Page 2 | To go away for a few days to recover while off sick from work

Shinyshoes123 · 2017-07-23T12:05:06+00:00

I'm due to have quite a big surgery on my abdomen in a little over a week. I'm booked off work for the whole of august to recover . I'll go stir crazy indoors for 4 weeks AIBU to want to go away for a few days , get some sun on my face and relax somewhere that's not confined to my four walls ?

SunnySkiesSleepsintheMorning · 23/07/2017 13:53

You would not be unreasonable but I'd make sure your surgeon is happy with this. Just be aware of things like infection and be aware of where you're going; can you access good medical care? If you got ill, you might end up in a foreign hospital.

I had a big surgery with a long recovery and went for a spa weekend locally. This worked out really well for me and may be an option for you if you can't/don't go away.

Wishing you lots of luck for your surgery and speedy healing.

clairethewitch70 · 23/07/2017 13:53

As an employer, this would really piss me off especially as August is like gold dust for holidays. If you are fit to travel, fly, carry suitcases etc you are fit to work, all be it restricted duties. Rest and recuperate in the sun in your garden. what if you have complications when you are away?

Tw1nsetAndPearls · 23/07/2017 13:57

As an employer, this would really piss me off especially as August is like gold dust for holidays. If you are fit to travel, fly, carry suitcases etc you are fit to work, all be it restricted duties. Rest and recuperate in the sun in your garden. what if you have complications when you are away?

Admittedly I didn't go abroad but I went away for a weekend within weeks of cancer surgery to celebrate the fact that I was probably going to live long enough to see my children grow up. Going on holiday is not the same as being at work. Fortunately my employers had some compassion. I went back to work about a month after I went away for the weekend.

Goodythreeshoes · 23/07/2017 14:04

The OP hasn't said she's planning on going abroad and all that entails. There's a difference between wrestling your way through Gatwick and being chauffeur driven to a nice country hotel. It's summer time here too in the UK! (Apparently!)
If your surgeon is happy for you to be away then I'd go, and if you can take a copy of your hospital notes - even better.
Hope all goes well next week and you make a speedy recovery.

SapphireStrange · 23/07/2017 14:11

As an employer, this would really piss me off especially as August is like gold dust for holidays. If you are fit to travel, fly, carry suitcases etc you are fit to work, all be it restricted duties. Rest and recuperate in the sun in your garden. what if you have complications when you are away?

Oh FFS. The OP hasn't given details of where and how she's thinking of going away. She might be intending to get a leisurely train to the south coast of good old England and spend a few days in a bath chair in a genteel boarding house in Torquay.

And anyway, why does someone who's fit and wants a holiday automatically trump someone who wants to go away to recuperate for a bit?

Your 'concern' about complications seems disingenuous to say the least.

I hope to God the OP's employers have a better attitude.

LoniceraJaponica · 23/07/2017 14:17

"The OP hasn't said she's planning on going abroad and all that entails"

I live in Yorkshire. Anyone saying that they want to feel the sun on their face automatically makes me think of abroad.

pringlecat · 23/07/2017 18:26

When you say 'get some some on my face' do you mean you are considering jetting off on a cheap foreign holiday? I wouldn't. Not so soon after surgery.

Going to a destination spa (if there's one not far where you live) might be an option, but jumping on a plane and going abroad sounds like it will require more energy/movement than you should have if you're still off sick from work for physical reasons. Have a look for local spas - I've been to one before (as annual leave) to recover from burn out. If you avoid the gym classes and just loll about reading a book and taking in the country air, it could be just what you need. But not if you have to get 6 trains to get there, that will ruin you.

CockacidalManiac · 23/07/2017 18:32

I personally wouldn't go abroad so soon after major surgery. Lots of relaxing things to do and places to go in the UK though.

HipsterHunter · 23/07/2017 18:33

As an employer, this would really piss me off especially as August is like gold dust for holidays. If you are fit to travel, fly, carry suitcases etc you are fit to work, all be it restricted duties. Rest and recuperate in the sun in your garden. what if you have complications when you are away?

That just isn't true.

You can be huge capable of getting a taxi to the airport, getting into a plane, taking a light backpack with you and getting to eg Spain and spending the next 5 days sleeping and lazing around in the sunshine whilst not being able to work!

chocatoo · 23/07/2017 18:41

I'd be concerned about traveling abroad or alone in case you take a turn for the worse. Sorry to go against the rest of the posters but whilst I'm sure it would be allowed, I think it would be slightly bad form to jet off somewhere without thinking what message it sends to colleagues...I.e. choose location with tact.

fuckweasel · 23/07/2017 18:44

I had fairly major abdominal surgery recently. For the first four weeks I shuffled between sofa, bathroom and bedroom and could manage very little else. The couple of weeks after that, I still had to take things very easy. Don't underestimate how much the surgery will take out of you. Just recovering from the general anaesthetic was bad enough!

SapphireStrange · 24/07/2017 10:46

I think it would be slightly bad form to jet off somewhere without thinking what message it sends to colleagues...I.e. choose location with tact.

Hopefully her colleagues are less nosy and judgy than that.