This past Thursday I did a terrible thing: I took a sick day. I didn't go to work (although, I did check and respond to a few work emails on my BlackBerry), I didn't post to the blog, and I actually went to the doctor. These 3 things almost never happen.
As most mommies know, we never get "sick days." You remember sick days, right? Those days when you could sleep in, miss class/work when no one would notice, someone would make you hot chicken noodle soup and you watched Lifetime Movie Network in between naps. And if you got up to shower, that was the major accomplishment of the day. Remember?
Now, a sick day usually involves a self diagnosis (probably from a sign posted at daycare), lots of cold/cough medicine, possibly a quick nap over lunch, and skipping a night of laundry. If you "choose" to miss work, this means that every email piles up and that issue that wasn't so important the day before instantly becomes the hot topic everyone needs information on. And your kids never realize you are sick, as that would make the world stop as we know it. (Now if Daddy/hubby is sick - that is a completely different story).
And the sad thing is, mommies need sick days. We continually push our bodies to the limits, getting little to no sleep, stressing over work timelines and what to make for dinner, and generally taking care of our families. But even more elusive than "me" time is a sick day.
So I am slightly proud that I took my sick day. And my doctor rewarded me with a prescription for an ear infection, start of strep throat and the comment of "your tonsils are huge." And work rewarded me with 45 top priority emails.
Jean Anne
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