Some seriously gnarly respiratory shit has been going around lately. The fifth grade went to outdoor ed the second week in January. It rained most of the time they were there so they were stuck inside all together. When they got back, half of them had a serious cough; three of the teachers were out that week. They’ve been kind enough to share it with the rest of us since their return. My son sounded like he had walking pneumonia for over a week. Now my daughter has it. The two of them are constantly sharing their germs with me so I knew it was only a matter of time.
Last weekend I was sure I’d finally gotten it. My throat burned. My lymph nodes were tender. My ears hurt when I swallowed. All week I waited for it to descend but it never did. My throat just kept hurting and my ear were stuffy and soar, but I never came down with the gnarly cough everyone else has.
I felt horrible too. I went to bed early every day last week, while the laundry piled up and the piles of papers collected dust, ungraded. Finally, Saturday morning, I felt a little better. I’m not quite sure what happened. Was my body fighting off something and got the better of it? Is this just some other virus with more subtle symptoms? I’m not sure. All I know is I lost about a week and now I’m scrambling to get caught up.
I’m actually planning on taking Tuesday off to… wait for it… get caught up at work. Yep. I will be taking a day off of work to grade papers and plan. I think that sums up being a teacher, you need to take time off of work to get caught up at work.
The house is a disaster too. I just have so, so much to do. But I know it will all get done. And if it all feels like too much, then it’s my responsibility to simplify things so it feels more manageable. I just need a little time to simplify. Ah the Catch-22. 😉
On the bright side they are not planning to deport you or make it legal to deny you medical care, adoption rights, employment rights, fire you from governmental jobs based on your sexuality or ethnic background.
Which doesn’t help you at all because sick and jobs and kids and too much work to do and houses are all still there and this happening to people you know just adds to your overload of stress. Heaven help us all.
Every time I re-read this I am reminded that I need the reminder of my bright side of things that aren’t happening to me right this minute/day … and I don’t think YOU did/do.
That for right now I need to hold on to you being grounded in sick and jobs and kids and the immediacy of living without enough help or time ~ so I do not let my fears overwhelm Me. Did you ever consider your postings to be basic to anti-anxiety in a wider population? I expect not ~ but you are.
I first had the super bad cold and went to urgent care last week when I could no longer swallow, got sent home with the virus, then got sicker but could swallow again and then got pink eye and had a sinus infection when I was seen 9 days later. Ugh this is nasty stuff. Ugh and that fool running the country on top of it all. These are dark times suddenly. Maybe the cold etc. will go away soon so we can fight the plague more effectively.