Last Friday I felt it coming on. I had been sneezing and coughing more than usual, and I even felt a little achy. I did nothing, but start drinking plenty of fluids and tried to rest. Rest, I told myself, was important to finish out the last week before winter break.
By Monday, I kept having asthma flare after asthma flare and my rescue inhaler became my best friend.
By Tuesday, my voice was starting to go, the chest tightness was awful, and my nose was stuffy from blood and infection. This was also the same time that learned that half of my 2nd period class was home with the flu. 8th grade had also been hit just as hard.
As for myself? I was trying to make it to Friday.
By Wednesday, I was miserable, but no fever.
Then Thursday morning arrived and my fever was 101. I went to work. I set everything up. I went to the front office and informed them that I needed a sub.
Do you know how hard it is to write sub plans for the last 2 days of school? When you had planned fun days? You can’t leave a sub with fun days. That’s insane!
I did, however, leave them an option. If the kids were well behaved, they could watch movies. If not, they had work they could do. It didn’t surprise me that one of my worst behaved students contacted me via email to ask why I gave them work on the last day that was supposed to be a fun day. That told me that he wouldn’t stay seated or keep his hands to himself. Go figure.
My lovely winter break started early for me with antibiotics for an ear infection, cough meds, boxes of tissues, and sleeping. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired, although, considering the fact that I was not sleeping due to coughing, being able to sleep when I could was a blessing.
As of today, I’m on the downside. My fever finally broke, and I feel able to do something around the house, even if it is just small increments. I’m still drinking plenty of fluids, and I’m resting when I can. I should have gone to the doctor when I first recognized that I was getting sick, but I was already a week in. Not much you can do then but ride the 10 days of the flu out.
I hope you all stay well out there.
