November 08, 2007
thoughts from a sick day
I've been sitting here sipping on my hot tea and contemplating life in 21st century America.
My conclusion is that I think I might move to Europe.
I called in this morning not so much because I feel so crappy I absolutely could not come into work...because I can work feeling pretty awful...but because I work on a floor full of immuno-comprimised patients who I could potentially do some serious damage to by coming to work with a seasonal head cold. In return for my thoughtfulness, the hospital gives me a maximum of 3 call-ins per YEAR and penalizes via pay if I take more than that. woohoo!!
First of all, I know very few people who are lucky enough to be sick less than 3 times a year not to mention other unexpected life events that often call for not being at work.
Second, If we're contagious and a potential threat to our patients and the hospital requests that we not come in, why should it come down on us in the end? It's not like any of us choose to come down with a cold or stomach bug. ("yes please, i'd like one helping of influenza and a coronavirus thanks")
I'm amazed at how obsessed with working our society has become (granted in the healthcare system, you kind of have to have staff 24/7 but their understaffing issues are a different topic for another sick day). I don't think I've held a job where I wasn't guilt tripped in some way for calling in sick or even asking for time off.
I can't imagine this is how God intended life to be. We work 40+ hours a week, lots of us go to school in the evenings, we get in bed late after doing homework, studying, cleaning, finishing up work that we couldn't leave at the office, we attempt to have some family/social time in there somewhere and if there's time left, we try to read a chapter or two of our Bibles because we remember at the last minute that we're supposed to be making time for God in our lives and then we sleep for maybe 5 hours before starting it all back over again at 5 the next morning. As a result, we end up tired, cranky, stressed beyond all reason, spiritually wasted, sick more than we should be and before we know it, months and years of our lives have gone by like a blur. All in the name of work. So we can make money? Why not throw some of the NFLs cash in the general direction of those of us who keep them alive when they get cancer....but I digress.
The Italians have it right. And the French.
What's wrong with getting to work at 9 if you want? taking 2 hour lunches? (we might have fewer digestion issues...) taking siestas? working later if we want to? taking more than a week of vacation (vacation? in my experience, those usually end up leaving me more exhausted than a normal work week...)?
Turkiye was refreshing. You opened up shop whenever you darn well wanted to, you sat outside at street cafes drinking coffee or tea and if the sign at the door said "be back in 20 minutes", you came back in two hours and went and found something else to do in the meantime. Stress? what??
I'm taking a week at Thanksgiving to go to DC/Va Beach and I've already put two weeks on the books for the beginning of May to go wherever I decide. I refuse to live my life like average American because it's just not worth it. I'm stressed enough as it is being in school and working more than full time and I'm tired of it.
Soapbox over.
I'm pouring myself another cup of tea.
Amber, uncle Art and I had this conversation over the weekend. I'd take a Spanish workday schedule in a heartbeat! I'm all about siestas.
Posted by: timf at November 9, 2007 09:19 AMWell, the unfortunate reality is that the proposed "if you're slightly sick you can't come in but we'd pay you anyway no matter how often you call in because we know you can't help it" policy would be HIGHLY taken advantage of and hurt the patients in the end, anyway. Rules are for the lawless; blame the people who would take advantage!
And, well, I like the European "Holiday" (closing up the country, at least as far as locals are concerned, for 2 months in the summer, taking spontaneous two-hour lunches, etc.) philosophy, but is the health care industry (in any country) really an entity that can adopt it??? Practically speaking? The terminally ill can't take 2 months off from their illnesses or run their own IV's, meds, bedpans, etc for 2-3 hours while the staff takes a lunch siesta... Though I am sure they really wish they could :o(
My guess actually is that the terminally ill would probably give their right eyes and more for the chance to work, study, etc. like you do. Or to have nothing BUT a seasonal cold ;o) I've been thinking a lot lately about how much WORTH our health has, you know?
Now, sure, work (and money making, etc) can become an idol like anything else, but don't forget work and responsibility in and of itself is a gift from God--instituted before the Fall in a perfect world. Without the Fall we wouldn't NEED nurses, of course (and therefore we wouldn't have a nursing shortage and overworked nurses!)But surely, in a perfect world you would nonetheless be active working at something; minus the sheer frustration of the Curse, but not without the need to rest, as the Creator did. Which must mean tat on some level, you would still be working hard.
All that said, I know it stinks to feel crappy, and I sincerely hope you feel better and can get back to helping your patients soon! You probably are more of a blessing to them than you realize ;o)
Amen:) I'm not so sure the Germans have it as right as the Italians but they have A LOT of holidays and they take a siesta. You can work as a waitress and get a good pay that doesn't depend on tips, with full benefits and do your job well but not have to kiss butt. I'm all for not living like the average American. I do not share 75% of our quirks and beliefs on my blog because I know it would offend many and I'm a people-pleaser. Working on not being one but it's so ingrained in me. It's a nice balance that I'm married to someone who is the polar opposite but our beliefs and quirks have pretty much been in line since day one. I might just start sharing some of these things on my blog that has sort of become like watered down chicken broth because I know people like my in-laws read it. Anyway...hugs to you girlfriend:)
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