zeptember

On Friday, April 17, 2009, there was more B.S. at work. We were told mid-morning that we’d be having a staff break at 1:15pm. The co-worker who has the same lunch hour as me spelled it out; this meant we’d only get a 15-minute lunch.
She said she’d not brought any lunch with her today, as she didn’t know about the meeting til this morning. I only had some hen to eat, and was going to go get some side dishes to enjoy with the hen, but now I couldn’t.
I told the co-worker that by law, we are entitled to a 30-minute lunch break for every six hours we work. I told her I would check with the #2 playground to see if they were within ratio, to find out if we could go to lunch early, at 12:45pm, instead of having to go over there.
They were within ratio, so we went to the office to ask permission to go to lunch early. By the time we were granted permission, it was 12:53pm. I decided to just go ahead and eat the half hen I brought, along with a protein bar, rather than spend the next half hour procuring side dishes from a local fast food place (Boston Market).
My co-worker went and got herself a sandwich from a local shop and came back in time for the meeting, and ate her lunch during the meeting.

It was only at the meeting itself where we were told we could bring our lunch in and eat it, thus giving us our hour lunch break.

There is near zero clear and concise communication from management to staff members in this place, and it’s driving me nuts.

I had blisters on my feet since about Tuesday, from all the standing, walking and running around I had been doing on the job. My knees had ached all week but seemed to be doing better on Friday. I had a sore throat from about Wednesday or Thursday onwards, but was drinking lots of water and popping vitamin C and zinc twice a day to stave off colds from the kids.

I was granted permission to leave work an hour early on Friday, to go to a wedding. Again I’d asked if ratio was low enough and was given the yes signal to go.
My husband and I got out of work early, got dressed and ready, and drove 34 miles to Benicia to witness a friend get married. We stayed for the reception. I even danced to one song, and had some wine to drink. It was a lovely wedding.

On the way back home, I fell asleep in the car, and hurt my neck when my head fell forward suddenly. I still have a stiff neck from that. When we arrived home, I went right to bed.

I woke up early Saturday morning feeling like a Mack Truck ran over me.

I had a really sore throat, pounding headache, puffy eyes, yellow/green phlegm, body aches and felt very listless. It physically hurt to move. I made an appointment for the doctor’s office and went in. They did a strep test, which came out negative, and told me I “just” had a virus, which likely started on Tuesday or Wednesday, and that this weekend should be the worst of it.

I was so demoralised by being sick again that I cried during the doctor’s office visit. I showed a calendar to the doctor to make sure this wasn’t all tied to the gynecological issues I’m having. She said it is totally separate, but it didn’t help me to feel better, since nobody seems to know WHAT is wrong with me overall.

I spent most of Saturday sleeping and crying. I was in bed for the night probably around 8:30pm. I woke at 3:30am but forced myself to go back to bed. Woke for the day on Sunday after 8:30am.

Today (Sunday) I’ve had more energy, but it’s used up very fast, so I have to keep slowing down and being very deliberate in my movements, conserving as much health and energy as possible. I had a new symptom develop on Saturday and continuing today - diarrhea. I’ve only had it a couple times each day but still, I’m sick. And as of this evening, I’ve got a stomachache, too.

It doesn’t help that as of today, we’re in a heat wave. Today it was 90°F outside. Tomorrow and Tuesday calls for more of the same. And I’m supposed to be running around with children in this.

We’ll see how I’m feeling come tomorrow 7:30am. I may call in sick. I will just have to take care of myself. I refuse to overtax and kill myself for a workplace again like I did before, because THAT company ended up firing me, anyway, after how hard I tried and worked and was a yes-man for them. This place will do the same in a heartbeat, I can already tell. So I’m not playin’ that game.

DON’T PLAY THAT GAME.

I am more important to me than one particular job.