Klarinet Archive - Posting 000827.txt from 1998/11

From: "Mary Sotnik" <marys@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] Clarinet playing and fever
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 20:24:39 -0500

>However, one needs to evaluate very carefully whether or not to work when
>you are sick. You have to weigh the following factors.
>
>1. Can the work schedule be adjusted later to catch up.
>2. How urgent are the deadlines.
>3. Can some one else cover any meetings.
>4. Is it worth making half the plant sick.
>5. Is it worth prolonging your own illness. Many times I've worked when I
>was ill due to the urgency of the issues but ending up being sick twice as
>long.
>6. Is it worth getting run down and then being subjected to secondary
>infections. For example the people that go into hospitals or die in flu
>epidemics actually are victims of secondary infections like pneumonia.
>
>We have all worked when we were ill. However it is nothing to take special
>pride in. It is sometimes a necessity but it is not wise.
>
>
>Dee Hays
>Canton, SD

I totally agree with this. I worked for 3 years while feeling *very* ill
(*don't* do this at home, folks, or I shall send Arnold Schwarzenegger round
to beat you up), thinking it would wear off, and though I have *not*
actually killed myself (as far as I can tell), I have had to spend the last
year and a half (so far) in bed, and there's no end in sight yet (though
rest is helping - slowly - and I've got some idea of what might have gone
wrong).

It can be easy to ignore your health until something goes wrong, but it's a
bit of a false economy. It obviously doesn't *help* your employers if you
get ill; you'll be less efficient anyway, and if you're very good at your
job they'll lose all your experience if you end up not being able to work.
(I realise some employers couldn't care less how their workers are, but in
that case probably nobody should be working for them at all.) It's OK to
work hard when you're well, but everyone has their limits, even Arnold
Schwarzenegger. Maybe when they perfect cloning they can send one of him
round here to do the housework.

Anyway, I hope you're all well, or, if that's impossible, at least not
getting worse. If you're getting worse, please don't push it more than you
have to, and get better when you can. Sorry for the late input but I'm only
able to read the list every so often...!

Mary

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