Lolabella
Boardie
I am a Swan.
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Registration Date: 05-04-2004
Posts: 430
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The Sickness that Surrounds Me
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Let me just start my rant by stating that this is directed to know one in particular, unless of course, you work in the same office as I do and you happen to be a member of this board...
If you happen to read this rant, I should give you a little bit of background on our office infrastructure. To put it simply...there isn't any.
I work for a small family owned business. We are a software development company. The family believes that we don't have designated supervisors, managers, or what have you. Everyone works together to get the tasks done. Everyone bascially comes and goes as they please. We are expected to be here during work hours, which is anywhere from 7am to 7pm. We can set our own hours, come in when we want , leave when we want, work on Weekends to make up hours, etc. As long as we put in roughly 40 hours a week and the work gets done, the family is happy. That being sad, I know I have it pretty great here.
Disclaimer: Parts of this Rant may not be suitable for the those with a weak stomach or those that get grossed out easily by bodily functions....
On with the rant:
I am having a particular bad day because of the following reasons....
My first and possibly the major thorn in my side reason is this: I arrive at work this morning, sit down in my cubicle haven, throw on a nice CD (low volume) and start my work. Then IT starts. In the next cubicle, the sounds are too distgusting to ignore.
First comes the sneeze. Not the teeny, tiny 'aachoo' sound that deserves a 'God Bless You' from all co-workers with in earshot, but an 'aaaa...aaaa....aaaa. ....choooooo'. No covering of the mouth with hand or tissue was involved. This is the kind of sneeze that you know produced major amounts of spray and perhaps food particles if the offender had been eating.
I wiggle uncomfortably in my chair, hold my breath a little as to not inhale any of the snotlet droplets that are floating around silently looking for a victim. I then get back to work.
Now comes the clearing of the nasal passages. Tissue is involved this time ( thank goodness). Offender is spending a great amount of time inhaling air through the mouth and then forceably blowing liquid snot into flimsy tissue.
I cheerily shout over my cubicle:
" Please tell me that you have allergies and not one of those nasty colds",
"No", comes the reply. " It's a cold. Lucky me!"
"hmmmm"....I am thinking, "Lucky Me!" I then say outloud "Wow, you should have stayed home".
"naw...I feel okay enough to work".
I sink down in my chair, narrow my eyes, feel my ears burn and plot a death. I then put my head phones on and turn up my CD a little bit louder.
Over my Norah Jones CD, I now hear the distinct sound of the Offender clearing throat. The throat clearing activity is so powerful, that I know that green clams are now being formed and deposited somewhere in Offender's cubicle. I am ready to slit my own wrists....
I then notice Offender lumbering past my cubicle to the water cooler. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Offender cough into hand and then use same hand to push the blue button that deposits cool water into his coffee mug.
Note to self: Do not obtain water from cooler without dissenfecting blue button first.
The sneezing, coughing, and hacking go on for nearly an hour more when I become exasparrated and re-issue my statement to the Offender that he should have stayed home.
Offender chuckles and says 'nawww, I am alright'.
"well, I am leaving for vacation to Mexico soon, and I better not be sick", I playfully say.
"Okay, I will stay clear of you", comes the response.
So I sit here seething. I came onto this board and see the Rant Section, so I go for it. And I ask the following questions:
Am I wrong for thinking that this idiot should stay home and lessen the chance of infecting everyone in the office?
Am I wrong for thinking that this behaviour is downright rude and inconsiderate since we are given nearly 5 weeks of off time?
Am I wrong for thinking that I should be sent home to work , so that Offender in the office doesn't infect with me gross germs?
Am I wrong for wanting to take a sword to offender's neck and putting him (and me out) out of misery?
So, that's my rant. Since this a long one, I'll wait to address my other issue. "which is cellphones in the office". Mind you, none of my coworkers use cellphones to conduct business. But, in any given hour, at least 2 cellphones jolt the peaceful serenity of our small office....
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07-04-2004 17:32
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Buffy
Boardie
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Registration Date: 25-07-2001
Posts: 382
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This is not meant to be a disagreement at all on what has been shared. I do in fact agree with you all. People have no business being superheroes if they are going to spread the typhoid sars black infectious flu. This is more a mental meandering out loud to share some personal thoughts on sickness in the workplace.
I work in a child care situation. I am surrounded every day with adorable and loving children....who as often as not have compromised immune systems and no training or understanding yet at the age of 2 to know why it is important to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Or that Ms. Buffy's shirt is NOT the best place to wipe your little green snotty nose. Or that the cherished toy you were hiding in your diaper should really be sterilized before you give it to your little friend to put in their mouths.
Suffice to say, my 'ick' meter is by survival and neccesity much lower than your average joe or jack or bruce. I just don't get grossed out as easily. I also have a pretty practical view on germs. They can't be avoided, so beyond a little common sense and respect, I don't worry about them. As long as there is no medical reason I should be extra careful, I'd rather go ahead and expose myself.
I have made an interesting observation. I stayed sick the first 6 months of child care. Every big or little bug, I had. And there were lots of them. Now, I am around little green snotty kids of all flavors and I never get sick. My immune system is in use. It is strong. I haven't had anything worth mentioning in months.
They say a pregnant woman has a compromised immune system because it is her body's way of helping to prevent itself from rejecting the foreign body (baby) living in it as a parasite or disease.
