so frustrated with work and all of us being sick!

[inky leeuhhh]

i just have to come somewhere and vent. i started working last november. it was very, very hard for me, but a move i had to make financially. i am teaching preschool, so i'm exposed to lots and lots of germs, ect. i feel like myself and my girls are ALWAYS sick. i have been out at least twice a month for either myself or one of the girls being sick or injured. i am nursing still, and it is very very hard for me to pump at work. they have nowhere for me to pump (you would think a preschool could provide somewhere), so i ended up getting mastitis in the middle of the day because i was not able to get home on my lunch break to pump. i could not function, and ended up with a 103 degree fever. they could not let me go home, and i was so sick i finally ended up in tears, for which i felt completely rediculous. my boss was ticked off, and i understand why. it was so frustrating! so i took thursday off, and friday i was scheduled out until 1 so i could take my girls to the dr, and meet with dd1s neurologist. well, the appt ended up going till 130, and for some reason in my head i was thinking that they wanted me to call them when i was done to find out what time they needed me. i totally forgot i told her i thought i could make it in at 1. so of course i get a call and they are upset because im not there, and again i feel like an idiot. i am NOT a flake. i have never ever not shown up to work when i said i would without even a call, but they dont know that because i just started working there not long ago. this bothered me all weekend. last month i hurt my back really badly trying to lift a child onto the changing table. i was out a week. the kids have had stomach bugs countless times, and high fevers. dh is no help with the kids when they are sick as he gets flustered too easily, and he makes a little more than me so im the one who has to stay home with them. i am not looking forward to going in tomorrow and having to face all these people who probably think im a flake who was at home eating junk food and watching soap operas in my pjs all day long. arrrgh!! ok, i feel better now. i just needed to get some of that out. i am trying so hard to save up so that we can move and i can open an in home daycare, but we have a long way to go before that can happen.

[JessieBird]

I hear ya. We've been going through something similar. I went back to work in November too and, though I don't work with kids, we've all been sick constantly thanks to DS being in daycare. Then I missed a ton of work in March-April due to pregnancy complications and HG. My bosses are being okay about it but there are seven pregnant women in my office now and none of the others are the least bit sick. Makes me stand out suspiciously, you know? It's all just so hard on so many levels. Like you, we're making plans to change things but it feels so far in the future.

Keep your eye on your plans and take little steps in that direction whenever you can. Research your move and day care regulations, take first aid courses, or whatever else you can do in advance. Things like that will keep you feeling like you're getting closer to your goal even if it's still a ways off. It'll make the day to day easier.

And I can't believe there's no where for you to pump in a preschool! That's just awful and I really hope you can find a solution so you don't get sick again.

[laurabfig]

My heart just went out to you when I read your post. Working with kids is hard, and even harder when you're pumping, sick, and have a little one at home! The sick part does get better. I've been working with children for 10 years now and don't get sick nearly as often as I used to. But it was MISERABLE at first...felt like I was sick every week.
I hope people at work have been nice to you after all this. Sounds like you need some support in real life from the people you work with every day.

[Dandelionkid]

You are not a flake. They are being complete jerks not to let a woman with mastitis go home after basically causing it I am wishing they could understand how mastitis feels. I hope you can find a new job sooner than later.