Long story short, work in a call center taking calls for 9 hours. I got sick with a really bad case of severe sinusitis (I get it 5-6 times a year minimum as it's a chronic thing I've felt with for years). Currently on antibiotics it's that bad. I got the medicine on Monday and went into work, but could only work half a shift. The heat on the production floor accompanied with the severe migraines, and side effects from the antibiotics made it impossible to work. Last few days it's been a combination of needing to be in the washroom every 1-2 hours or having little to no energy to do anything, and while I am starting to feel a bit better, I don't want to risk getting more sick. Next week I cannot afford to take off as I start a new promotion as a trainee assistant for new agents, and I need to be there. I'm not contagious so that's not an issue, but I don't want refractory illness, especially since other people on the floor are/we're sick as well.
Yet, I feel conflicted calling off. I'm genuinely sick but I've been raised with this mentality that you need to fight through everything to get the job done, and it doesn't feel right when I'm at home during a regularly scheduled workday. I hate taking off work when I don't need to, and feel like I always need to find some justification for calling off sick. I know I don't need to have any reason, I'm genuinely sick and on antibiotics.
But it's like I'm always second guessing myself if my sickness is really worth being off of work. Hell, it's nearly 1 am where I am and I'm still grappling with justifying taking tomorrow off to continue getting well.
Anyone else had a similar situation? I just needed to vent, personally, but I'm wondering if I'm not the only one who has dealt with this.