We’ve all encountered them. The magnanimous people who can proclaim “I NEVER get sick, ” or “I have enough banked sick days to be off for years,” or “I’ve got the perfect attendance record at school, ” etc etc etc. And maybe they really and truly have the steel armour of immune systems and don’t get sick. I somehow doubt it.
And there are the others on the opposite end of the spectrum. “If I take another sick day I’ll be fired” or “I can’t afford to be off, ” or “I might miss something important if I’m not at school, activity etc,” These people are often scoffed at for: “always being sick, ” “not healthy,” “weak” , and “milking the system.”. It’s tough. I’m in this category. You’re always concerned you’ll catch what’s going around and pray you can put a bio bubble around yourself so you can escape the current plague and not miss ANOTHER day.
Of course there is the largest group of all not yet mentioned. “If I take some cough medicine, tylenol, nyquil (fill in your favourite remedy of choice here), I can tough it out”. This is NOT a good practice. YOU are the people that are causing the biggest problem. ADMIT you’re sick! Just admit it! EVERYONE GETS SICK (well except for the freaks in the first paragraph) . And when you’re sick PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STAY HOME!!!
Some of us are fighting battles you don’t know about. Our immune system is running on empty. Maybe we have a cancer patient in our home that can’t be exposed to germs at all. Or an autoimmune disorder. Or….you just don’t know but YOUR germs put us at RISK. You might think “I’ve taken some tylenol so I my low grade fever is no big deal” You ARE a BIG DEAL! A fever is a sign you aren’t healthy. And just sitting at your desk or watching a hockey practice might be OK for you – its NOT ok for the people AROUND you. When you come in sneezing, coughing, or feverish – you are spreading GERMS! For many, they can sanitize a bit more and they’ll escape your plague. Maybe they do but they bring it home to their family. And for anyone with a compromised immune system or even just NORMAL immune systems – you are taxing them. Suddenly your bold gesture of SHOWING UP and PUSHING THROUGH – is leaving someone worried that NOW they WILL lose their job because they are really sick and can’t possibly PUSH THOUGH!
I don’t WANT your germy kid in my classroom because you don’t have daycare. IF *I* get sick I don’t have an income for my family as I don’t have any paid sick leave anymore. I’m already on UNPAID disability. And if your kid infects 2 others – I have weeks of sick kids in my classroom. When you send your kid to WATCH the practice/rehearsal etc – they are now infecting the entire team/company etc. And suddenly we have weeks of “someone” absent. How can we actually accomplish anything productive? And what happens when the teacher/coach etc is sick – ALL THE HEALTHY KIDS are missing out as a substitute tries to fill in as best they can. EVERYONE suffers when you go out sick. STAY HOME!
NOTHING. I repeat NOTHING is so important at work or school or dance or soccer etc that you can’t miss a day or two. Ask yourself – if I died today – what would happen – would your company fall into chaos overnight? would the team/group be helpless? NOT likely. And the “oh but it takes so long to catch up” excuse… SORRY – who care’s? To those who’ve graduated already – are you suffering any long term damage from missing a day or two or even a WEEK OR TWO from being home sick? I highly doubt it. Does getting straight A’s seem important if you know that your germs may cause someone’s mom, dad, granny, sister, child to DIE? I ask this seriously. NO letter grade in school is worth more than having your health. Trust me – I had straight A’s and I’d give them all up in a heartbeat to have my health back. They don’t matter one bit!
Put it into perspective. PLEASE. If you’re sick, stay in your jammies, drink hot tea, sleep all day or watch Netflix and chill if you want!! wink wink . Don’t tough it out. Don’t put on your big girl panties and suck it up. Most of us don’t admire you for showing up and not missing a day. You’re making us madder. (and sicker) SO….
JUST ADMIT YOU’RE SICK. and STAY HOME!!!!