What I want people to understand about their choice to go to work sick…

Everyone is aware that if you are sick, you can pass it along to others. What people don’t think about is how that affects those of us who have a weakened immune system. For you all, if you get sick, you feel pretty terrible for a week or so, and then you move on… no big deal. As a teacher, I totally understand that calling out of work can be more work than actually going. I get it. You have to get a sub, make lesson plans, remember to write down when each student has somewhere they have to go, write down all the details of a day that you just do without even thinking, and so on. So, teachers are the worst about going to work even when they are under the weather.

IV antibiotics that had to be infused every 8 hours.

Now that being said, when you are at work with your contagious germs, you are putting my life at risk. It may sound like I’m being dramatic, but staying healthy is a huge challenge for me as it is, without extra viruses or bacteria taking over. I have been able to stay away from the flu thanks to the flu shot (Don’t get me started on the arguments against the flu shot.)  for most of my adult like with one exception.

Christmas 2012: feeling horrible but pretending I'm ok. 

I caught the flu in 2012. Instead of being down for about a week or two, it took me around 3 months to start to feel back to my normal. I lost 14 pounds which is a huge deal for someone with cystic fibrosis. The August before this, I had 60% lung function… it dropped to 41%, and I haven’t seen 60% since then. My lungs were permanently damaged. I missed a lot of school that year… it would have been more if my sickness hadn’t been partially during winter break. I had to do IV antibiotics for 2 weeks. Then I was put on an oral antibiotics and prednisone for 2 more weeks, but it was still 2 months before I started to see any real improvements in my lung function.

Now the flu and other viruses are spreading around our district like wildfire. I’m truly scared of catching either. Yesterday, I wore a mask at work because I know there are multiple people at school who are sick. With the threat of more being there today, I chose to take the rest of the week off to hide from all of the germs. I can’t risk my life to be with my students, and it breaks my heart that I can’t be there with them.

So I just encourage you whether you are a teacher or not, think about what your choice to go to work sick means for the people around you. Do you have someone at your work that has suppressed immunity or is especially vulnerable to getting sick? If you must go to work, please make sure to take precautions to not spread it those people. Use the CF rule… stay at least 6 feet away, and wipe down things you touch that they may come into contact with.