sick day

Well, I just got back from InstaCare. I have something like flu (the doc wouldn't say it was flu but didn't know what else to call it) with the potential for Bronchitis. Yeah, I know, wonderful news.

I was up last night grading some papers, trying to get on top of updating the grading program on the computer and my throat started to tickle, just out of the blue. I thought nothing of it, drank some water, and went to bed. When Ben got home around 12, I woke up and it felt like my throat was on fire and as if my ears were about to pop. I couldn't get back to sleep, I was cold, achey, etc. I decided around 5:45 am that I probably would not be up to going to school so I called in sick to get a substitute. I made lesson plans, which were probably rediculously detailed, got as presentable as possible and drove over to the school to leave my lesson plans and copies in my room. I saw several of my students on my way out to my car and they were sad that I wasn't going to be in class.

I tried to relax today but I couldn't stop worrying about my students and the sub. I left a big note on the board for the kids saying, "You are in competition with each other. Which ever class gets the best report from the sub will get doughnuts on Friday. Be good and GET TO WORK!" I didn't have the strength to go over there after school to see the sub note and I'm hoping and praying everything was OK.

My mom came to see me and suggested we go to InstaCare, just in case, since I'm known to getting strep a few times every year. The wait wasn't too long and thankfully (or not) I don't have strep...but I sure do hate those gigantic swabs they stick down your throat to see if it is strep. My doctor, who I kind of think was a hippie, told me that I would be out of commission for the rest of the week and not to go back to school. She said if I don't rest and get better, it could lead to worse problems which would just prolong my absence from school. Then she said that since it's my first year of teaching, I should probably get used to this crummy sick stuff, it's gonna happen a lot. She gave me some "natural" remedies (hence the hippie observation) that she said would help me build of my immune system and hopefully help me not get sick as much. Lastly she told me to drink lots and don't talk (my voice is nearly gone) and she sent me on my way.

I was supposed to teach my students how to write a Resume tomorrow, but probably won't get to that. I just called into the subfinder system to get a sub for tomorrow. I'm not happy about it at all. I didn't bring any of my stuff home so I'll have to go back in tomorrow morning before school starts to figure out what I will have the sub do. I'm going to probably have the students do some grammar exercises. They'll all love me for that one, I'm sure. I'm going to see how I feel tomorrow evening; if I still can't talk and my throat still fills like one gigantic road rash, I will probably call in sick Friday. Pray for me that I don't have to.

Even though I've practically been sleeping all day, I still can relate to a comic I saw a few days ago. It was a picture of the Energizer Bunny with the caption: I'm so tired, somebody shoot me!

Another sick day observation; I hate to admit it, but it was kind of nice to be able to sit on the couch, watch day time television, and wear PJ's all day.