Page 3 | AIBU to take a sick day when I work from home?

Original poster

Livpool · 04/02/2026 08:04

DeltaVariant · 04/02/2026 07:50

It’s not your fault she doesn’t wfh. She could move to a field that readily allows it and wfh if she really wanted to surely? Wfh jobs do exist they’re just hard to get and some jobs literally can’t be wfh. NOT your fault!

Bloody green eyed monster me thinks!

I wfh full time - due to disability. Would she be jealous of that? I’d swap my spinal injury and associated pain plus other health issues for being healthy + in the office work tbf!

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Sorry to hear this. She would probably make a comment - she has become quite bitter

OP posts:

Princessoflitchenstein · 04/02/2026 08:03

Livpool · 04/02/2026 07:12

I work from home full time and usually work through any illnesses. I have severe/brittle asthma and had an asthma attack last night - attended an and e at tea time and home in time for bed with steroids. Had a nebuliser twice while there.

I haven’t slept at all - been coughing and wheezing all night and I feel exhausted (anyone with asthma will understand that you can feel bone tired as you aren’t getting enough oxygen).

Would I be unreasonable to take today off? I wouldn’t usually second guess myself but a friend text me and I replied saying I won’t be online today, and why. Had a rant back about lazy people who wfh (she doesn’t). AIBU?

She isn’t a friend. Yes explains you are sick and rest up

UninitendedShark · 04/02/2026 08:02

You need to rest! And a long-term rest from this ‘friend’. Hope you feel better soon.

NotMeAtAll · 04/02/2026 07:59

It's hard to describe the sheer physical effort required to stay alive when having a bad asthma attack.

DeltaVariant · 04/02/2026 07:50

Livpool · 04/02/2026 07:46

Friend has definitely started to annoy me the last couple of years. We met in uni (now 45) and I said to DH last year that if we met now we wouldn’t be friends.

The ‘sickly’ comments annoy me - especially as whenever we speak she has a cold! I wouldn’t dream of saying anything negative about that. She definitely resents that I wfh - it has been mentioned a few times.

It’s not your fault she doesn’t wfh. She could move to a field that readily allows it and wfh if she really wanted to surely? Wfh jobs do exist they’re just hard to get and some jobs literally can’t be wfh. NOT your fault!

Bloody green eyed monster me thinks!

I wfh full time - due to disability. Would she be jealous of that? I’d swap my spinal injury and associated pain plus other health issues for being healthy + in the office work tbf!

Clarabell77 · 04/02/2026 07:48

Livpool · 04/02/2026 07:25

Thanks all! I was a bit shocked - she calls me ‘sickly’ because of my asthma, which annoys me too. I feel genuinely exhausted and I agree I wont be productive

She sounds toxic, I think you need to ditch that “friend”.

Original poster

Livpool · 04/02/2026 07:47

ParmaVioletTea · 04/02/2026 07:45

Oh, I know that exhaustion after a major asthma attack.

If you worked in an office, would you go into work today? I wouldn't.

It’s brutal isn’t it? It is hard to explain to someone who hasn’t experienced it. I said to DH last night that I felt genuinely exhausted.

OP posts:

stichguru · 04/02/2026 07:47

Take your sick day and dump your "friend".

Original poster

Livpool · 04/02/2026 07:46

Friend has definitely started to annoy me the last couple of years. We met in uni (now 45) and I said to DH last year that if we met now we wouldn’t be friends.

The ‘sickly’ comments annoy me - especially as whenever we speak she has a cold! I wouldn’t dream of saying anything negative about that. She definitely resents that I wfh - it has been mentioned a few times.

OP posts:

ParmaVioletTea · 04/02/2026 07:45

Oh, I know that exhaustion after a major asthma attack.

If you worked in an office, would you go into work today? I wouldn't.

itsgettingweird · 04/02/2026 07:43

I think it’s a clear consensus that your “friend” is a waste of the little oxygen you have right now.

Keep her at arms length and when your better friend friends who deserve you and remember you deserve better.

honeylulu · 04/02/2026 07:42

If you are too unwell to work effectively then you need to be off sick, wfh or not.

I think there can sometimes be a bit of a grey area. For example I'm hybrid and I've wfh with a streaming cold or upset stomach before, provided my brain was working ok. Though I wouldn't have wanted to go into the office and spread my germs around or risk being away from a toilet during the commute.

But if you feel too ill to function properly while wfh you shouldn't push it, you'll make yourself worse and you won't work effectively either. Asthma is dangerous and you should be getting some proper rest.

99bottlesofkombucha · 04/02/2026 07:40

I’d be moving that friend to arms distance. Next time she wanted to do something I’d say surprised you think I’d be up for it, as someone who wfh, I’m too lazy sorry.

DeltaVariant · 04/02/2026 07:35

Brittle asthma is brutal. Rest up OP.

Your friend is a twat FYI. Calling you sickly and lazy … is she really a friend?

mypantsareonfire · 04/02/2026 07:33

I don’t think you’ll find many people telling you to work today.

You need to rest.

orbital12 · 04/02/2026 07:32

Your 'friend' is really nasty and is ableist. Get well soon x

Ginmonkeyagain · 04/02/2026 07:31

I actually once had to discipline for someone taking WFH days when they were sick. That sort of stuff masks sickness lwvles and means you get a half productive emoplyee. WFH employees need to be fully present and fit. If you are sick you are sick, no matter where your place of work is.

Diamondsareagirlsbestfrien · 04/02/2026 07:31

Livpool · 04/02/2026 07:25

Thanks all! I was a bit shocked - she calls me ‘sickly’ because of my asthma, which annoys me too. I feel genuinely exhausted and I agree I wont be productive

Wait just noticed you said your friend calls you sickly and ranted to you about lazy wfh people - why are you friends with her x

HelpMeGetThrough · 04/02/2026 07:30

The whole team I’m in WFH and if any are unwell, they take time off.

I’ve had a heavy cold and chest infection for over a week and have worked, because I’ve not felt ill enough not to. I’ve got a chronic pain condition and have taken time off when that’s flared up.

Take time off and I seriously would be messaging the “friend” back and telling her to fuck off and not contact me again.

ticketwoes · 04/02/2026 07:29

our line manager tells us that if we are too sick to work in the office, we are too sick to work from home.
so no, yanbu.

itsgettingweird · 04/02/2026 07:29

The clue is in the title “work” from home.

You aren’t well enough to work. Regardless of the location of that work.

I’m sorry you’ve been through a rough night with your asthma - I think people underestimate the toll of your body as well as the mental trauma of not being able to breathe properly.

YA absolutely NBU.

Het your duvet and a decent box set, take the steroids and spend a day using as little oxygen as you can whilst you don’t have enough in your bloodstream.

ThatWhiteElephant · 04/02/2026 07:29

Menopausio · 04/02/2026 07:13

You need time to rest and recover. And Id be re thinking that friendship!

Absolutely this

Original poster

Livpool · 04/02/2026 07:27

Sirzy · 04/02/2026 07:18

I would take the rest of the week off!

DS is asthmatic and started a 5 day course of pred yesterday. He is in year 11 but I have told school he will hopefully be back on Monday. If he feels up to it he will do some bits of work in a few days but mainly he will be recovering.

Thanks. Hope he recovers soon. This cold and damp weather we have had is lethal for people with asthma

OP posts:

AgnesMcDoo · 04/02/2026 07:26

If you are sick, you are sick and should it be working.

your ‘friend’ is an arsehole

Potatoelephant · 04/02/2026 07:26

i clicked the wrong answer - YANBU. I wfh full time and take sick days when needed, our employer expects us to.