Being Sick Sucks

I started feeling bad yesterday morning. I got out of the shower for work and had to turn the ceiling fan off in the bedroom while I got ready for work, I was freezing. It hurt to even touch my skin but as usual I ignored the symptoms and went to work. On my way in the back door I stopped by our box of band aids and burn ointment and took two Advil's. I started feeling somewhat better but by  the time I got off for my break between shifts that achy feeling started again and I felt like they had turned the air down to 60 degrees. The owner was sick last week and two other employees had been sick as well the past few days. I washed my hands at least twenty times during my lunch shift and maybe forty times during my night shift.

Here's the thing...you don't have sick days when you are a server, you simply have days you have to work when you are sick.

I was standing in the alley of the kitchen last night when a pain shot through my ear like a knife. I HATE ear aches. Only happened a couple of times but I knew then,  I was sick. Came home and got a few things done and collapsed into bed. I woke up this morning willing myself to believe I felt better but took three things of yogurt (nature's antibiotic) to work with me and pumped in two more Advil before leaving the house. I got to work and drank a huge glass of orange juice and plodded on. The owner was there and I asked if he had any of the medicine left he took last week? He gave me two huge pills he had in his office. I hadn't eaten my yogurt yet but chugged the two pills down with some more OJ.

I kinda sorta really felt better a few minutes later and then while helping a server run some food to their table...I suddenly didn't. I felt light headed and my stomach was making noises that indicated to me I needed to go to the restroom ASAP.

I barely made it to the women's room but at least I did. Afterwards I immediately ate two containers of yogurt, a banana and some bread.

 My boss, Len is a massive man and eats like no one ever told him about what a Cholesterol count means. Me... I eat maybe once a day and snack and pick when I get home at night. I asked him if the medicine he gave me upset his stomach to which he replied "Nothing bothers my stomach."

Dang...even stomachs are scared of Len!

I should have eaten before I took two pills meant for a man, especially considering I haven't weighed over a hundred pounds in almost three years.

The food helped and I limped out after my lunch shift to my car to go home and take a break before the dinner shift. I got out of my bed with no minutes to spare...and ended up being five minutes late back to work. Pumped in more Advil, drank some more OJ and crossed my fingers. (and my legs:)

The server who had called out yesterday was back and said he felt much better which in turn made ME feel better knowing it was hopefully only a 24 hour bug..

The thing about working when you are sick is that EVERYTHING gets on your nerves, even someone just touching your arm.

It didn't help this morning that the owner's wife (or if you ask her, The Owner) was in a snit. She is ten years older than me and has been doing this ten years longer than I have AND works with her spouse seven days a week. (Tim would have shot or strangled me  years ago)

She ranted at me about something and I turned to her and said "I'm sick and I don't feel well at all. I could have done like most people and just called and said I wasn't coming in."

She eased up on me but took her 'Snit' to the back of the house and berated the kitchen staff for a good ten minutes. We have a ton of new employees in the back of the house and they all looked terrified as she went on and on and on.

Let me interject I don't blame her,  but she is much easier to take when you are feeling well. The couple I work for should have died of  massive strokes five years ago. She wants to retire but I can't really see it ever happening. The restaurant is her her life blood and she is much like me, if I'm not around to tell people what to do, who will?

I wandered back to the kitchen to warm up my shivering bones and one of my favorite peeps in the kitchen, a big and round black girl who has the most beautiful smile I have ever seen was doing her prep work at the utility table.

I mentioned to her I was sorry they were getting so much crap and she commented quietly "Sometimes she can be a nagger."

Guess I was feeling better because my quick wit came back to me and I retorted back "Well, I would NEVER call you a nagger."

She cracked up. She told me I was a trip and I knew if I was on top of my verbal game again, I must be getting better..

I had to stay way too late at work tonight because of one table but think I DO actually feel better. I finally left after almost twelve hours and when passing my black (African American is too much to type we need an acronym) co worker, I held up both hands with only thumbs and pinkies showing and said "Deuces, Nagger!"

Life is getting better. I was sick but I am getting better. We are still broke but making ends meet. It's a long road back but we are almost halfway there and with this economy we are making tremendous strides millions can't.

Came home from work tonight to find Ziggy, our new puppy that we needed like another hole in the head but warms my heart more than my hot flashes had crapped in the upstairs hall...again.

Maybe he is confused about what I am trying to teach him when I say "SIT!"

I do feel better, blogging always helps. No one thinks I am funnier than I do, just ask any of my kids.

If you can't laugh at your misfortune or ills you are missing the big picture.

No one said it would be easy.

Til next  time...going to bed  and hope to wake up tomorrow!

COTTON