Sick of sickness.
Both the teens are home today, both sick with a nasty cold.
It hit them last night around 10 or so.
They were coughing, sneezing, both had fevers, both just wanted to go to bed, not play video games, so I knew they were really sick.
I ended up having to go to 7-eleven, which I hate because they charge super crazy prices for stuff, and buy some Nyquil just so they could sleep without hacking their lungs up.
Maybe I should be feeding them some Orovo super foods or supplements or something.
They catch everything, and then I catch it from them.
I'm so tired of being sick, I need to do something to stop it.
My low immune system plus their being at school around tons of sick kids because of the school's absent/sick policies, is what does this.
Students can only be absent for 2 days without a doctor's note, if absent 3 days in a row, they need to have a doctor's note.
Have any of you tried to get an appointment at your child's doctor in a hurry just for a note?
See, if it's not an emergency like bleeding from all orifices, you can't get an appointment right away, you might be lucky if they have an available appointment next month, but usually, you are given an appointment 3 months from now.
And you certainly can't go to the ER for a cold, they look at you and laugh, and if you tell them you came there because you can't get an appointment at the pediatrician, and you need a note because your kid was so sick they needed 3 or 4 days off from school and you really need a note, they lecture you on what an ER really is for as they begrudgingly write a note that says your child has upper chest congestion and a cough, plus a fever, and need to stay home and rest.
Then, your kid takes the note to school, and the school still marks them as an unexcused absence for at least 2 of the 4 days they needed off.
Sometimes, they refuse the note all together, and your kid now has unexcused absences on their school record, which affects their right to get their drivers license.
So tons of parents who can't get a note from their kid's doctor, send their kids to school sick, and then your kid catches it and brings it home to make you sick too.
All summer long, neither the teens or I are sick at all, but as soon as school starts back up again, we all get sick and battle the sickies all school year because of the schools absentee note rule.
I'm sick of being sick and I'm sick of the school making me sick because of that jackass policy.
Comments
What an asinine rule! Sadly, a lot of workplaces are like this, too, they won't pay you for sick leave unless you get a doctor's note. Even doctors for adults are booked up for months. And what about people who are uninsured, and don't go to the doctor unless it's for something far more serious than a cold?
I have worked in food service jobs, where I was expected to come in and work even if I were hacking up a lung. One job in particular, I was actually expected to serve the public, while sick. Yeah, that's who I want to make me a sandwich, someone whose nose is dripping with boogers, because the boss won't even give you two minutes to go into the back room and take some Sudafed for it. I would just call in sick anyway, and if they demanded a doctor's note, I'd say, too bad, you don't provide insurance, nor do you pay me enough to buy my own.
At least at Mike's current job, if he is sick, he is encouraged to stay home. He can always bring home his computer and work at home. They don't demand a doctor's note or anything, it's a cold, not much a doc can do for it anyway. They pay him for sick leave, and they don't want anyone to come into the office and make other people sick. Cuts way down on company productivity.
I wish schools and workplaces would pull their heads out of their asses, and make it easier for people to stay at home when they are sick. it really is a serious public health issue.
Posted by: Christine | November 13, 2008 1:51 PM
Sarasota is so backwards. But I do feel ya. It is ridiculous how many months you have to wait to see a doctor for a regular check up nevermind getting into to see them when you are really sick. You are better off going to a walk in clinic for that!
Posted by: Mindy | November 13, 2008 5:45 PM
I can't even get in to see my own doctor in an emergency - and my job has the same retarded policy. I swear, they need their heads pulled out of their asses.
Posted by: Charity | November 21, 2008 12:32 AM