You don’t have to be a politician or bigwig CEO to make important decisions. We little people have to make crucial choices too.
Friday night: Washington State has been snowed in for a week.
I was unable to get out to my clients. My caregiving wages aren’t impressive, and I worked zero hours this week. In some ways, I don’t mind. I saved money not buying gasoline or extra groceries. I wrote four chapters, about 7000 words, on my novel, so I’m a happy snow bunny. Well, except that I got a sore throat, body-wracking, headachey cold in the middle of the week.
I’m disappointed. I’d volunteered to work a shift at the local severe weather shelter, on the women’s side, and couldn’t get my car out to go. There’s a homeless woman in the novel I’m writing, so I was hoping to do some harmless eavesdropping on shelter life. Life is research. But, my car has coolant problems, to start with. Then, the hood froze shut. I couldn’t even check the anti-freeze. Then, I got sick.
The rain has set in, and the temperature is rising. The weather people say the snow will melt and the roads will clear overnight. My co-workers have been putting in extra heroic hours covering shifts with our clients. Now, one of them needs Saturday evening off to take care of a sick grandchild. Another certainly deserves Sunday afternoon off from a different client. I could use the income on payday. How sick am I?
Should I go to work or not? I must decide soon. But it’s not so simple as in other work settings. Like I say, in many contexts, “We’re not selling toasters here.” Toasters can’t catch a cold. One client is signed up with Hospice, living with a daughter who loves him fiercely through his dementia decline. The other client has breathing issues. Working with these men requires physical closeness – lifting, toileting, feeding. I have missed these guys over this past snow-bound week.
In the morning, I will have to call my co-worker about tomorrow evening. I feel better tonight than last night. By morning, maybe I will be well enough to commit to that evening shift. If the sore throat is gone, if the coughing is under control… If need be, of course, I and my workers will put our needs aside for the safety of our clients.
To be continued…
Wednesday evening: I’m back to work with clients tomorrow morning. I got four more days to write and a day to catch up on errands. As for the decision, I cheated. Friday night, one of the co-workers called, heard me croak out “hello.” He said no way could I work with his client. Another caregiver covered Sunday. The grandma co-worker got another family member to sit up nights with the grandson. Thanks, COL team. Another sneaky ace up my sleeve: my housemate. She’s 78, and has strong opinions. “You’re too sick to go work with people,” she insisted. Thanks, Mom.