People stay home when you are sick.

[ontariogirl]

I got this article from a newspaper, I think he is right on the money.
Why Sick People Should Stay Home
Going to work, school, or pretty much anywhere when you are sick – and especially when you are contagious – should definitely not be on your priority list. Staying at home, getting some rest, and maybe seeking some medical attention, are certainly the ways to go. Everyone will thank you.
You know the guy. The one who drags his bug-ridden near-corpse to the office because he’s “indispensable” and “doesn’t feel that bad”. Or, he’s the braniac/nerd/jock who comes to class loaded with viruses, coughing jags, a runny nose, and feels he has to share it with his peers. The “I can’t miss a day of work” or “I can’t miss class” guy who really should miss this one. Please.

Trust me on this one – you are the most hated person in the room. Nobody, but nobody wants to be around somebody who is ill at work or at school. This also counts for the movies, the grocery store, the bank, and any place where people are generally healthy. They don’t like you much at the medical clinic either, but it’s their job, so they have to deal with you.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a germophobe or a health nut. However, I do like to remain healthy, or at least reasonably so. Therefore when I am sick, I feel it is my responsibility not to take my bugs out for show-and-tell. I don’t like or appreciate it when other people do it to me. And, you can’t tell me there is anyone out there grabbing door handles saying, “Oh, boy! I wonder what I could catch today. I feel lucky.”
Don’t be the hero that never misses a day and who passes along the nasties to somebody else – maybe everybody else. It’s not cool. An unblemished attendance record doesn’t get you a fatter pension check come retirement. It doesn’t make people look at you in awe and wish they could be as committed as you. It pisses people off. It makes them think – could you not stand so close? And how about using a tissue when you sneeze? Washing your hands wouldn’t hurt either.
Oh, by the way, as I write this, I am at home, sick with some upper (cough) respiratory system (cough, cough) virus. I’m coughing up a storm (could you tell), but I’m keeping it away from those I work with and from those I socialize with, too. I know for a fact that they appreciate that. It’s the kind of guy I am. But, in the mean time, the world will keep on turning, and things will keep on moving. Somehow, everyone will muddle through the days without me. For now, I’m crawling back into bed with a cup of hot soup and thinking about what to write about in my next column.

[chally]

Great article ontariogirl! I love the sarcasm too...


It makes me think of people who come in to work hacking their lungs out - gross! [img]smileys/smilies_07.gif[/img]

[kate1966]

Good Article Rhonda...maybe Stella should take that to the school with her!!!!!!!!!!!!!![img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]

[liz28]

"An unblemished attendance record doesn’t get you a fatter pension check come retirement."


i like that line.

i am so sick of college students in particular coming to class sick.
there are TWO people i've been directly exposed to in the past week, and
they both managed to let everyone know "YES. I HAVE MONO. AND I AM IN CLASS. GIVE ME A MEDAL".. i wanted to slap them. who the heck wantsyour nasty mono? who the heck wants your nasty strep throat. STAY HOME JERKS.

[hippychick]

I always found it kind of amusing that this one guy at work got given certificates for good attendance, he didn't do anything except show up to work sick and infect other people haha and then in my last job if you had more than 8 days off sick a year you got given a formal warning so no wonder people turned up sick, one guy I know had a heart attack was off for ages recovering and on his return was given a warning for his poor attendence. No wonder people show up while ill when some works send a clear message that they prefer that!


I understand some people have no choice money wise etc, in fact my mother was in that sitation many times and had no other option as we could not afford to lose a days money, it's those who could afford it, do have a choice and still show up sick that bug me.

[dayna1x]

That was a funny article! I, for one, share his opinion, until you aren't contagious-just stay home!

[lucinda]

That was a great article, I feel exactly the same way!

[crimgoddess]

"An unblemished attendance record doesn’t get you a fatter pension check come retirement."


i like that line.

i am so sick of college students in particular coming to class sick.
there are TWO people i've been directly exposed to in the past week, and
they both managed to let everyone know "YES. I HAVE MONO. AND I AM IN CLASS. GIVE ME A MEDAL".. i wanted to slap them. who the heck wantsyour nasty mono? who the heck wants your nasty strep throat. STAY HOME JERKS.

