I had emergency surgery to have an infected cyst removed last week. I've self-certified until now, but I have to have the dressings changed every day, and it makes me feel really nauseous and tearful for hours afterwards every time they do it. I've got it all arranged for them to train my husband to do the dressing changes tomorrow, so that he can do it most days, which means we can do it in the evening. This is all planned so I can get into work, but I feel so nauseous all the time, I'm not sure I'll be able to function at work. I think the padding must be pressing on a nerve or something. It's definitely not infected. I'm a teacher, so my job is very full on. I mentioned it to the nurse I saw today, but she seemed quite dismissive when I said I might need more time off work.
I can't work out whether I'm being a total wimp, or whether I should ring the surgery and see if I can get a doctor to do me a sick note. Would they anyway in this situation? I never, ever take time off work normally and feel so guilty for letting my students down, but I've just tried to sit and plan my lessons for later this week, and it's almost impossible even doing that, I just feel so nauseous, I ended up in tears, which is not like me at all. I've worked there for 5 years and never taken a day off, even through the pandemic (never caught COVID), but this nausea is just flooring me.