So pregnant women get sick. Often.
I worked in child care in my first pregnancy, and in my second pregnancy. I have yet to be full blown sick during either one other than one 3 day stomach virus.
Could be a coincidence, but I'm inclined not to think so. Now, I wash my hands often, use purell on myself and all my kids, and everythign gets cloroxed wiped and lysoled 2 times a day with a bleach scouring at the end of the day. You can also bet I won't hesitate to call a mother who's child is displaying unacceptable levels of contagen (my pet peeve being a parent who arrives to pick up her fevered, coughing, and green child and has the gall to look surprised. "He was just fine this morning! I don't understand!" grrrr).
So I am a strong advocate of prevention when possible. But in the day to day, even with folks who don't have a medical reason to do so or a high risk profession like health care or child care, I think people are too paranoid about germs, and are hurting themselves in the long run by making their immune systems weak.
I'm probably in the minority.
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"Spider sense....tingling."
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10-05-2004 01:07
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Cep
Board Pirate
I am a Galactor.
Registration Date: 22-01-2004
Posts: 2514
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No Buffy I am in complete agreement with you! 
I blame liberalism. I won't explain why exactly just yet because it doesn't just branch on this subject.
However it is because of these namby pamby idiots that we see a rise in asthma in children, that we see an increase in allergys and its simply because children are now smothered by every conceivable drug or protection method that can be dreamed up.
When I was little I used to go out on school playing fields in amongst the grass, mud and plants. Made dens in trees and bushes, got cut or scratched by branches, got stung by stinging nettles, made grass hills when the fields were cut, played in dirty sandpits.
I played with insects, old bricks and metal found in the undergrowth, ya know really got stuck in there and had fun.
Because of this I have developed such a strong immune system that I haven't been Ill and (I mean at all) in over 10 years! I have never had a sick day from work. The last time I was I'll I was in High shool and that only lasted for 3 days.
Kids nowadays are kept indoors, cleaned immeadiately, pumped full of drugs at the slightest sniffle and basically get fat & get allergic to virtually anything becuase they are not given a normal upbringing to allow thier body to develop a fully functioning immune system or get the excerise it needs.
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Thanks Cep
Gatchamania.net Administrator 
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10-05-2004 10:05
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SJ
Member
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Registration Date: 30-04-2004
Posts: 77
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Well…I am one of those mongrels you guys all love to hate. I will only take a day off if I am unable to move and feverish as all hell.
Why?
I am new to this country, and therefore my immune system is not used to the cold and flu viruses here because I’ve never been exposed to them before. If I took a day off every time I felt sniffly, I’d never be at work!
*Considers this option for a moment*
The common cold, once symptoms have begun to show, is actually fairly non contagious – in most cases. The symptoms you get are actually your body recovering from the ugliness that the virus created whilst running rampant in your system. Basically what I am saying is that once I am reaching for the Day-Quil I have already infected as many people as I am going to. So unless I am dying and desperately need sleep, I’ll tough it and go into the office. The drugs are good enough that I can function while answering phones and stuff….That NyQuil is the grooviest shit in the world!! Can you say “Legally Stoned out of your Mind?”…
Further to that…In case the medical journal thingies have changed their mind on that whole thing since 1999…You have the cold virus in your system for 3 weeks… You sure as hell can’t take three weeks off work. So like it or not…If someone has a cold, and you are susceptible to it…you’re gonna get it, even if they do take a day or two off!
Suffice it to say, even if someone appears as healthy as an ox, it doesn’t mean they don’t have a contagious little cold.
Of course with SARS season coming up….<shrugs> I think that works in the same way, really. 10-day gestation period where you are contagious without symptoms….<shrugs again>.
As for stomach things and vomits and yukky stuff…Well that’s different! Yeah, stay the fark home! The stomach flu (Gastroenteritis as we snarl it back home) is one of the most contagious and ugly illnesses out there!! And I tell ya, I will stick a big gun up anyone’s butt who DARES come near me with THAT.
For those, yeah….I’ll keep myself home. I much prefer my own bathroom than my work one….And the A-Team on the telly and my DVD’s and CSI…And sleepies in my bed.
But I am also lucky, I have an office where you can take a day off..We get 7 paid sick days a year in-fact. (yeeeehaaaaa) Others, like Flash’s old place of employment, don’t offer that benefit. As a Tree-Surgeon, he is/was paid by the hour as opposed to salary. Him taking a day off was equivalent to handing the company $200 as a penalty. In those cases, you’d go to work with a broken leg. (yeah, he did go in and work with a broken arm after falling out of a tree, if you can believe that. Fortunately now he has moved on to In-House Arborist at one of Toronto’s most exclusive Golf Clubs, so he can take a day if needed!!)
Strayed off the subject again…. Might I suggest one thing to those of you concerned about getting sick. Do what I do, keep your vitamins up, Have some of those disinfectant wipes handy (incase you share phone, computer, etc. and don’t take the TTC unless you really, really have to <I hate public transit>.
Then again….The hubby/mommy sympathies coming from being sick is really work the few days of sniffles and coughs.
SJ
Who is actually recovering from being a sick little swannie…and yes, I did take a day off…LOL!
__________________
They used to say "Make love, not war".
Now both of them can kill you
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10-05-2004 13:06
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, except with a cold. I'd be ticked too.
