Lurgy

I've always been a sickly person, it's a burden I've had to put up with since I was small.

I was terribly ill from birth when I was premature, almost died, have had double pneumonia and various other respiratory related conditions. Suspected epilepsy and cystic fibrosis. In my adult years I'm asthmatic, I get migraines, I have a back injury and I have a low immune system and seem to be a target for every bug that passes my way. I hate it. I'm always welcome to trying new ways to boost my immune system and try to fight the bugs, but something always seems to blight me. If I was a puppy at a rescue centre I'd have been put to sleep a long time ago.

Not only that but I feel like I'm stigmatised. I pride myself on being a hard worker, I never say no to tasks given to me, even when they're not mine to do or they're the less attractive option. I get a great sense of satisfaction for being the person people turn to to 'sort stuff out', secure in the knowledge they trust once spoken to me I pretty much get it sorted. However when you return from a day or two off ill all the good work seems to be undone and it takes a few days for things to return to normal. Requests come with 'are you in?, will you be around on...?' It's frustrating but for me sadly unavoidable.

I do however have some rules. I won't sit and work late when I don't have to just to 'show face', I will work late or long hours or on weekends when the job requires it. I also take time off when I'm sick.

There's a horrible culture in this country where you have to be at death's door before you should take time off. The work/life balance is skewed firmly in the work favour. I honestly believe the number of viruses and colds that plague us all over winter months would be less prevalent if the people who get them stayed at home and got well instead of dragging their snotty germ spreading beings into work. Within a day of that happening the rest of the open plan office community begin to drop like flies. It drives me mad. Don't get me wrong, I'm one of the lucky few who actually enjoy my job, but I really don't enjoy the wry looks or comments or the sense you've missed something just because you've been away, it's always just one or two people as well who seemingly have the constitution of iron and are NEVER ill. The cynical 'ooooh I hope you're feeling better now, what was wrong' sends my skin crawling. These are the same people who'll then take pleasure in telling you which members of staff have been struck down with your germs and how you 'really should've stayed at home' ARRRRRRRRRRGH.

The most ironic thing? My dad has only taken about a week off work sick in his entire 30 year career...honestly you'd think his genes would take pity on me. But for now I should go, I've got gastric flu and have spent way too much time getting to know, on an intimate level, the far reaches of my toilet bowl.