Sick: Ick

I must begin by saying that I have been FAR healthier this school year than the past three and a half years that I've been working in the public schools. During student teaching I was almost continually sick with cold/sinus infections. Really, it was awful. You can't really take sick days during student teaching (or at least I didn't feel like I could) so I plugged along on adreneline and went to urgent care on the weekends. Despite that, it was a really rewarding excperience. And spring did finally come, and I got better. I wonder if it was the room I was in, or just being exposed to all those little germies.

Well anyway, I've had an average of 3-4 colds per year the past three years. I've become a handwashing fanatic and really quite the germaphobe. I can't imagine how sick I'd have been if I wasn't! All the vets tell me I just have to build up that immunity, so I guess maybe that's finally kicked in. I had a very mild cold at the very beginning of the year, and I've been healthy ever since. And I must add that I just really hate having a cold because it's not bad enough to stay home or really even go to the doctor, but I will indeed be miserable for at least a week anyway.

So all this year I have been exposed to many more hugs, (literally) snotty hands and sneezes, and rather ill kiddos. Including several cases of strep and flu! What's the deal? Not that I'm complaining---quite the contrary!-- it just doesn't make much sense. I guess I've either got that immunity, or maybe I had some kind of mold or something in my last room. But finally, this week, the other shoe dropped as I had been waiting for. I had a sore throat starting Sunday, developing into loss of voice all week (major job handicap) and I was still not really feeling bad, but getting really frustrated. Wed night I came down with a fever, though, so that was my cue to give in and stay home. I'm just kind of weird about taking sick days. It's so much easier to just go, sometimes, rather than worry about a sub and did I make my plans right and what if something comes up....all day long. In fact I started that at 1:00 am Thursday morning at the moment I realized I had to stay home, and didn't really quit until school was out Friday. I guess I am just arrogant enough to feel that they can't quite do it right without me! :)

Long story short (ok, it's already too long) I had a heck of a time trying to find an actual doctor here in town, which was unsuccessful. I ended up going to urgent care, which was satisfactory. I started feeling better very quickly, but took of Friday as well just to be sure. (I was diagnosed with viral pharyngytis, which is apparently contagious.) I spent a lot of time in bed and the rest cloroxing the house for Adam's return. I think he chose a good week to be gone, all in all. He was here last night and left today for St. Louis to visit friends. I'm really glad he gets that guy time, which I know he's been missing latelly. I'm getting some major cabin fever, though, after several days inside. That's the thing about me and being sick--I know I'm really sick when I don't even feel like reading. Plus I don't have a great book going, so it's been a long haul.

Well, one more week until spring break and then I can hopefully get my seminar paper done and out of my way. I'll be very happy when that's all behind me. I am feeling a lot better, just bored and ready for spring I guess.