Being Sick

I'm sick. I have a terrible cold; a nasty cough and stuffed nose. Not to mention the lethargy.

Big deal if you have sick days. When you don't have sick days and get called in to work, well, you go.

And you smile when you get to the office to check in to the school and pretend that nothing is wrong. You hope to hell that you don't start coughing and not be able to stop and make it through the day without completely losing your cool. You've got to just suck up feeling like garbage all day long. Oh yeah, and you heavily medicate.

I've always been one of those people who likes to use rest and natural remedies to heal my body. However, when it comes to the need of pushing on because you really have no choice, I will do whatever to mask my symptoms and rest later. Not great for my body or my mind. But neither is not working or getting paid.

Its funny though how the kids actually understand when you aren't feeling well and give you a bit of a break. I was at a school which I have a bit of a history. I know the kids well and they know how much they can push me. In one of my classes there were these two girls who are total clowns. They never do their work, they goof off and try to charm the teacher to get away with it. It works on me because, well, I'm a substitute. I'm there for the short term and if a kid is going to refuse to work while I'm there, its not my problem. At least in high school. Lower grades are different. High school kids are mature enough to know consequences and that if they don't do the work they don't pass the course. I push them, but there is always one or two that just won't work. Anyway, these two girls were up to their usual antics. I just told them: I'm sick, I'm grumpy, and I'm not up for the foolishness today. They were actually pretty good. They didn't really do any work, but they didn't hide under their desks or play games on their computers.

At least I have a weekend to rest and recover.... or not. I'm still sick. My daughter is sick. My husband is sick. So there really is no resting because I'm too busy taking care of everyone else. Maybe I'll make a batch of chicken noodle soup. With any luck I can rest on Monday when he goes to work and my daughter will be well enough for daycare.