Awful Virus

[Hound dog]

I managed to catch a nasty respiratory virus from a coworker who has a tendency to "get in your face"....to the point where her breath nearly knocks me over. Unfortunately backing away from her doesn't do much, she leans in closer......and when slugging, one can only move so far, which is not much.

Symptoms first arrived last Saturday. At first I thought "cold" and was irritated because I knew who'd given it to me as she was whining about head congestion while leaning toward me. By monday that "cold" was more likely "flu" and pretty nasty. High fever, chills, awful cough caused more by nasal drainage than chest congestion. In many ways I prefer chest congestion because the other makes me feel like I'm choking or drowning. ugh

Our line is down because we finished our orders. (and they're working on a prototype for a new type candle). Monday I go in, sick as a dog, because we only get so many points....use them up and you lose the job.....and we have bad weather coming I might need them for. I get lucky, there is no where to put us and get sent home within 20 mins. That made me feel so horrid........that I called off on tues. It was the drive that worried me. Evidently with this fever my mind tends to wander..... uh yeah. Not such a good idea to be driving 60 mph down the highway, spot something on the side of the road and forget to watch the road. Wed I *thought* perhaps I was finally over the hump and maybe getting over it. Until I got to work.......walked around a bit......and quickly realized I was still sick as a dawg. Got sent home on Wed too.

Yesterday I go in. I'm in pretty bad shape. So I sign the LOW list right smack at the top. (the need/volunteer to be send home list) It was rather obvious I needed to be home in bed. Instead, they needed me to slug on another line. I discover immediately that looking at the belt is a BAD idea........dizzy as hades. My eye / hand coordination was off and frankly blew wind. To make it worse, I was slugging 3 wick and this is a fast line. Thankfully the other ladies were kind and helped me out until I found my rhythm.....which took quite a long while. I had to figure out how to slug without actually looking directly at the belt. If I needed to step away for either wick or slugs......I lost my rhythm again. I apologized because I know I had to have looked inept as heck. I did explain I was sick and tried to keep my distance from them. At one point I also asked line operator to contact the temp boss and find me a replacement. I couldn't imagine managing for 10 hrs when I could barely stand up. Either he didn't bother to call or there was no replacement, cuz I sure didn't go anywhere.

So, I discovered last night that I can slug while sick as a dawg with the flu, high fever, pounding head, coughing my lungs up occasionally (spent much of the night concentrating on NOT coughing). I did manage to find and keep my rhythm near lunch time. Somehow I planted those slugs dead center. Somehow I stayed on my feet. Line boss let us finish early.......his term, not ours.......which meant you clean up your area really well and then go help pack. I was never so happy to clock out. I stumbled to the car. I managed via massive headache to stay awake on the way home.

Got home, made Travis take care of the dogs, rehydrated, took medications........went to bed and died. Neither I nor my tissue box moved for 8 hrs.

I think I'm right back at the beginning again. Back to achey all over yadda yadda. blech Took a nap.....3 hrs........on "non drowsy" cough medication (lol ). Still feel like crud. Traivs followed instructions and put a pork roast in the oven. I need real food to combat this bug. (Yesterday I ate a piece of peanut butter toast. Yup. ) Once roast is done he'll be instructed on how to prep the side dishes. Thankfully he doesn't mind.......doesn't hurt he gets a big meal out of it either. lol

I like line 4, ladies are nice and helpful, set up isn't too bad............except for one thing. Every single time a fork lift went past it felt like an earthquake. This is not good for someone standing on rubber legs. Took me a while to figure out it was the fork lifts, not me. lol omg

 

[donna723]

That sounds like a lot more than a simple "bug" to me! Hope you're feeling better very soon ...

 

[1905]

Oh Hound, I am sorry to hear this. Can you continue to not move? Use your points, you're validly sick, they know you aren't a slacker. Don't move!!! Sending hugs and more tissues.

 

[Hound dog]

I can't quite figure why I'm not throwing off this bug when it has not settled in the chest. (trust me, I'd know if it did) However I know the person who gave it to me is still suffering too........and spreading it around. She has used too many points to risk taking a day off.

If they don't need you, trust me, they're good about sending you back home. They don't want to pay temp employees if they don't have to do so. If I can get sent home that way it doesn't count against me. We've just had another massive round of lay offs, about twice the size of the last one which was huge.

However if I don't work, I also don't get paid.

I didn't really work mon-wed. (30 mins on mon) Thursday is the only day I actually worked. That is going to be a joke of a paycheck.

I only called off on tues because attempting to drive worried me and I couldn't get the temp down and stay down. Had driving not been an issue, I'd have shown up sick or not. (I found out afterward they were sent home)

16 pts is not very many, not when they take 2 pts each time you call off. It takes a month to earn them back. I've used 4 pts and I'd like to keep it at that. I don't like that I've used that many. Not with winter months ahead which means bad weather and a high chance of me catching something else.

I think if they could've scrounged up another slugger, they'd have done so, and sent me home. Even the big big bosses knew I was dreadfully ill. (I did not tell them) Sluggers, though, are in short supply as it is......and without sluggers you can't make candles. Which is why I now have job security even though I'm still a temp.

And.........I'm finally to where I can start bidding for jobs. First thing they look at is attendance. I have several people willing to coach me through the interview process (it's unusual and sort of weird) from those who just went through it to line bosses. If I could land the job as full time instead of temp......it's a 3.00 an hour raise at the very least, even if I just wind up in general production. (you're bidding for higher positions than that) I need that raise........and that position.

Trust me, I'm staying down. And my house is going to hades due to it. I'm doing everything I can to get well.

But if I have to go to work, then I will go to work, even if I have to try to be sent home again. Looks far better than calling off. So any "off" time I have is spent down and babying myself.

My worst fear is that this will develop into pneumonia. If it does that.......I'll likely lose the job completely because I've been there done that and I know I can't possibly work that sick. Now in 3 months they'd hire me again......but I don't think I could hold on that long financially.

*sigh* If I don't get well soon the Nana Halloween party will be cancelled as I won't be up to it...........

 

[AnnieO]

*HUGS* I am praying and pretzeling for you, dear.

 

[Liahona]

Hope you are feeling better soon, and getting to sleep lots.

 

[Hound dog]

I'm finally feeling sort of human again.........but weak as a kitten and the cough of course is still there, just not as bad.

Last night at work, well let me put it this way......I was more exhausted (twice as much) as I was my first day on the job. blech

Tonight wasn't as bad except for the darn cough caused by the post nasal flood (I'd say "drip" but it's more than that lol ) I'm tired but not totally wiped out. I think I'll make it through the week ok. Which is good because they're rapidly running out of orders for us to fill. Once there are no more orders......the big lay off will begin and that means everyone except perm employees.....and maybe them too. Right now they're doing their best to keep people they're trying to hold on to getting hours so they won't look for work elsewhere. But even the supervisors say they don't know how long they'll be able to keep that up. It's not normally this bad.

 

[Californiablonde]

The flu is going around early this year. My dad and stepmom from Arizona came to visit us in California a couple of weeks ago, and both of them were just getting over the flu. My stepmom had it the worst. Hers went straight to her lungs and turned in to bronchitis. She is a teacher and had to miss a week of work. I don't know why flu season has hit so early but I hear it's nasty. I hope you get to feeling better soon and you can get lots of rest.