You can do both - remote work AND use your sick days.
Sick days for REALLY badly, can’t get out of bed sick. Remote for doctor appointments, kid is sick, parent is sick, spouse is sick, dental appointments, things that don’t have you in bed all day but you need to be home for - utility workmen, plumbing needs fixing, wherever. Stuff you need to be home for and still able to work a full day. If your plumber is coming, and they have given you the standard 4 hour window of “anytime between noon and 4pm” then you can still work, and still be home to monitor what’s going on with the kitchen sink. Jamie ain’t fixing that sink, so someone’s got to.