Sick and Tired

Sick for 10 days or so, but since then I have been unbelievably tired. After school and clinicals all I wanted to do is sleep. So now it is catch-up mode for presentations and papers due.  

But it made me think, why don’t nurses get sick more often?

My sister the teacher always says she gets sick from being around the kids, and granted kids can be like little Petri dishes of germs. And at the clinic patients often say they must have caught something at work. Maybe that is true.

But what other profession depends on a business model that involves their staff having direct contact with sick, infectious and injured people. Clinics and hospitals rely on and persuade the sick to visit them. In fact they relish the various and obscure contagious diseases. Nurses and healthcare professionals must be hardy, because we get exposed to this daily. Next time I hear my sister talking about catching something at work I'll have to bite my tongue.

Gargle with Salt Water

Tried to avoid it, but to no avail. Some little virus or bacteria found its way inside of me and then kicked my ass, and left me wandering between my couch and bed for three days.  Most of it was in my respiratory system with accompanying throat pain, coughing and phlegm. The occasional headaches and muscle pains were just bonuses. 
     
The generic OTC cold and flu medication in my cupboard that expired six months ago can attest that I do not get sick often. Probably not the flu, but I will never know. Because like any good nurse I will try to avoid a doctor or urgent care visit, and self treat first. FYI, hermetically sealed expired medications still work fine. So I prescribed alternating acetaminophen, NSAIDS and Robitussin DM that seemed to keep things tolerable. 
 
However let’s be honest, the true secret weapon was gargling with warm salt water. Why does this always work so well on a throat that feels and probably looks like ground beef?

The holistic approach is still the best, because besides my salt water gargling, drinking hot tea with fresh lemon and honey was a good thing. Sympathy from others was appreciated, but not as much as a comforter on the couch, time and the occasional bowl of warm chicken soup with saltine crackers. Those things probably helped me as much as any over the counter medications. Chicken soup and saltine crackers no lack of sodium there.