Never go sick again?

motorguy

Carrot007 wrote: »

No you did not. A bad cold floors people. With flu you would not have got out of bed.

People these days do not understand how much a bad cold can do so call everything flu.

And if he really has an auto immune related illness, he'd be offered the flu jab for free every year.

BrassicWoman

motorguy wrote: »

And if he really has an auto immune related illness, he'd be offered the flu jab for free every year.

And if his health was that important he'd pay £13 for it anyway

BrassicWoman

motorguy wrote: »

Wholly the same type of scenario (and the same view on it) as my wife. Shes had rheumatoid arthritis since she was 35 and is heavily medicated for it, along with heavy doses of painkillers - and thats just to get her through a normal day. I expect your illness means similar.

Not as serious yet, but yes, same idea.

You choose how much you can socialise vs going to bed; you balance that with what you need to do to keep your circle of friends going. You pick hobbies like reading, cinema and knitting groups, that you'll be able to do even if you get really ill, so you have friends alongside you for as long as you can.

You eat loads of veg and fruit and take your vitamins.

You get into a job with a decent boss who lets you work from home instead of bringing your germs in so you can stay warm and get over your cold faster. You put up with rubbish in your job to keep that good boss. You are the most helpful person ever at work and you research stuff and know stuff to keep yourself valuable.

You never moan about your health. Your sick record is one of the best in the office, just in case you really really need sick days later. Your handbag has 2 kinds of painkillers, immodium, and tubigrip. There's a walking stick and a knee brace in your car, just in case.

You use holidays for your hospital appointments. You always aim for a 5:30 gp appointment instead of popping out for an hour.

You don't love sun holidays, you like museums and theatre much more, but you know vitamin D is important for your immune system so you sit reading books by the pool on a cheapy break.

You stay off the booze. You know exactly what food makes you tired. You have exercise kit in the house for when you can manage *some* and when you have a great day and can do more you really go for it and have huge long walks or runs on those rare great days.

And you don't have a whinge about "unfair" sick absence policies. You're being paid to do a job, and you do it until you can't any more, and when you can't, you go part time or find something you can do before you are pushed. Because some money is better than no money and as an adult, maintaining your employabilty to as high a degree as you can is your own responsibility.

And if you are the spouse of a sick person who will get worse, you work too; because one day, you will probably need to, and relying on just that one income is too risky.

Or at least, that is my experience and my attitude. I only have one life and one body and it's pretty much down to me to look after it.

System

Nicechap - in real life I dare not express controversial ideas because of job, etc

And I find in real life people ingenuinely nod along to stuff you say, they're not honest, its the complete opposite on the internet - people don't know me and opposing views gravitate, but there can be a but of a mob culture - nobody who agrees with a controversial point will show face because they don't want to go against the herd, and possibly become a pariah - personally I don't care about that though. This also raises a point about what "trolling" is - not writing unpopular opinions but persistent negativity, personal judgement, etc (note how I don't personally judge people)

Some immune conditions aren't as black and white as is being made out, and scale in severity, and with how it interacts with flu/other conditions

sangie595

MatthewAinsworth wrote: »

Nicechap - in real life I dare not express controversial ideas because of job, etc

And I find in real life people ingenuinely nod along to stuff you say, they're not honest, its the complete opposite on the internet - people don't know me and opposing views gravitate, but there can be a but of a mob culture - nobody who agrees with a controversial point will show face because they don't want to go against the herd, and possibly become a pariah - personally I don't care about that though. This also raises a point about what "trolling" is - not writing unpopular opinions but persistent negativity, personal judgement, etc (note how I don't personally judge people)

Some immune conditions aren't as black and white as is being made out, and scale in severity, and with how it interacts with flu/other conditions

Let us be clear Matthew. You are being offensive and insulting. If you wish to have stimulating debate, which I seriously doubt anyway because otherwise there would be some evidence here of "stimulating" and "debate", then take it to the right place. This is not it. There are people who really are desperately trying to hang on to their employment here. There are people who really do have serious illnesses and health conditions here that make their daily lives miserable. These are not subjects for schoolchildren to play with, at the expense of others.

