of looking after you, or finding it hard to deal with your amputation and how it’s changed things.
Try talking to her again. Ask her how she feels and see if you can get closer again.
My support pack, Looking After Your Relationship, should help you to do this together.
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