no subject

[taimatsu]

I am not going to feel bad about the fact that I am not in work. I am not in work because I am in the process of having an IBS attack. I have had one unpleasant bathroom episode aleady this morning (which took me from shortly after Robert left to a way past the time *I* should have left) and I suspect another will be forthcoming, especially if I, God forbid, try to actually have any breakfast. I called in to work to explain the problem; I've said I'll call again as I hoped it would improve.

I have a medical condition which causes pain, distress and time-consuming and unpleasant physical symptoms, and I should not be feeling guilty about being genuinely ill.

So why do I feel as though I should be rushing out no matter what? I have a chronic condition which, while thankfully usually mild, does occasionally take over my life and prevent me doing things. Why do I keep feeling like it's not okay for me to be ill when I am genuinely not well?

GAAAAAAAAH.

Comments

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

Why do I keep feeling like it's not okay for me to be ill when I am genuinely not well?

Maybe it's that part of you that is told by people "IBS can just be overcome", despite it not being true, being told that can kinda stick in your head and lead to weird feelings of guilt about it.

[libellum.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure how to say this without it coming out sounding sharper than I mean it, but I don't think anyone else is going to say it. It occurs to me that there are times when you have stayed off work "sick" when, in fact, you could have gone in. This is not one of those times, but your awareness and guilt of the fact that this has happened is confusing your judgment; you're perhaps not entirely confident that your justification to yourself is accurate? Which is why you're posting here, being careful to make it clear how ill you are, so that people will reassure you that staying off work in those circumstances is completely valid: because you can't believe yourself, entirely, when you think that?

IBS is a bitch, and I'm so sorry you're feeling crappy. I don't know enough about it to be able to recommend soothing solutions, but I really hope you feel better soon. *hugs you*

[taimatsu]

You're probably right.

[ooohshiny.livejournal.com]

It's never fun when the explanation is something like IBS, not only do you have to call in, but also go through explaining what's wrong.
In one of my training sessions the lady said to us, 'Doing something because you would feel guilty otherwise is no good reason.' So, basically you either call in sick and deal with the consequences, or go in and deal with those consequences... personally I'd go with the former!
Hope you feel better soon matey 0_o

[robert-jones.livejournal.com]

What sort of training session was that? It sounds like a pretty good reason to do something to me; surely that's what guilt's for.

[ooohshiny.livejournal.com]

You've obviously never been emotionally blackmailed in your life then.
Guilt isn't always there because you've done something wrong.

[robert-jones.livejournal.com]

It may not always be there because you've done something wrong, but I think it can certainly be a useful pointer. Like many instincts, it can be triggered when it is not helpful, but it still serves an important purpose.

[ooohshiny.livejournal.com]

But usually it would go hand in hand with a valid reason. Like, for example, if you actually weren't ill at all.

That particular part of the training mainly covered dealing with challenging behaviour. eg. people trying to guilt trip or coax you into doing things for them, or letting them get away with things etc etc.

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Its okay to be unwell, its not your choice it just is.

[borusa.livejournal.com]

You have left your phone with your far-ther. Shall I enter into negotiations to recover the hostage?

[taimatsu]

I worked this out this morning. I've spoken to him. I might be able to get it tomorrow, if I go to London to see Sally and others. I'll think about it and talk to you tonight.

[wednesday]

The feeling like you should go in is a Natural Response to the Situation.

However, you shouldn't.

Darn it! Why can't we reconfigure our emotions as instructed on the box?

[(Anonymous)]

sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki sikki

[robert-jones.livejournal.com]

I felt terribly guilty about not going into college on Thursday. (It's a mark of my guilt that I nearly typed "skiving off".) It's been many years since I last missed a thing because of feeling ill, and even though it wasn't that important a thing I feel that it was useless and weak of me. Which is odd, because I miss things quite often (say, twice a year) because I forget and I never feel particularly guilty about that, despite the fact that objectively its clearly a less good excuse.

I suspect that the weakness is the thing.

[tea-at-bettys.livejournal.com]

i have IBS too and in my experience when you're in the middle of an attack you're not really capable of going anywhere. i hope you fell better soon