Getting Ill

[Guest]

Hi

 

So yeah i love my job, but yep sometimes people get ill.

 

Today i woke with a blinding headache, took painkillers and dragged my arse to work as i was opening up at 7:30 and if i didn't do it no one else would.

Headache was still around but not unbearable, well at about 10:30 it came with force, right above one eye felt like i was being stabbed in the head

I do occasionallly suffer migraines, but not often enough to warrent me mentioning it at interview..by 11:30 i had had enough and decided i needed to go home (felt sick, vision blurred, and very short tempered cos i was in pain!) so went to manager to explain to her....

she looked at me, said 'we are short staffed you know... and you never told us you suffered migraines'.. basically she totally questionned me and was none to happy with me going home....

 

i wonder if i was in the wrong to go home, but then i know that had i have stayed i would have been sick (as i was once i got home) i would have been grumpy and short tempered, i know when i get a migraine i just have to sleep, and that aint possible whilst at work.

 

so yeah my boss was off with me, and although short staffed i think she should have supported me in wanting to go home rather than being funny with me...

 

~ dreading work tommorow

 

Dawn

[Susan]

Sympathise and empathise, unfortunately I have been in a similar position.

 

You did the right thing getting yourself home while you were still able to do so safely. You would have become a risk had you stayed at work, dont feel guilty.

 

Apologise if need be, but we all get ill as you rightly say and as long as you did not directly deny anything, not sure she has anything other than a petty grievance.

Stress will induce another migraine--tell her!

[Guest]

Hi Dawn

You have my sympathy I get migraines and theres nothing physical you can do with the pain but go to bed, its not like you can just muggle through and put up with it.

Dont feel guilty, some people think migraine is 'just a headache' so they cant understand.

Take a deep breath to go into work tomorrow, try not to let it stress you I know its hard, hang in there!

Akire

[Rea]

Why do people want to make others feel guilty about being ill? It's not like you can do anything about it. I once had a boss who made everyone feel like that and it was awful dragging yourself in to work. The children dont get someone who's enthusiastic and involved so I really dont see the point. I understand why you didnt tell your boss about the migraines if you dont get them very often. I've got arthritis in my knees but it doesnt stop me doing things often enough to tell anyone.

I have been told about a council who say that you are only allowed 3 sick periods during the year, any more and you get an official warning. So if you have the flu, followed by a raging toothache and then a summer cold you cant get ill again that year. Madness

Hope your headache is loads better

[Guest]

Dawn, I hope you are feeling better today, that is awful to have been made to feel bad, everyone get's ill and unless it's a regular occurrence your manager should of been supportive, you are no help to the children or staff if you are feeling rotten, does make you feel bad though doesn't it?

When we are ill we have to ring around and arrange cover - I hate it because you know that it's someone's day off you are about to spoil by asking them to cover, however some of my collegues are both sympathetic and empathetic which is brilliant - hope it goes ok today, don't go in if your not better!

[Guest MaryEMac]

I hope today was ok Dawn. I don't have migraines but have really bad headaches at a certain time of the month and it is so hard to stay positive at playgroup. I'm sure the children know when I have one of these headaches because they seem to be extra noisy. I am the leader and have to be there unless it's really bad. I know what you mean Shirel when you have to ring people on their day off and ask them to cover.

Mary

[Guest]

I agree with Susan, you did well to stay as long as you did. I suffer migraines and they "come on" quite quickly, and within a short amount of time I am unable to drive.

 

Did you let your boss know on arrival that you were not up to par ( so to speak) or leave it to speak to her until you felt you couldn't bear it any longer. The later may of caused a sense of frustration in having to "crisis manage" but does not excuse her lack of empathy.

 

Although slightly different as migraines have many triggers, one being stress. As an employer, I have found that many "new" staff come down with all the "infectious" illnesses, until their immune systems have built up. Thus it sometimes appears to long serving staff ( who don't get ill as often) that the new staff are "less commited" because of more frequent time off. It's all about expectations, considering all the factors and your employer being prepared for staff illness cover.

 

I always ensure I have a ready supply of migraleve, which helps me stop some attacks, but each case is different. When I first started getting migraines, I worked in a hairdressers, I would turn up fine in the morning, then by 4pm would be trying to do a wash & set, in between being sick. I had these attacks every day for a few months. Doctors initially thought it was an allergic reaction to chemicals used in hairdressing, I didn't think this was the case because I had worked in hairdressing for 2 years with no previous indication of allergies. I had to leave my job in the end. Turned out I was inhaling carbon monoxide from the water heater

 

Since then however, my migraines are triggered from not eating properly ( missing breakfast & lunch) stress and tiredness.

 

I hope you feel better now, ( I hate the bruised head feeling I get after a migraine attack) and maybe just discuss the issue with your boss, pointing out that at least you made the effort to come in to work in the first place.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

HI peggy,

 

Luckily enough i was well enough to go in the day after, my migraines creep up with very little warning.

I was the one who opened up that day so there was no one else senior around to speak to until 10:30 when the boss came in, and by the time i saw her it was unbearable (the pain) so yeah it was rather short notice for her and having to cover, saying that we only had 9 in our room (pre-school) so one over ratio but not tragically high on numbers.

 

I can understand my boss' frustartion and actually the day after she was fine with me thankfully!

 

touch wood, i don't normally catch that many illnesses that go around, must have a good immune system LOL.... but i know of some new staff that get illness after illness after illness, luckily im not like that.... couldn't afford all the time of sick anyway lol

 

Dawn

 

 

 

I agree with Susan, you did well to stay as long as you did. I suffer migraines and they "come on" quite quickly, and within a short amount of time I am unable to drive.

 

Did you let your boss know on arrival that you were not up to par ( so to speak) or leave it to speak to her until you felt you couldn't bear it any longer. The later may of caused a sense of frustration in having to "crisis manage" but does not excuse her lack of empathy.

 

Although slightly different as migraines have many triggers, one being stress. As an employer, I have found that many "new" staff come down with all the "infectious" illnesses, until their immune systems have built up. Thus it sometimes appears to long serving staff ( who don't get ill as often) that the new staff are "less commited" because of more frequent time off.  It's all about expectations,  considering all the factors and your employer being prepared for staff illness cover. 

 

I always ensure I have a ready supply of migraleve, which helps me stop some attacks, but each case is different. When I first started getting migraines, I worked in a hairdressers, I would turn up fine in the morning, then by 4pm would be trying to do a wash & set, in between being sick. I had these attacks every day for a few months. Doctors initially thought it was an allergic reaction to chemicals used in hairdressing, I didn't think this was the case because I had worked in hairdressing for 2 years with no previous indication of allergies. I had to leave my job in the end. Turned out I was inhaling carbon monoxide from the water heater

 

Since then however, my migraines are triggered from not eating properly ( missing breakfast & lunch) stress and tiredness.

 

I hope you feel better now, ( I hate the bruised head feeling I get after a migraine attack) and maybe just discuss the issue with your boss, pointing out that at least you made the effort to come in to work in the first place.

 

Peggy

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[Susan]

Glad to hear you recovered and all was well.