How to Take Care of a Sick Girlfriend: Do It Right Without Losing It

When your girlfriend is sick, you are probably expected to be her caretaker. But how do you do it? Here’s how to take care of your sick girlfriend.

While playing doctor with your girlfriend may give you those fuzzy tingles that only result from doing a truly good, giving, and charitable act, you may feel your joy diminish as the days of running for chicken soup and ginger ale pile up – especially if you’re living together. So, here’s how to take care of your sick girlfriend.

You’ll have to suck it up whenever she demands things that will make her feel better, whether it’s a glass of water, a bowl of hot soup, or freshly fluffed pillows to lay her weary head on.

You’ll also have to deal with the mess of snotty tissues, empty foil packets of medication, and a potentially irritable girlfriend who just might pick a sudden fight in her pain-ridden situation.

[Read: 15 thoughtful things you need to do to comfort your girlfriend]

How to take care of a sick girlfriend

So how do you deal with your sick girlfriend in a loving manner, without driving yourself insane? Fear not, there are ways you can deal with your sick mate that won’t result in an emotional lobotomy on your end.

In fact, these tips may just score you some brownie points!

1. Embrace your role as caretaker

First things first, you need to embrace your caretaker role. Remember, there is more happiness in giving than in receiving!

So, embrace your boyfriendly role, and make it fun. You can do this by being your charming, adorable self and showing up at her place with chicken soup and an oversized teddy bear.

You may also opt to make a caretaker gift basket. This is also great to give her on a day you can’t be with her while she’s sick!

Fill her basket with cute tissue boxes, Tums, chicken soup packets, Gatorade, ginger-ale, Nyquil, candies, and something sweet like a chocolate box, hand-written letter, or a personal item that represents an inside joke.

You can even theme your box, like doing a “movie night basket” complete with a list of chick-flick recommendations, tissues, popcorn, pretzels, gummy candies, chocolate-covered almonds, and one of your shirts for her to sleep in. [Read: How to help a possessive girlfriend go from clingy to amazing]

2. Take time for yourself

It’s essential you don’t get so wrapped up in taking care of your sweetie that you forget to take care of yourself.

Take some “me” time from your nurse duty once in a while, even if you can only spare an hour or so. You can hide the selfishness of this act by masking it as a sweet thing for her, like running her a warm bubble bath for one, or giving her some much-needed sleep time.

This is key to not getting overwhelmed. Whether she had a case of the flu or she’s chronically ill, never forget to take care of the caretaker.

While it may make you feel selfish, it might also free your mind. You need to take a night where you do your own thing, away from your SO. Otherwise, you may just go crazy. [Read: How to take care of yourself emotionally and avoid completely falling apart]

3. Doing shift work

By sticking around a cranky, sniffly, sore girlfriend 24/7, you may be in line for the boyfriend of the year award, but you may also end up a very impatient, emotionally-drained man. This is why the aforementioned step is so important.

However, you need to make sure your taking a night off doesn’t leave her to fend for herself. Get one of her friends or family members together and make a game plan for “shift work” with your sick lover.

4. Make it fun

Catching a cold certainly isn’t a life sentence when it comes to living together. If you’re trapped under the same roof with a sick lover, then why not try to make it fun. Yes, you’re probably not having much sex while she’s knocked down, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of her downtime.

Use your imagination and head back to being 11 years old again. What was fun to do before there was the promise of sex at the end of the day? Games! Try having a game night with your girlfriend *we have a list of fun games that would work later in this feature*.

Grab all the snacks you can and bust out the old board games. Play in bed to make this a sick-girl-friendly experience. [Read: 21 things that will make her love you even more]

If games aren’t your style, try watching a movie that both of you will enjoy. Really, anything that will take her mind off her sorry situation would be considered a blessing! *we have a list of perfect movie recommendations as well, below*

5. Don’t get frustrated

It’s normal to feel frustrated when you are learning how to take care of your sick girlfriend. And this frustration might get the best of you. Because, let’s face it, it’s not fun to be a caretaker for most guys.

If you outwardly show your frustration, this will only cause the both of you to fight. She might feel guilty or even angry at you for feeling like that. After all, it wasn’t her choice to get sick – it just happened.

If you feel like you’re going to lose it, take some downtime or try to have some fun together to let the steam out. Nothing will make her feel even worse than seeing your frustration while she herself is dealing with her sickness. [Read: 15 rules to be a really good partner in the relationship and wow your lover]

6. Drop the pity party

Yes, you’ve been taking care of her and yes, you’re probably not getting the appreciation you deserve for all the ways you’ve put yourself out for your woman. But relationships require a couple of sacrifices along the way.

She might even be cranky and not very pleasant to be around. You might feel like a victim of this too. But she’s the real victim because she’s the sick one, remember?

So, if you are sulking because you are not happy about being the one who has to take care of her, stop it. She is the one who should be having the pity party, not you. [Read: How to treat your girlfriend right and make her feel like a queen]

7. Never complain to your mutual friends

Yes, taking care of a sick partner can be frustrating, but complaining to your friends about your new caretaker role may just get back to your girlfriend.

Odds are, in her sickened state, she isn’t going to appreciate your gossiping about her. If you’re tempted to complain, just remember: she hates being sick more than you hate taking care of her.

It is tempting to complain to your friends – we get it. And sometimes you do just need to vent.

However, if you do, make sure it’s not to mutual friends. If you have one close guy friend or family member you can count on, then talk to them when you’re sure there’s no way your girlfriend can overhear you or read your texts. But ask them to keep their mouth shut so it doesn’t get back to your sick girlfriend.

8. Don’t push for sex

If she’s feeling violently ill, odds are, sex and blowjobs are probably off the table for a while. After all, stuffy noses and queasy stomachs don’t make for good head-bobbing. Do her a favor and don’t push for any hand action either.

