'AITA for wearing my wrist brace at work while my coworker has a broken wrist?' 'What is that for?'
"AITA for wearing my wrist brace at work while my coworker has a broken wrist?"
Okay so this is so weird, I (24F) work as a cashier at a sub place, and my coworker last week broke her wrist falling on the ice, so she is in a cast. When I was 14 I was diagnosed with tendinitis in both wrists, for the most part it doesn’t flare up unless I’m doing a lot with my hands, well I’ve been doing a lot of embroidery recently and as such, have caused a flare up.
It’s been bothering me for about two weeks and I wear my brace at home, and generally just sucked up the pain while at work, because with my coworker wearing a cast I felt weird about wearing my brace.
Well yesterday it was bad enough I had to wear it at work, as I’m putting my stuff down and getting ready to start my shift, another one of my coworkers who I’ll call Lisa, started to glare at me and asked in the usually snobby tone she uses with me “what is that for?"
So I told her about my tendinitis and what it was, she then started to get huffy like I was making it up. Mind you, the coworker who has the broken wrist didn’t care, she didn’t say anything. But the rest of my shift Lisa kept giving me dirty looks, which is not out of the norm (she doesn’t like me, long story).
Close to the end of my shift I had to use the bathroom, and being as it’s hard to do so with a wrist brace, I took it off. After coming out and washing my hands I was putting the brace back on when Lisa made another off handed comment about how I was lucky I could take mine off.
I didn’t do this to spite anyone, my wrist just hurts but now I’m getting ready for another shift and trying to decide if I should just suck it up and go without my brace at work.
Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:
shontsu said:
What? Why on earth would you wearing a wrist brace affect anyone? What does someone else being in a cast have to do with your need for a brace? I'm so confused. Lisa needs to mind her own damned business, and you need to stop worrying about imaginary slights you may give to others.
NTA. If you need a brace, wear a brace. Please. You wearing or not wearing a brace will have zero impact on the level of pain or ability of someone else in a cast.
KittenVicious said:
NTA - have you filed an ADA disclosure with human resources that documents your disability and the need to occasionally wear a brace as a reasonable accommodation? If so, let HR know that Lisa keeps making comments about your documented disability and accommodation.
LeatherInjury1921 said:
NTA. Lisa thinks the world revolves around her. Your wrist hurts, wear your brace.
Softmagnoliaa said:
NTA. You have a medical condition. It’s not your fault your coworker broke her wrist. You shouldn’t have to suffer because of Lisa’s jealousy and petty behavior.
ailweni said:
NTA. Brace yourself for this… but Lisa is a brat. She’s creating problems where there are none, and stirring up trouble for shiggles. Next time she comments, tell her to stop elbowing her way into your business.
Cliper11298 said:
NTA. Wouldn’t worry about Lisa, she hasn’t got much else going on if she has to start fake outrage on something that doesn’t impact her in the slightest. It’s not her business and if the coworker that does have the cast doesn’t mind then don’t worry about it