Are You Really Sick?

The hospitality industry is one of those environments where it can be detrimental to other peoples health if you are sick and you work. Just the thought of someone sneezing into your plate of food, or not washing their hands after smoking or visiting the toilet, or even just touching their face is bad enough. We all must be very self conscious of our behaviour. Personal hygiene is of the upmost importance.

The thing is, where is the line between just calling in for a sicky and letting your team down, or not allowing the restaurant to take full advantage of what could be a busy night. But do you really care? I mean if you are (just) an employee, why should you care. I guess you don't have to, I mean we are one of the lowest paid professions out there hey. Funny that I have always had a thing for not taking a sick day even if I was sick, I guess that's just my nature, some may find it hard to believe and think how stupid of me but that's your opinion. I do it because I feel that I let my fellow team down and that I need to be there, just because.

The sad thing is that so many staff are just not like me and will take a sick day just like that, if the sun's out they will be sick, if the girls are going out they will be sick, if they drunk a bit too much they will be sick, mind you, the majority of staff are casual anyway and don't get sick day allocation, that means they won't get paid for it either, do they care, I don't think so. The cash must be rolling in for them some how. I reckon if I add all my sick days allocated to me over the past 20+ years, at 10 a year I would be able to take a very long paid break, sick of course!

Anyway the other day I had a slight tickle in the throat, I thought not much of it, sucked on a strepsil and kept up my usual 3 litre and more of water a day. I am generally quite a sick free person, touch wood, so I went to work and got on with my tasks. My body started to ache all over, I must have gone about 6 times for a pee, now that's not normal for me, so I knew something was up. By about 8pm I was pretty fucked. My fellow Chef said that I should go home, me being me was very resistant to that idea but eventually gave in and home I went.

Home to wifey who herself was a bit under the weather. I said that I think I might be coming down with something. My temperature reading 38.7 clarified the thoughts.
A double panadol and 'essig wickle' in German I guess you can translate them into vinegar socks, it is tea towels soaked in ice cold vinegar water and then wrapped around my feet, covered in plastic bags then wrapped up in thick towels. Then I was asleep.

After what I can recall as a good nights sleep, I woke with aching pain all over, the temperature had gone and my throat was already better, my voice however was very strange. I don't like to go to the doctor or dentist for that matter anyway, and this was again going to escape my wish list, as I had promised my fellow Chef that I would go and I do keep up my word. An appointment was made for the following day as they are so busy. I guess with everybody running to the Doctor for the most trivial of things I guess it's no wonder they are booked out. Not so good for the person who really needs to see them, ever thought about that people, I guess not.
The day progressed and I started to feel slowly better, less pain, better voice no temperature. I did spend all day lying down doing sweet FA, but that's what you do when your sick, you don't go shopping or visit friends or whatever you fakers do.

Today I saw my Doctor. The practice was like a train station, people everywhere coming, going, paying, the phone ringing, boy I thought my job was mad, the only difference being that they had staff everywhere!
I had the stick in my mouth ready to gag and all the other prods and pokes, lights in the ears and eyes, questions about this and that, after about five minutes I was out of there. $65 bucks lighter and a packet of tablets to swallow. No findings from the Doc though, he reckoned that what I had I had got rid of already, I thank the 'essig wickles' for that.
Considering how I felt the other night I am glad to be over it. A phone call to work to let them know that I would be in the next day if I stay the same.

Later that afternoon my Sous Chef in charge called and said that I could take the next day off to recover more, he has it all under control, that's great news and a little good Karma coming my way. Thank you.