Not to reply to my colleague on Facebook whilst off sick?

[ashamedtoask]

I've been signed off work by my GP after being admitted to hospital. My colleagues know I was taken in as I stupidly said publicly on Facebook if colleagues were free (I work in the hospital) I'd appreciate a friendly face . Not the wisest thing to do but I was drugged up to the eyeballs, no prospect of a visit from anyone else and was feeling a bit alone.

I spoke a bit to a couple of colleagues on Facebook privately, both know in a bit of detail what was happening , one less than the other. I trust both of them not to spread my business around.

I'm home from hospital but exhausted, sore, on regular pain relief and not managing much - went for a 10 minute short walk earlier with the dog and felt faint when I came in.

My GP has signed me off work until Wednesday and says in likelihood I'll be off another week or two yet. This isn't the first abscence related to this illness and I'm due to be off again for surgery. I've to start treatment with risks of difficult side effects and having outpatient investigations over the next fortnight or so.

I have spoken to the senior nurses at work - when I was admitted, when I knew I was staying and when I got home - but haven't been able to talk to my line manager due to her working hours. I am hoping to email her tomorrow. I'm off strongest pain relief so can make a coherent conversation and remember what was said.

Anyway, a colleague that I don't know well out of work has just messaged me asking if I feel better yet. She could be just concerned but I'm worried she's just wanting to know when I am coming back in. I know I have left work short this weekend and have been in floods of tears over the mess.

I really don't want to message her back tonight. At least until I have talked to my boss. I've logged out of Facebook, messenger etc and I haven't viewed her message so to speak, just saw the 'preview' on messenger.

My thinking is if I text her back whatever I say will go straight to management and I don't want that at all, I don't want anything interpreted wrongly and I feel anything should go between me and management only. I feel I owe my manager the courtesy of talking to her first surely.

She's a really nice person, but I don't want to cause myself problems at work by saying the wrong thing.

Am I being paranoid or rude by ignoring the message?

You could reply "Hi, thanks for keeping in touch. No I'm still not 100%" and leave it at that. Doesn't give the colleague any more information than you want to but does say thanks to the person who took time out of their day to ask after you (even if they do have ulterior motives)

I've messaged her - I spoke to my boss this morning, explained GP reassessing me Wednesday so might not be back at work depending on what they say. I've to start treatment so GP said the side effects of thst could make going back to work difficult in the first week.

I just said to her (colleague) that I'm OK but waiting on tests, how's she? Hopefully that's OK.

Friend (and ex colleague) has just invited me out to supermarket for a coffee tomorrow , supermarket 20 miles away so we can get a run in the car. I'm not sure if that's a good idea or not! Physically if I take painkillers and that I'd manage but I don't want to get caught by anyone and get myself into trouble. Even though there's a whole world of difference between a 12 hour shift and sitting in the front of a car for half an hour..