Poor Poor Me

Taking one day off work due to illness is quite common. You feel a bit shite and call in. The next day, you feel better and go back to work. It happens all the time.

What happens if on the second day, you still feel rubbish? You take a second day off work. Eyebrows go up. It is well past 4:30 on Thursday and it still hurts to swallow and cough. I've drunk nothing but infusions of herbs, flowers and other comforting things that are supposed to help. I've had loads of rest and watched all the programmes on The Monkey Channel (Animal Planet).  The viewing has  had an odd side effect;  I now realize that I need to go to the Philippines and see their pygmy sea horses.

It is starting to look like I'll be taking tomorrow off as well. I would really rather be at work. I have a whole week full of things to do that will now have to be crammed into what's left of my week. I can see any bonuses I might have earned for the month and even the quarter (piling on the doom because I feel crap) floating away from me.

I'm not the sort of person to just call in sick because its a beautiful day, Wimbledon is being broadcast or my husband is off for the day and he wants me by his side. I'd like to be the sort of person who has spurious duvet days, but I'm not.  That work ethic is there in my basic make up and won't be ignored.

This is the thing. I'm a salesperson. I call on doctors. It really puts customers off if one coughs on them. I don't want my customers to feel like they need to treat me. I must be or have the appearance of being in perfect health all the time.

I had my flu shot on Monday.  The Man of the Place and I both came down with flu last year.  Rather, I had the flu and my beloved had a near-death experience.  I was in my bed for about a day and then "did stuff around the house" until I felt like I could face the public once more and he claimed to be on the verge of hospitalisation when he started showing symptoms.  He may have had a different strain to me (Aren't I charitable?), but from where I stood, we had the same strain and he was a delicate flower who couldn't take it and I was the person from hardy stock who just got on with things.

I do not think that my illness and the flu shot are in any way connected. It's just that when I'm feeling unwell, I start to think about this stuff.