Stomach Bug

 I’m home sick today.

Evidently, a stomach bug bit me on Tuesday,

And I think I know the exact moment it bit.

I had a student come into class shivering.

I asked if she felt bad.

She mumbled something.

I told her that she could go lay down if she wanted.

I was going to call the teacher after I got class started.

She went and hid in the corner.

I asked her to move from the corner to a place where I could see her.

She did.

Suddenly uncertain as to if her behavior was because she was feeling bad or if it was because something traumatic had happened to her,

I went over and bent down in front of her.

She was curled into a protective ball, which was very unlike this student.

When I asked, again, if she felt bad, she mumbled something, again.

When I asked if something scary had happened to her, she burst into tears.

She was crying so hard that she couldn’t breathe.

So I put my hand on her protective knee and told her to breathe deep,

And I modeled breathing deeply,

And she followed my model,

And blew a germ into my face,

And I thought to myself,

“I really hope she’s not sick because if she’s sick then I’ll probably get sick, too.”

But then I thought to myself,

“Although it would be better for her to be sick than for her to have had something traumatic happen to her.”

I called the guidance counselor.

She came and talked with the student.

Thankfully, the student just seemed to be feeling bad,

So she, eyes red from crying, walked to the nurse’s station with the guidance counselor,

And I went about my day.

Approximately 24 hours later, I was in the bathroom throwing up,

Thankful that the Behavior Intervention Specialist was able to watch my class for a few moments

So that I didn’t have to vomit in a trashcan in front of a bunch of 1^st graders.

That was yesterday.

I’m still home today.

Thankful for paid time off,

Although I did get sick in the line of duty :-p.

 

Dear God: There’s a lot of sickness going around. Help those of us who are sick to get well. And help those who are well to stay well. May we use good hygiene practices to stop the spread of germs and may the germs dissipate in time. Amen.