To think people at work shouldn't ask 'what happened to your hand?'

[StarShineHello]

Currently have a bandage on my hand due to a skin infection. I have bad eczema which got infected and in a very bad state.

I've had to wrap it up because it's just so gross to see.

Today five different people have asked me what's wrong with my hand.

I don't want to explain my medical issues to strangers.

I understand there's a level of small talk in the bank/shop/post office but to ask someone a medical question just seems rude? It was every shop I went in.

And I just lied and said I burnt myself because I didn't want to go into details about infected skin and my eczema.

AIBU to think people in general shouldn't ask things like that and especially in a professional capacity? It's common sense to not point out something 'wrong' with a customer??

I was about to say the same thing.

Or make up even more elaborate stories like you were shot by the king at Balmoral. I'm training to be an astronaut.

Or the old favourite, I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you.

People are asking because they care about you. I don't understand why you're so annoyed. A simple 'my eczema has flared up' is all you need to say. You seem to be making a big issue over people caring about you. It's perfectly normal for people to show concern.

I'm glad the majority of people don't think like you. What a horrible world to live in.

Not the point of the thread but this really shows how few people even read the first post after they've formed an opinion based on the thread title.

Oh god, I laughed at this at the bus stop

I totally get this. I have had rheumatoid arthritis for many years and use a walking stick when I'm out and about. I regularly get people (total strangers) asking me 'What have you done then? Injured your leg?'. I feel like telling them to fuck off and mind their own business.

Asking about a walking stick is completely different though because it's more than likely to be a long term issue so that really is prying into someone's potentially upsetting medical info.

A bandage on the hand is unlikely to be anything other than a short term injury.

Goodness...it's just natural OP! I'd ask what you'd done to your hand if you were a colleague. People are generally caring in nature...they will be asking because they care, not because they're nosy bastards.

I can understand you feeling sensitive due to the nature of your condition, but a bandaged hand, to most people, would indicate an injury due to an accident, which is why they are asking.

You can of course just lie if you're uncomfortable, and say you cut your hand with the bread knife, but you can't seriously believe that nobody should ask 🤷‍♀️

I don't think it is completely different. Either can be due to a medical condition. I use a walking stick and the constant questions have actually put me off going out. It's easy for people to say you can lie but lying doesn't come easily to me and I shouldn't have to.

Yes, I may tell someone to fuck off one day.

YABU. Chill out, they're showing concern, you sound a right misery.

They are showing nosiness. If they are work colleagues I amsure there are plenty of things they could talk about that don't include asking someone about their medical conditions.

About a month ago my hubby was doing some garden stuff for a friend who is elderly and disabled.

I advised him to not raise the chainsaw above waist height as it's amazing how much pressure is put on the chest to raise your arms and it could slip and slice his head/face, chest etc.

What did he do? He raised the saw above head height to reach some branches, the saw slipped and sliced his left hand! Great big open wound, loads of blood! His whole hand swelled bigly!

His friend drove him to hospital fast where is was sewn up and he had a couple of appointments at our local surgery. Thankfully the saw blade was ''less aggressive'' than normal chainsaws so it was quite a straight cut, not really jagged and also thankfully it didn't slice any veins, bones etc, it was more of a deep flesh cut.

Amazingly it's all almost healed now, all swelling is off and there's barely any sign of it!

People were ALWAYS asking him what happened to his hand and he fully admitted he was a silly arse and didn't listen to his mrs!

@wombat15 don't be so ridiculous! Asking about medical conditions hardly! Enquiring what's happened.

I'm sure your work colleagues have as little interaction with you as possible, if you're that touchy.

Is what's for dinner tonight, asking about any dietary needs? So therefore potentially a medical question?

People ask out of politeness, they actually couldn't give a shiny shit.

Are you planning to spend your life alone, no friends no partner ? I can't imagine how silent your life must be.

I am sure the people who ask me why I have a walking stick would also argue that they are not enquiring about a medical condition either but they are in effect. It is nosy and unnecessary. There are plenty of other things to talk about .

I'd agree with that.
Same with wheelchairs you'd never ask anyone in a wheelchair what happened.

A bandage on a hand is more likely to be a daft injury than anything else.

It is more likely to be but it might not be as in this case.

If we all went around terrified of offending, we'd never talk to anyone and it would be a lot crappier than simply having to say 'my skin flared up'.

@wombat15 I'd hazard a guess you're very difficult to talk about anything to and very easily offended

Why do you use a walking stick out of interest?

🙄

I would hazard a guess that you easily offend most people although you probably don't notice.

This would annoy me too OP, so YANBU.

In this hot weather, I have been wearing short sleeves, which means my self harm scars are on show. I get fed up with people asking about it... and I do see and hear people nudging each other to look at my arms too.

I totally agree. I had skin cancer removed from my forehand a good few years ago so had a bloody see through plastic bandage and stitches. Had to do the school run and a dad on the gate who had never spoken to me before went on and on about my head. What had I done? Did the other person look worse? No seriously what had I done and he wouldn't drop it. In the end another mother whose Dc was in my dc class told him why and to drop it.

Humans are social, if we weren’t we would get nowhere. What would happen if you fell in the street, would you want people to walk round you or hold out a helping hand?