To call in sick?

[iminpain]

I’m on my first day back at work after 10 days annual leave.

I was walking down the road this morning when I rolled my ankle and fell, I have horrific grazes on my knee and elbow, and my ankle is swelling up hugely and is painful even at rest.

AIBU to turn up, explain what’s happened and go home? When I’m cleaned up I could probably work but I’m in so much pain at the moment I feel sick, I have two fresh grazes that are about to bleed through my clothes and I don’t know whether the adrenaline carried me to the bus or if I can walk.

How unkind.

I imagine some of those absences will be due to period pain. Some for childcare, care needs etc

Hi, go in, clean up and then get an Uber home if you need to.

Ok sorry. I meant to reply to the poster who wrote the unkind comment.

The way we say things matters though. It is not just about communicating facts. Giving someone judgemental advice is loaded with opinion and can therefore cause somebody to make the wrong decision.

Stereotypical nonsense. Both my husband and I would try and carry on as normal despite sprains, fracture and dislocations, and we have done. It’s personal choice and not a gender issue.

To those people scoffing, I fell badly at work two years ago, carried on as normal, and it turns out some significant physical damage was done which I'm still dealing with.

If you have swelling and pain you need to be checked by a doctor.

No need to be a martyr either and turn up at work.

That poster thinks walking to work and then asking to go home, involving walking back to bus stop, getting bus and then walking back home again - is ridiculous

i agree

better to have some painkillers, sit and desk and see how morning goes

Exactly.

The office 'martyrs' are out in force this morning but it is not sensible to ignore an injury and risk it getting worse.

This. I walked around on a small fracture for three weeks once because i assumed it was a sprain.

Aw you poor thing OP! It's horrible taking a tumble like that and you will feel really rubbish for a bit. Take a couple of paracetamol (if anyone has some - I always carry them in my handbag, so ask around), have a cup of tea and elevate your foot. It sounds like you may have sprained it if it's swelling up badly. You should ideally ice it too. Is that a possibility? You're feeling rubbish because of shock/rush of adrenaline (which then leaves you feeling exhausted when it wears off) and also the pain of your injuries. If you still feel rubbish after a couple of hours I'd ask your line manager if you can go home.

ETA: as a couple of PPs said, if your ankle is really painful you should definitely get it seen to. Is there a minor injuries unit that you could visit? I thought my DS had sprained his ankle and he'd actually broken it. Major parenting fail. I sent him into school on crutches and the school nurse called me and told me to go and pick him up and take him to hospital 😬

That's not what was said and you know it. Nice try though.

I went skidding on my knees a few months ago (pulled down by my very enthusiastic dog on a walk), leggings shredded, blood coming out of about 5 different places on my legs, I grazed my cheek too (fell on my face). I needed time to clean myself up properly, but felt OK to go back to work. If you haven't broken anything, you'll likely be fine with painkillers.

Another time, I lost the same dog on a walk (he was only a few months old) when he forgot his recall, and spent 20 mins searching and screaming for him. Apart from some scratches (we live rurally and I was going through brambles to find him) I was fine once I'd found him BUT called in sick as I was in such a state of shock and had been crying.

It's a shame you feel you have to turn up to "show" them how hurt you are.

dont be harsh on yourself. Play it by ear OP, only you know how you feel and you need to look after yourself first then worry about work

Falling over is horrible. Painful and embarrassing and discombobulating. I hope you feel better soon, OP. Sweet tea? Drunk enough water?

I've got a medical condition that means I turn my ankles a lot and have exactly this kind of fall, complete with grazed knees. It is super embarrassing and it does hurt and you do feel shaky afterwards. I have been sitting bleeding through trousers on public transport feeling like a massive idiot more than once this summer! But if you are still able to walk and get the bus, it's probably not a reason to miss work unless your job means you are on your feet all day.

Worst case scenario, if you're not presentable because of the blood, call and say you'll be late, go home and change, patch yourself up. If the ankle gets worse, you can go to A&E later.

carry on as normal despite sprains, fracture and dislocations

😄

I would try and get checked out op, even if it is a sprain you still need medical attention.

I'd have to call in sick in this situation because I'm on my feet all day running around, not everyone sits at a desk all day.

I hope you feel better soon op

Well, the previous poster said "Women often claim they are discriminated against. This is a classic example of why that might be the case. Can you imagine a man calling in sick because they fell over and are embarrassed. You're doing attempts at equality no favours." so they brought gender generalisations into it.

She said she thinks the Op is being ridiculous

It is a bit ridiculous to walk in to the office, say you need to go home because of if I just, then walk back to the bus stop, get a bus, and walk from bus stop to home.

Better to sit at desk and try pain killers and coffee and see how morning lee

I once sprained my ankle so badly that I was on crutches, my work paid for me to get an uber into work . Which really pissed me off as it was really bad and so painful. Hopefully your work are nicer!

It does shake you up. Perhaps one of your colleagues could run you home or up the hospital.

Spraining your ankle can have a long term affect on the tissue. It may be worth checking in with a physio as you may need some ultrasound

I hope you feel better soon

Oh and don't take Ibroprufen - take paracetamol. Ibroprufen is not recommended at this stage of an injury

Again, that's not what was said.

The walking part is your input, not in the post that I had issue with and which you wished to get involved with.
Anything else you want to put in here rather than admit you have a comprehension problem?

call an uber, go home, put your foot up for a couple of days then head back to work on Friday. Life’s too short for this much angst over a job. The world won’t stop turning and you’ll feel a bit better.

Bizarre. I read the post. I presume you’re saying that the horrible bit of the poster saying she thought the Op was being ridiculous