Sharing Doesn't Always Equal Caring

Though we're taught at a young age that sharing is a good thing, I'm currently going through a situation where sharing doesn't always equal caring. I'm sick and I know for a fact that I got it from someone in my office. Last week was my first week back at work and I ran into at least a handful of people who were either coughing up a storm or literally came out and told me they were sick. By the end of last week I could feel my body being invaded by the evil germs. I immediately started taking Zicam and did so throughout the weekend hoping to nip it in the bud before it turned into anything, but I was too late. Monday morning, sickness burst through my doors and made itself right at home - just like Mr. Mucus from the commercials.

It's been a long, long time since I've been sick. Not since October 2009 have I been reminded how much being sick impedes your life. I guess I was due. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. In fact, I hate being sick more than ever before in my life now that I have a child. I am crossing all of my fingers and all of my toes that Mallory doesn't catch it. I've even resorted to not kissing and cuddling with her the past couple of days which isn't fun when she's as cute as she is. So not fair. I also hate that it's preventing me from training for my race. I know that taking a few days off of running isn't going to ruin what I've built up thus far but once I'm in the groove of training mode, it kills me not to run. Normally I would just continue running but I have to get better much quicker now that Mallory is around.

Now let's go back to my point earlier about sharing doesn't always equal caring. I totally understand that in reality, when you get sick you can't always take time off of work. Sometimes you're too busy with projects, may not have any PTO, a client meeting or conference call. All great reasons. However, when you're really, really sick - like when people look at you and start trying to get out of your breathing radius - and you can't stay home, I think it's only fair to others to at least stay in your office as much as possible. Sharing your germs with others is not very nice. I was kind enough to stay on the opposite side of the table at my client meeting today and then went home early to keep my germs as quarantined as possible. Let's hope that all this resting and vitamin popping I'm doing pays off and I get better; pronto. Especially because I miss kissing this face: