I am unwell - should I go to work tomorrow - give me your opinions please!

[PavlovtheCat]

I was off work for a week (3.5 days in fact) last week I was feeling unwell, but not seriously so. However this weekend, it has manifested into tonsilitis and I feel like shite. I feel a bit better than I did this morning, but worse than I did all week last week! I may be able to dose myself up enough to go to work tomorrow, but I would not usually go, I have two thoughts going through my head and I would like your opinions as MNers as to what you might do if you were me: -

1. Tomorrow I am running the first session of a 22 session Cognitive Behaviour Programme, there are two sessions this week, the first being the most important as it sorts out problems with attendance, increases motivation, gets those on the group to meet the tutors, and enables those who are disruptive to be challenged and removed if necessary. This first session out of all of the sessions is probably the most crucial to attend, along with the last.

The following week I am on leave, so there will be a cover tutor. If I do not go in for the first two sessions, I will in fact miss the first 4 sessions, which will mean bonding is more difficult, respect from group/control etc will be harder to gain. And it is my second group, the first with this tutor, so its a big deal.

Part of the reason I took last week off was so that I could rest and recover and not make myself more ill, so that I would be well enough to come to work this week.

1. On the other hand. I am going to working with around 20 people, plus the tutor, in close proximity, plus colleagues I will be bumping into in the morning/evening. We have air con at work, and the room we are in will not have windows open as it opens on to a busy road and we cannot hear a thing. It is a large building and there is about 100 people there, although probably not any more than 50 at any one time. Bugs spread like wildfire in our building and it would be potentially irresponsible to go into work knowing I have not a common cold but tonsilitis or similar which others might get much more severely than me (especially my clients, who are often less healthy in the first place, not intending to stereotype but those I work with do not always look after themselves well). On top of that, I will have to prep for my work, concentrate hard, and run a group/concentrate hard for 4 hours. I will potentially have to deal with argumentative people, aggression and general disgruntled people who would rather be elsewhere. The first session is tough and I am not sure I feel well enough to cope. I can dose myself up, but if I start to wain halfway through I could lose the group.

So, what shall I do?

[ilovemydog]

Think you have to balance what you potentially may lose as far as respect etc for the rest of the year...

Couldn't you go in, and if you feel dreadful, go home. Lecturing and having a sore throat is not compatible...

[PavlovtheCat]

ilovemydog - thats spot on, my predicament. It is an afternoon group due to finish at 6pm, I could at least go in and prep, and if I feel awful pass it over formally to another tutor.

[bellabelly]

When I was teaching, am pretty sure that if you were ill immediately before a holday, the entire holiday counted officially as sick leave. Worth checking policy at your place?

I would call your boss and ask for advice about what to do.

[PavlovtheCat]

Bella - thank you, I will to be honest, probably just go in, and then talk to boss directly, go home if needed.

[PavlovtheCat]

I did not go in to work.

I slept very badly due to there being a lot of broken glass in my throat, I got up at 5am, got ready for work, went straight to GP on route for morning drop in appt, waited 45 mins and seen at 9:45am with the intention of getting some nice strong drugs/antibiotics to help shift this bug.

The GP said I sounded awful, as my throat has closed a bit and I sound all weird. She took one look at my throat and recoiled in shock! 'Wow, she said, that is the worst sore throat I have seen in a long time, I am glad you came in today. This is not going to get better on its own'. She said she wished she a medical student there with her to show them what a real sore throat looks like!

She gave me penicillin x4 x 7 days, told me to rest as much as I can, said food was not essential as clearly it would be painful to eat but fluids were important. She told me to gargle salt water for 2 mins every 1-2 hours, take paractemol to the maximum dose.

And she told me that under no circumstances was I going to work today, or indeed for the rest of the week. She said she would not be surprised if I still felt unwell next week as this throat infection is going to take a long time to shift, and the longer effects of no energy and wek muscles can take longer to clear and if this was the case she would be happy to sign me off for another week should I need it.

She also said many people underestimate the severity of a sore throat can be, and how debilitating a full scale sore throat is. She said it is different to tonsilitis as that is a specific bacterial infection which targets the tonsils, rather than a general throat infection which is what I have (no white spots anymore).

And to be honest, I am glad. I was going to go in, I was ready, dosed up, and then I felt so awful I knew she would tell me not to go in, even with the drugs I feel like shite.

[PavlovtheCat]

Hello? Some sympathy for my poorliness?

[DumbledoresGirl]

Aww you poor thing. Take it very easy and don't rush back to work. They can get by without you.

[PavlovtheCat]

Dumbledore - thank you for the sympathy! I feel awful, and I feel bored.

I am going to go and make some soup as I am quite hungry, but I just cant eat anything, nothing at all. Anything I think of is frightening apart from, for some reason, salty soup!

I have a pouch of something DH bought me yesterday, but think I might make some with the veggies I cant eat, give me some real nutrition, as I have hardly eaten for days.

[DumbledoresGirl]

Soup is a good idea. When I have a sore throat, I like to eat foods with strong flavours - perhaps that is what you are craving too.

How about jelly? Or something milky? You sound like you need some mothering.

Oh look out for twinsetandpearls too. She was here earlier wanting someone to talk to her as she is laid up on the sofa too.

[PavlovtheCat]

Oh is she? I posted on her thread looking for her actually, as she was poorly, I am glad she did not go to work, poor thing she sounded awful too.

My DH was great yesterday, he did the washing, the cooking, the shopping, cleaned the kitchen. Today alas he is at work, but has touched base with me.

He is visiting a friend who has just had a baby this evening so I will be entertaining our currently wild 2 yo! But he has to go as she is a close friend and has been very poorly and needs our support. He said he would stay with me but I told him I would be fine (hmm]! DD is at nursery today so that gives me a break and a chance to rest.

[twinsetandpearls]

Yes I am at home also with a cough, sore throat and bad chest.

Awful headache and have been asleep for a few hours.

I am worried as it is my grandmas funeral on Friday and they may not give me the day now as I am off today and may need to be tomorrow.

Have not got round to registering with a doctor either and cannot summon the energy to go and do it now.

[twinsetandpearls]

Hope it stops hurting soon Pavlov, as a teacher I suffer with throat/ voice issues.

[DrNortherner]

Poor you. It does make you feel like shit.

I developed Quincy once and ended up in hospital. I thought I was dying I felt so bad.

[DrNortherner]

That shoudl be QUINSY. The throat infection - not a detective in a wheelchair!

[twinsetandpearls]

pmsl at detective in wheelchair.

[PavlovtheCat]

DrNortherner - lol at Quincy! I just read a bit about Quinsy actually as I was having a nose at the 'dictionary definition' of sore throats to arm myself next time someone accuses me of being a pansy, it sounds nasty!

Twinset - you might not be well enough to go back to work at all this week, you don't sound very well at all. I would not be surprised if you don't go back this week, honestly you need to get well otherwise you could be off even longer.

I am about to eat a tub bowl of Caramel haagan daas ice cream, would you like some?

[DrNortherner]

It was pavlov! It started off as tonsillitis but the anti'bs did buggar all.

I became so ill I could not even sip water.

The GP took one look at me and sent me straight to hospital where I stayed for 48 on a drip!

[twinsetandpearls]

God I could kill for ice cream, I am so hot. The cats keep cuddling into me as I have become a wheezing heater. One of my cats was snuggling into me neck when i sneezed which clearly annoyed her and she smacked me in the face.

[PavlovtheCat]

Twinset [shock[ at your cat! I bet she did not stay there much longer!

I did not eat the ice cream, as I opened the fridge to find some strawberry yoghurt, and I ate the whole pot, it was very soothing.

I also bought some Difflam Spray, and it has worked wonders. I still feel unwell, but sooooooooo much more human, I can swallow now. It is still painful, but I am no longer pulling that face/dribbling everytime I have to swallow!

Soup is done and looks good, shall I send some over?

Dr Northerner - oh god I hope this clears, I dont want an abcess!

[cocolepew]

I'm glad you didn't go in and that the Dr gave you something. That's the dose I had and I started to feel much better after 3 days. Poor you.

[PavlovtheCat]

Me too. I would just be finishing the group session now, and I am sure I would be exhausted and very ill. I cooked soup and that wore me out, after a two hour nap!

I hate being ill.