By Darlin Tillery
Life & Trends Reporter
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A 22-year-old woman recovering in hospital has turned to Reddit for advice after her girlfriend claimed she couldn't visit as she had too much schoolwork to do.
The woman and original poster (OP), user Worldly-Minute-5246, explained that she had been admitted for three days following a sudden flare-up of a neurological condition that left her unable to move her legs for hours.
While hospitalized, she asked her 20-year-old girlfriend to visit and bring essentials, including clothes, toiletries and a mobility aid.
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Her girlfriend initially agreed, but the OP was left stunned when she later claimed she could not come because she had too much reading to do.
"[This] would be understandable if I were asking her to hang out in my room, but I’ve been alone in hospital for three days, in a lot of pain, and also have a practical need for her to bring my stuff," the OP wrote.
"I don’t want to be a burden to any of my friends, and I’m too embarrassed to ask them to go into my room and get stuff when it’s so messy. She’s the only person I trust enough to ask for help in this situation."
The OP acknowledged that her girlfriend had supported her earlier in the week when symptoms first appeared, but her absence during the hospital stay left her feeling isolated.
She added that hospital staff had repeatedly asked why no one had visited and whether someone could bring her belongings.
Reddit users flocked to the comments to weigh in, with one writing, “So you’ve been in the hospital for three days, and she hasn’t visited you or brought you the basics for a hospital stay? Nah, sorry OP. She is not the one."
They added, “Times like this are awful, but they also weed out the people who are real friends and partners.”
Another user pointed to the girlfriend’s possible neurodivergence, but said it did not justify her absence.
“I am autistic and very rigid about routine… I do not think any amount of burnout, overstimulation, or negative feelings could keep me from my girlfriend in the hospital,” they wrote.
“You are not being made a priority.”
The Terminal Phase
Research cited in a Newsweek report suggests dissatisfaction in relationships can build gradually before reaching a breaking point.
“Couples in question then move towards separation,” psychologist Janina Bühler said in a statement, adding, “Once this terminal phase is reached, the relationship is doomed to come to an end.”
For the OP, the immediate concern remained practical as much as emotional. Without shoes or support at discharge, she said she was unsure how she would safely return home, adding to a situation that had already left her physically vulnerable and alone.
Newsweek has reached out to Worldly-Minute-5246 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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