I (23, x) work in a retail job, and an urgent care office is nearby it so I generally can visit them before work if something is bothering me. With a pharmacy in my workplace, I can even get meds and try to function while keeping my bills paid.
I also had a major surgery earlier this year, and have active pain in the same area that feels the same as it did then, and the UC office is booked until way past my shift starts, and my manager, who also manages my partner who themself was in the room when I called out and cringed as hard as I did at this, told me I am using up my excuses to not come in to work, note or no note (insert something something it is the holiday season here). This manager knows I had a major surgery, and I explicitly told her more than I needed to and said I think I was having pain related to that surgery not healing, and was in queue for the office nearby but couldn't be seen until far past noon. I jokingly offered to come in and die on the salesfloor if that made her feel better and she said yes before realizing what she said and having to walk it back while my partner and I cringed so hard it was audible. She insisted I used up all of my state's sick time exceptions with notes, and questioned if I “was even fit to work” in no uncertain language. I guess I could be happy that this place even took doc notes, the last retail place I was in refused to accept any medical notes for any reason, but still up theirs for the aggression this early in the morning before the coffee kicks in and I am waiting as patiently as I can in a medical office that's too cramped.
Why do managers value short term gains over longterm profits, you can't work if you get hospitalized for untreated issues… I'd like to quit but at this point there is nowhere I can work in any of the nearby towns if I do, and the government insists I'm not disabled for all of my issues so guess we're stuck in the game