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.
Alice, do you know about NaNoWriMo.org?
I’m impressed by the 7000 words during snow days.
It’s so true, being sick around those with weakened immunities can set them back for months if they too get sick. It’s a delicate, yet weighty choice. You might have a cold, but for them, it could quickly turn into bronchitis and pneumonia, and the threat of death.