Oh fucking hell, I am going to have to call in sick on my NYE night shift!

[HTKB]

I've got tonsillitis. I am probably feeling as ill as I have ever felt as an adult. Temp intermittently going up, along with shivers and shakes. Agony speaking or swallowing. Incredibly weak. One side of throat visibly blown up.

I have penicillin, I am gargling with Corsodyl every couple of hours. I am taking cocodamol and ibuprofen.

I am supposed to be working tomorrow night shift on labour ward. I got the whole of Christmas off in return for doing this shift. I also had two days off three weeks ago because of that crappy virus going around.

Fuck! Any ideas what to do?

(ignoring horrible viviennemary above)

I wouldn't want a sick nurse anywhere near my newborn baby. Of course! But you feel guilty for a colleague having to cover. Can you do something nice for them tonight and then cover their birthday or other special day?

I have sent fb messenger posts from resus while waiting for itu to come down and assess me.

I know people who have typed from icu while on a ventilator hours after getting a double lung transplant.

VivienneMary Perhaps developing a little empathy and showing some compassion should be your New Tear's resolutions. However, bitchiness is so ingrained in your psyche that I won't be holding my breath.

I do feel a little better but still in bed. Called in this morning and they were fine. Board was empty at lunch apparently so hopefully they won't be too busy!

Glad of that OP. Get yourself rested. Happy New Year.

Hope you feel better soon, OP. Tonsillitis is hideous. It's over 40 years since I had mine taken out but can remember the raging fevers and how dreadful it made me feel, like it was yesterday.

The only thing that came close was a strep nephritis and that actually put me in hospital.

You have your prescription as proof Op. I have been so ill with tonsillitis and I stupidly tried to carry on as normal and it turned into a septic throat and then triggered glandular fever. So rest rest rest
We got a leaflet some from school from the local authority the other week saying that some illnesses including tonsillitis are not reasons to keep your child off school. I wanted to ram the leaflet up the persons who came up with its arse. They have obviously never had it or mistaken it for a slight sore throat

Back in the real world, HCPs work when they’re sick all the time due to staff shortages and sickness policies . It’s expected that people will dose themselves up with medication and still manage to work.

And whilst I absolutely agree the OP shouldn’t work if she’s not well enough, her absence will trigger a management procedure because this will be her 2nd absence within 3 months.

And being called in when you’re on call fills no one with joy because no, you don’t get loads of extra money and in any case you’re already exhausted.

And therefore more likely to need to go off sick yourself.

Really hope you feel better soon OP.

I once tried to book 3 days holiday. I only got one because other people were off. I caught tonsillitis right in the middle of it! It looked really bad and I worked in an office. But that day I’d booked as holiday I spent all day in bed! I still had to call my boss but could barely speak!

Raw garlic. Mince it keep it in your mouth until it starts to burn, gargle and swallow, couple of cloves am and pm for a couple of days if it even takes that long. Chemical mouthwash, is doing more harm than good.

Paracetamol for fever, three tablets twice in one day should knock that down. Codeine... bad.

Feel better soon OP. I had severe tonsilitis back in the summer, i spent 5 weeks bedbound. I couldn't even swallow my own saliva, let alone eat or drink! Two lots of antibiotics later and i started to get better.

I was so ill even my doctor was concerned and tested me for gandular fever. They found my plalets really low due to the illness. I have literally never been so ill. Hideous illness.

Go for you calling in sick. I went to work at 6.30am on New Year’s Day with my (possibly) infectious cough because I couldn’t stand the thought of my ward gossiping about me 🙄 I got Xmas off too so I was too afraid.

Please stay home. Nurse with cold came in on my last dr visit before med required c-section. I got cold and had ds. Dh said he could tell when i had to sneeze/cough bc of the look of dread on my face. It HURT. 21 years later, he still brings it up.

Phoning work is horrible when you’re sick- mainly because of attitudes like the one shown earlier. I had a boss like Vivienne in one job who would openly doubt and bitch in front of other members of staff. As a result, people came in when they were in no condition to work and spread germs through the school. Not fair when you have children (and one member of staff) with compromised immune systems.

My new head is brilliant (I had 3 days off with shingles recently); she wishes you well and tells you to rest. As a result, we’re a healthier, happier staff, who would never take the piss.

Hope the abs are kicking in now OP. (that’s honey and lemon)

So glad you didn't go in OP. Imagine the consequences if you'd been goaded or frightened into going into work in this state, and passed it on to one of the patients. Doesn't bear thinking about.

It used to be routine to whip children's tonsils out (in the 50s and 60s) but it seems to me you have to beg for it nowadays. Odd that. Hope you feel better soon.

Having my tonsils out in the 70s ended 3 years of constant infection and misery for me.

So glad you called in, as an adult who had her tonsils (not the beds) removed as a child and had tonsillitis I understand how painful it is.
As a HCP I also understand how hard it is to be sick at a time when others would prefer not to be working but people get Ill. Look after yourself and don't stress about what people think. Xx

Our of hours sick note.