I take a long time to admit that I am actually sick enough to need a doctor. I got a sore throat on Tuesday evening, but not until Thursday evening did I even think about going to the doctor, and it wasn't until Saturday that I actually went to the doctor.
It is easier to teach school while sick than to have a sub.
A week ago Friday I woke up and my sore throat was worse than it had been and all I wanted to do was roll over and go back to sleep. I knew that I could call in sick, but that my principal would then want sub plans prepared in the hour and a half before school, which wouldn't allow me to sleep in anyway. I would also have to go take care of grades and such after school and recollect things after a sub. In addition I would have to reschedule the observation planned for that day. So, I went to school and taught anyway. I drank about three quarts of water during the school day, my observation went well, and I took care of all my work after school.
Going to the doctor on Saturday may be less convenient for them, but it eliminates the regular hassle of waiting for long periods of time, filling out paperwork, and all the regular stuff. The doctor was available to meet me, so I went to the back door, was checked for strep (negative), and then he called in my prescription (yay for free prescriptions at Super 1). I was home after the doctor and picking up meds just over an hour later. I still don't know how much it cost because his workers had to take care of it later and I will get the bill in the mail.
Being sick may not be fun, but it gave me a great excuse to sit around all weekend - and I had a three day weekend - and read novels. I did not really have any other work I had to do, so I read 2 and a half novels. My outings included going to the doctor, going downstairs to eat with friends, and going to church. Most of the rest of my time was spent on the couch.
Although I am usually hesitant to take advil, being sick gave me a reason to take it frequently. Even after I was taking antibiotics, the advil was good for the pain and the swelling. After the pain went away, I was hesitant to take advil for a slight lingering headache because I had taken so much of it recently and I don't want my body to get accustomed to it.
Taking antibiotics also gives me a good reason to eat yogurt everyday.
Teaching for a full day after a weekend of sitting on the couch reading can be difficult. I don't often think about how much energy it takes to talk, and enunciate properly, for an entire day.
As much as I might like to think that antibiotics make things better immediately, it wasn't until day 6 of taking them that my throat didn't hurt and I sounded normal again. I am glad the doctor prescribed it for 10 days and not just a week.
Although it was annoying to be sick, the timing actually worked out quite well with the long weekend. I am very thankful that I am generally a healthy individual, especially because I work with young children and encounter all sorts of small sicknesses at school. The last time I was sick and needed to visit the doctor was three and a half years ago when I had strep.
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