If you have to have sexual contact while you’re playing nanny, do your woman a favor and be the giver instead of the receiver. She’ll love all the efforts you’re making to make her feel better, in every way. [Read: 19 annoying boyfriend habits you should avoid at all costs!]

9. Texting a sick girlfriend – What you should know

If you’re not spending time with her because you’re at work, make sure you remember to reach out to her often and ask her how she feels. Don’t just scroll through social media and forward her memes all day! If you do that, chances are, she’ll be more annoyed with you because it’ll seem like you don’t empathize with her. [Read: 35 sweet and cute texts to send your girlfriend to make her go awwww]

Instead, here are a few things you need to remember:

a. Text her way more often than you normally do *unless she’s sleeping and you’re disturbing her*

b. Ask her how she’s feeling often

c. Ask her if there’s anything at all she needs that you could bring for her or help her with

d. Tell her you’ll be with her as soon as you can, and share updates about your day so she knows what’s happening in your life

e. Send a few texts and memes now and then, but always send them only after you’ve just had a conversation with her, never randomly.

f. Always bring something back when you visit her *flowers, soup, or anything else you know she’d appreciate* [Read: How should you cheer up your girlfriend when she’s down]

10. Don’t make new plans with your friends

Okay, this may seem selfish to you. But think about it from her perspective for just a minute. She’s miserable, lonely, and definitely not feeling her best. And there you are, hanging out with your friends, having a few drinks, and having the time of your life.

Any normal human being would feel jealous, and a bit resentful. Why? Because she’d much rather you spent time with her when she’s down, than forget all about her and have fun with your friends.

Of course, she can’t tell you this because it would only make her appear childish and selfish. But you’d feel the same way if the roles were reversed.

Sometimes, if you want to make someone feel loved and taken care of, try to put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself how you’d feel. Really, that’s all it takes! [Read: How to be more empathetic and 16 ways to make anyone feel more understood]

11. Remember the forthcoming brownie points

Your girlfriend isn’t going to have the sniffles forever. In fact, by a week’s time, she’ll be back to her smokey eyes and that little black dress you love so much.

The best part? She won’t have forgotten how sweet you were to her in the past days, and she’ll probably reward you for your gallant efforts.

Depending on her sense of humor and emotional state, you can tease her either while she’s sick or when she gets better about what you want as a reward.

It could be more sex, or a romantic dinner that she has to pay for. Either way, hopefully, your girlfriend will be appreciative and want to do something nice for you because you took care of her when she was sick. [Read: How to make your girlfriend happy and feel like the luckiest girl ever]

Things to do when you are taking care of your sick girlfriend

Depending on how long your girlfriend is sick, you will need to be armed with a list of things to keep her and yourself entertained.

Since we can’t exactly suggest sky diving to a sick person, the options are a lot more limited. So, here are some good ideas for how you can cheer her up and try to pass the time while she recovers.

Watch movies together

Movies are always a go-to option when someone is sick. It requires no more effort than to just sit on the couch or in the bed and stare at a TV screen.

But what movies should you watch? Well, since she’s the sick one, you will want to cater to her interests. And sorry about your luck, dude, but she probably wants to watch some love stories or romantic comedies. Here is a list of classics you can show her, and that she will love. [Read: The 60 most romantic movies that are a must-watch with your girlfriend]

1. The Notebook

This one is such a classic. The story goes through the lives of two lovers, from when they met as teenagers until they get old. We can’t give the ending away, so you’ll just have to see for yourself.

2. When Harry Met Sally

This is one of the funniest romantic comedies of all time. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan graduate from college and drive across the country to start their lives. They were strangers when they met, and it goes through the next decade or two and tells the story of how hilariously their relationship develops through time.

3. Titanic

Everyone has heard of this unsinkable ship that sank in 1912. But the movie follows a short love story that takes place on the ship before it sinks between a rich girl and poor guy. It’s full of adventure and romance. [Read: 30 sweetest romantic gestures your girlfriend will surely appreciate]

4. Pretty Woman

When a billionaire comes to town to do business, he needs a companion for the week. So, he hires a prostitute *Julia Roberts* to be by his side. Throughout the time he is there, they develop a romantic relationship.

5. Sleepless in Seattle

After his wife dies, a man is lonely, and his son calls a radio show to get him help. A woman hears him on the radio and is convinced that they are soul mates.

6. Ghost

A woman’s fiancé dies, but he still exists as a ghost. From the afterlife, he feels the need to help solve his own murder. Meanwhile, he’s trying to connect with his former fiancé to comfort her during her grief. [Read: 30 Things to talk about with your girlfriend and feel closer than ever]

7. Dirty Dancing

Set in the 1960s at a resort for rich people, a young 18-year-old girl gets involved with one of the professional dancers. He teaches her to dance in order to fill in for a girl who gets sick and can’t perform her duties.

Play games

Once your girlfriend is feeling a bit better, then you can play some games. Watching movies doesn’t take much mental effort, but games do. So, that’s why you should wait to do this until she gains some strength back.

Here is a list of some fun games you can play.

[Read: How to be a good boyfriend – 33 traits that make you the best ever]

1. Monopoly

2. Black Jack

3. Scattergories

4. Any card game

5. Uno

6. Pictionary

[Read: How to treat your girlfriend right and make her feel like a queen]

7. Checkers or chess

8. Scrabble

9. Life

10. Backgammon

11. Rummikub

12. Clue

13. Connect Four

[Read: 48 cute and romantic things to do with your girlfriend that she’ll love]

Girls appreciate a man who’s willing to emotionally put out for her in her times of need. Now that you know how to take care of your sick girlfriend, be the guy she will be thankful for. She’ll definitely think you’re a keeper if you do!