Theonly way to catch mono is through direct contact with saliva. So, if you aren't planning a makeout session after class, or aren't sharing utensils/drinks with them, you will be fine. When I have mono over the summer/fall, I dragged myself to campus because I wasn't going to jeopardize my semester- since mono is indefinite (ie- you pretty much have it until you don't have it anymore- anywhere from afew weeksto a few months). Technically, once you have it you can remain infectious up until 6 MONTHS- I think it is completely insane to expect someone to put their life on hold for such a long period of time. As long as you don't share anything with them that their saliva has come in contact with (food, lipgloss, etc.) you are in very little danger.


It's funny how every few weeksthis debate seems to come up. No matter what, we can't control what other people do, where they go, or how they justify their actions. Such is life. Maybe if we were in their position we would do the same thing, maybe not- there is really no way to tell. All you can be accountable for is yourself.


*amber*Edited by: crimgoddess

[laneyb]

Fantastic article!!!


I would love to photocopy this many times and stick them up all round the office where I work, the schools my nieces go to, the supermarket, therestaurants I frequent, the list is endless.......


I dont think I will though, I cant imagine being that popular if I did!!!


Laney

[mjewell]

Theonly way to catch mono is through direct contact with saliva. So, if you aren't planning a makeout session after class, or aren't sharing utensils/drinks with them, you will be fine. When I have mono over the summer/fall, I dragged myself to campus because I wasn't going to jeopardize my semester- since mono is indefinite (ie- you pretty much have it until you don't have it anymore- anywhere from afew weeksto a few months). Technically, once you have it you can remain infectious up until 6 MONTHS- I think it is completely insane to expect someone to put their life on hold for such a long period of time. As long as you don't share anything with them that their saliva has come in contact with (food, lipgloss, etc.) you are in very little danger.


It's funny how every few weeksthis debate seems to come up. No matter what, we can't control what other people do, where they go, or how they justify their actions. Such is life. Maybe if we were in their position we would do the same thing, maybe not- there is really no way to tell. All you can be accountable for is yourself.


*amber*

This hasn't been true in my experience. I got mono and tonsilitis when I was 14, way before I was making out with anyone. My doctor said you can also get mono from wearing down your immune system, which in my case he thinks is what happened. I had a million activities, and was too rundown, I got tonsilitis and my immune system pretty much went kaput. i was very sick. Not sure if I got the tonsilitis from someone else and that immunity weardown gave me mono or vice versa, but I'm sure I must have caught something from someone somehow - and I know it wasn't making out or otherwise swapping spit as I was more of an emet then than I am now.


When i got over the tonsilitis I did go back to school, but obviously I had to be mindful of things like swapping spit, and i had to be excluded from things like PE and stuff or I could have had a relapse.


I'm not exactly sure how all mono is spread but I don't think you can ONLY get it fom swapping spit with people.

[crimgoddess]

It doesn't have to be 'swapping spit' in the manner of kissing- but also if you share things such as lipgloss, utensils, food (how many people lick the salt off their fingers before putting their hands back in the bag?), people coughing and not covering their mouths,etc- any waythat someone else's saliva can come in contact with you. It's harder when you are in places where large areas of children may be, because they are still likely to put their hands in their mouth and then touch other things. Eww. I'm assuming most adults have broken themselves of this habit? lol


But, inevitably you do need contact with the saliva for this to occur. It also takes 4-7 weeks once you have been affected to develop symptoms, so it can be hard to determine how you got it. Mono is a virus, so you actually need to get it from someone. It's funny, because often people have had it already and don't even know! What probably happened is that you got the tonsillitis, and the fact that your immune system was worn down made you more supceptible (never know how to spell that word) to catching this virus- which, ironically, just caused you to be more worn down!


As for keeping you out of PE, it's probably due to the fact that Mono can enlarge the spleen, and it is really vulnerable during this time. Any rough physical activity can make you prone to damaging it.


*amber*

[samara's on tv]

I TOTALLY agree with that article! I mean I've never gone into work sick...I've gotten in trouble for it but at the time I worked at a resturant and which was better? Go in sick, or stay home and not contaminate people?


~Monica

[ontariogirl]

I thought of stella when I was reading the article to Kate......