The Crud

Like many teachers this year, I'm ~this close~ to admitting defeat.

Carefully modeled hand-washing practices, eagle-eyed attention to who tries to skip past the sink on the way back out of the bathroom, heavy distribution of tissue boxes and liberal... no...obsessive use of hand sanitizer couldn't save me.

My head hurts.  It hurts to swallow.  My ears are clogged.  I'm sniffly and stuffy.  My patience is at an all time low.  To round out the experience, Murphy's Law has been hiding in the corner, watching.

Waiting.

When does everyone and their mother **need** to talk to me now-now-nownownow?  During the week I'm sick.  When do the Super Stars decide to experiment with and stretch the definition of appropriate forms of behavior?  When I'm busy trying to fight off germ warfare.  When do I get sick?  When it's time to host a party, bake for the staff and exchange valentines, of course.

So I give.  U-N-C-L-E.  Pass the ibuprofin, water, and Vicks.

You Know You're Sick (again) When...

~ You use an entire large box of opened-that-morning Kleenex before noon.

~ No matter how much you fiddle with the knobs, there is no comfortable shower temperature to be found.

~ The only thing keeping your screaming, yelling, wrestling, fussing, overly-assertive All-boy preschooler alive is the fact that you're (lucky for him) *not* the type of carnivore that eats her young.

~ You can't swallow, because it hurts. You can't blink, because it hurts. You can't breathe, because it hurts, though the blogging drive seems to keep one's typing fingers pain-free...

~ You point blank say "Excuse *you*?" to the "parent" behind you in line at WalMart (buying more Kleenex!) after you hear her repeatedly address her child as "Turd" as she tries to pry his fingers off of the candy, toys, magazines, etc.

~ It's either too hot or too cold in the house...never "just right."

~ The cat, who usually craves your constant attention, won't come near you with a ten foot pole.

~ Your cold meds and pain relief tablets start to give you heartburn at bedtime...joy.

*****

Though there is so much in my life for which I'm thankful, this week I'm craving long term good health. This one week on, one week off routine is incredibly draining.

*****

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