And I also wouldn't worry about the whole not expressing your real opinions in real life. I don't think you have one.

GlasweJen

If you!!!8217;re on immune suppressants and you get the flu you get a lovely 3 week stay in the high dependency unit, you don!!!8217;t !!!8220;power through!!!8221; into work. That!!!8217;s not how immune suppressants work, steroids or not. Believe me, I!!!8217;ve not had a properly functioning immune system since my body decided that this lovely new heart that saved me from the brink is the enemy and must be killed.

I also work in a hospital, thankfully outpatients only but my god people are stupid and traipse in with every illness of the day despite public health campaigns asking people not to bring their illnesses near in case they infect the inpatients, a bit of a cold is one thing but we did have one idiot with Noro drag himself in and get kicked straight back home with a new appointment for when he!!!8217;s better and a flea in his ear from the charge nurse.

And I also had a good sickness record until last year until I had time off to recover from heart surgery so that!!!8217;s that in the toilet until the surgery drops off at the end of this month. I eat well, keep fit as I can, avoid the ones who look ill, wash my hands, don!!!8217;t touch my face, have half a pharmacy in my desk drawer. I can!!!8217;t work from home but I can arrange my day to reduce the stresses a bit, it all helps.

System

I wouldn't be on oral steroids of it wasn't serious

motorguy

MatthewAinsworth wrote: »

Some immune conditions aren't as black and white as is being made out, and scale in severity, and with how it interacts with flu/other conditions

and you still havent told us what it is, for no valid reason.

Irrespective of the nuances of your particular "condition", as has been said there are many things you can be doing to help your general wellbeing, ensure that you are managing your illness and ensuring your employer is onside - and theres little evidence you're doing any of that.

motorguy

BrassicWoman wrote: »

Not as serious yet, but yes, same idea.

You choose how much you can socialise vs going to bed; you balance that with what you need to do to keep your circle of friends going. You pick hobbies like reading, cinema and knitting groups, that you'll be able to do even if you get really ill, so you have friends alongside you for as long as you can.

You eat loads of veg and fruit and take your vitamins.

You get into a job with a decent boss who lets you work from home instead of bringing your germs in so you can stay warm and get over your cold faster. You put up with rubbish in your job to keep that good boss. You are the most helpful person ever at work and you research stuff and know stuff to keep yourself valuable.

You never moan about your health. Your sick record is one of the best in the office, just in case you really really need sick days later. Your handbag has 2 kinds of painkillers, immodium, and tubigrip. There's a walking stick and a knee brace in your car, just in case.

You use holidays for your hospital appointments. You always aim for a 5:30 gp appointment instead of popping out for an hour.

You don't love sun holidays, you like museums and theatre much more, but you know vitamin D is important for your immune system so you sit reading books by the pool on a cheapy break.

You stay off the booze. You know exactly what food makes you tired. You have exercise kit in the house for when you can manage *some* and when you have a great day and can do more you really go for it and have huge long walks or runs on those rare great days.

And you don't have a whinge about "unfair" sick absence policies. You're being paid to do a job, and you do it until you can't any more, and when you can't, you go part time or find something you can do before you are pushed. Because some money is better than no money and as an adult, maintaining your employabilty to as high a degree as you can is your own responsibility.

And if you are the spouse of a sick person who will get worse, you work too; because one day, you will probably need to, and relying on just that one income is too risky.

Or at least, that is my experience and my attitude. I only have one life and one body and it's pretty much down to me to look after it.

:T

Thats a fantastic post and full of such good advice and i know my wife can relate to pretty much all of that

The O/P really needs to take it on board.

Red-Squirrel_2

marliepanda wrote: »

I had the Norovirus.

There was no way I was doing my work unless my work involved me sitting on the loo with my head in the sink...

The very idea that you could possibly work with Noro! :rotfl:

It swept through my workplace a few years ago, I was the second to get it, it comes on in a matter of minutes and it was touch and go whether I would make it the 20 minute drive to get home! :eek: