Salam - I feel guilty taking a month of sick leave
Salam… I’m 30F, a software engineer. For almost 8 years I never took sick leave, not even when I had a fever because my doctor back then said I was still able to work. The first time I ever took any leave was while gathering papers for a gallbladder removal. During a routine check one doctor said it looked bad and might cause problems soon, so I sought more opinions - I saw four doctors and they all agreed. Alhamdulillah I kept pushing (I’m in Eastern Europe) to get the surgery; I believe Allah guided me to take care of my body and it’s His mercy I found this before complications. I had the surgery about 10 days ago. At my follow-up I asked for one more week off because I still don’t feel ready. Even doing something for 15 minutes tires me; if I eat I get gas and stomach pain, and sitting 20–30 minutes makes my back and stomach hurt so I have to walk. The doctor gave me sick leave until the end of the year and said, insha’Allah, with this time I should recover fully - be able to drive (I need to drive 6 hours one way), work, and have better concentration, as long as I avoid heavy lifting and hard physical work. The problem is I feel guilty. A nurse looked at the paperwork and said, “ooooh, this is too much.” I’m also a bit frustrated because I pay into the system much more than most people, but at the same time I can’t shake the guilt. Has anyone felt guilty taking recommended recovery time? JazakAllahu khairan for any advice or reassurance.