Well

 Pride goeth before the fall.

I have a sick student.  This particular student is really hard.  For that reason, he is strategically seated right by me.  Also, he gravitates to my desk often.  He puts everything in his mouth.  He has had a terrible cough for the past two days.

Yesterday he came to school and seemed really sick.  He laid his head on his desk and told me he didn't feel well.  I suggested he go call home (please, for the love).  He said he didn't want to.  He said his mom gave him medicine and he drank it.

I said, "Are your mom and dad at work?"

He miserably nodded his head.

I feel sympathy for families that send their sick children to school because they don't have other options.  I wore a mask and sanitized or washed my hands every time I turned around.  At one point he was sitting at my desk for help and coughing up a storm.  I said, "You have to go back to your desk."

It didn't help.  Toward the end of the day, I was super tired and had a sore throat and a fuzzy feeling head.  Ugh.

I decided that in an effort to nip it all the way in the bud, I would take today off.  I gathered some sub plans and the inestimable emergency sub in our building showed up at my door because Jamie had sent her.  I told her the long and short of everything and she said, "Don't worry about anything.  I have some extra books and tricks up my sleeve."

I am so grateful.  

Also, I sent another plea to parents, "Please keep your sick children home."

When I reported my sickie state to Matt, he said, "You are fighting cancer!  Next time a kid won't call home when they are clearly sick, tell me and I will reach out to their parents."

So it's home for me.  Warm blankets and drinking lots.  I hope a day of rest will fight it off. Usually I have enough teacher immunity that I don't get sick too often.  Cancer adds a whole element....

I guess this makes me appreciate the good days all the more.