Friday, September 25, 2009

flu outbreak

Our school has been plagued with "the flu". Our school nurse thinks it's the H1N1. Whatever it is, it's knocking 'em down hard. I had 5 kids sick, and none of them were back in fewer than 4 days. One first grade teacher has had 12 out of 22 hit with it! I think about 25% of our students have been sick this past week and a half. One 1st grade class coined a new term... the "handitizer"... the hand sanitizer dispsenser that has now been installed in each classroom!! The term makes perfect sense, doesn't it??

Presently, I'm not feeling so hot. I'm not exactly sure if I'm plain old tired or the "beginning of something" tired. I really want to go to bed, but I'm afraid. I don't want those aches and flu things to start picquing during the night, while I'm trying to find my deep, comforting slumber. So, I'm staying up until I can no longer keep my eyes open (which presently feels like only 7 minutes). Then, I'll drag myself, eyes half mast, droopy-armed, to bed and flop.

I also know that, traditionally, I get sick sometime during the end of September. I don't know if it's my annual "Attack of the New Group" germfest, when my body has to build new immunities to the current class... or.... a seasonal, valley thing. But, more Septembers than not, I get sick. I try not to. I take vitamin C. I get to bed early. I eat as well as I can (okay, I could probably eat better). I took Airborne tonight. I wash my hands a LOT. And I try to not breathe when kids are around. That one's tough.

I really don't want to be sick. The worst part is having to create lesson plans for a sub for more than one day. I hate doing lesson plans for subs!! Really hate it. Most teachers do. We'll go to work sick, rather than create lesson plans... they're such a pain.

I'm tired enough now. I'm going to bed. I'm going to take a crystal to bed and tuck it under my pillow. Strength. Can't hurt. Damn... and I was planning on getting my first flu shot this Wednesday!

1 comment:

diane said...

Still catching up with your blog, so I am not sure if you got the flu or not. I hope not. My kids were sick last month, and Eli had a flu but they weren't sure if it was THE flu or H1N1. Whatever it was, he was out for a week, then missed a few more 1/2 days in the week that followed (we thought he was well enough, but I guess we were wrong). The thing that really sucks is that we are told to keep the kids home when they have flu symptoms because the school doesn't want a flu outbreak, but then I got letters in the mail about their attendance. Oh, and they won't be eligible for honor roll this quarter because of excessive absences. Why penalize them? That just tempts us to send kids to school that are sick. Sigh. I am done ranting now. =)