It’s that time of year! No- not THAT time of year. I’m talking about cold and flu season. 😷I’m a public school teacher, so I live in germs every day. My classroom is stocked with Clorox wipes, Lysol spray, and a vat of hand sanitizer. Students coughing, sneezing, asking to go to the nurse. Kids telling me that their parents had to go to work today, so they had to come to school with a fever of 101.
Don’t get me wrong. I have totally been that parent who gave a dose💊 of Tylenol and wished for the best as I sent my kids out the 🚪door. I get it! Taking a sick day to stay home from work is worse than just going to work. In my profession, there are substitute plans to make, notes 📝to fellow teachers to write, information about students to share, and a pile of paperwork📋 to review when I return. It’s not worth it. Teachers try to be there every 📅single day. We just take care of business regardless of how we’re feeling, and our own kids learn to do the same. We have a saying in our home that even reflects this notion. Suck it up, Buttercup! 💪🏻You better be dead or puking to stay home.☠️
Anyway, I was the one who felt crummy this week. Santa 🎅🏼brought an early gift of a severe cold. The eight reindeer driving the sleigh were Fever, Chills, Sore Throat, Cough, Runny Nose, Headache, Sleepy, and Congestion. They were🚫 not welcome- I’m telling you! This was not on my Christmas list.
I know that I’m in good company with this cold, though. My classroom has been full of kids coughing. I replaced two boxes of tissues last week. I wrote at least one pass to the nurse every day. I passed out dozens of peppermints 🍬to soothe sore throats. Like I said- it’s that time of the year.
I soldiered through all of my responsibilities. Don’t we all do that? I know I’m not unusual. It wasn’t fun, and it wasn’t easy. While my voice was scratchy all week, it was completely gone on Wednesday! As a teacher, it’s tough to run a classroom with no voice. Kudos🙌🏻 to my kiddos for taking the reins and getting the job done while I smiled😀and pointed!
I’m not a big fan of taking💊 medicines. I don’t reach for the tablets with the first twinge of a headache. I try to be proactive✨ with my health by making healthy choices every day. I eat right (unless you count the daily scoops 🍧of ice cream!), exercise, drink plenty of water, and take my vitamins. Cold and flu season means having to add medicines, extra vitamins, more fluids, and plenty of rest when those symptoms begin. And- for goodness sake- wash your hands often! More than you think you should! I was a good 😇patient, for the most part. Getting enough rest is always tough. I tried to get to 🛏bed earlier, yet it seemed like it was 10 o’clock before I knew it every night!🌛
This cold definitely has its grip on me! My eyes👀 aren’t bright. My throat is sore. My voice cracks. My nose leaks. My head hurt.s My belly muscles ache from coughing. But, it’s just a cold. Like I said before: suck it up, buttercup!
Self-Care Sunday tip: Take Your💊 Medicine! Try to get some extra 🛏rest. Drink lots of fluids. I’m not telling you things that you don’t already know- just reminding you to take care of yourself in case🎅🏼 Santa delivers a 😷cold to you, too.
sharing the stairs 