Couch 220: Second To None!

My work is requiring that we get a flu shot this year and provide them proof that we did. I already got it and would have anyway... I imagine they'll be requiring the covid vaccine if and when there is one, too.

I'm not against the flu vaccine, but don't you work from home?

My therapist and I need to make a decision tomorrow about me going back to work on November 3rd. I'm not ready to go back. He thinks I should go back and that avoiding going back won't help anything. That's probably a valid point, but I just don't feel ready yet. I feel like I'm not allowed to not go back, from him, from work, everybody. I feel like a bad person for wanting to take more time. I feel like a failure. I feel like a whiny child. I don't know what to do.

But wherever she works, she might miss time if she gets sick.

Have you done everything you wanted to do during the time off? If not, will more time off help get those things done if you still want to do them? I guess if the second question is a yes, I would take more time.

It kind of annoys me that he pushed you into the break and now he’s pushing you out of it.

UGH. Ugh, ugh, ugh. It has been years since this house has had the attention it needs because the ex was weird about home improvement stuff and didn't want to pay for it but never quite followed through on intentions to actually DIY it either. Contractor is here working on some rot in the windowsills and the siding. He keeps finding stuff that needs work (legitimately) and I keep telling him yes, please fix it and when he gives me the choice between two options, I say do it the right way that will last. It's been years of me having to ask for permission and get told that the cheaper way is best or the work not getting done at all because the bid was "too high" or...well, that all really doesn't matter much now because I live here and I am paying for it so I can just say go ahead and fix it.

Except I had class and the ex came to pick up dancer boy to take him to dance. When I got home I got to hear "I showed your husband and he said to go ahead and blah blah blah..." It made sense. It was the decision I'd have made. He still co-owns the house until we sell it. Logically it totally makes sense.

But I was so stinkin' proud of myself for handling it, and so happy and relieved at the space to just do it. It feels like all that just got erased, with the added gut punch of the "your husband" even though the contractor probably has no idea even that he doesn't live here.


Then I get the cherry on top of the sundae of feeling stupid for feeling that way.

Geez fuzzy.

I called three other vets in town. One the phone just rang (either they're that busy or ???) and the other two said they didn't have appointments until next week. I was like, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. Not eating for a few days for a cat can put them into kidney failure. She's eating a little bit but not very much and not nearly enough. She did drink some chicken broth this morning. But still no evidence of having used the litter box. Day 3. I'm counting down the hours until her vet can see her. 9 hours and counting.

This sounds so hard NP_Complete. I always think listening to your gut is important but also I'm the type of person that always listens to authority figures (which I would see a T as an authority figure usually) so I would have trouble going against what T says. I don't really have advice for you but I have and empathy. You are in a really hard spot. If you don't go back November 3rd, what would be the next date you would go back?

HUGS WFS, Hugs

Hugs, NP and WFS

The assistant program director responded to my email, and she was polite but sort of lukewarm. It’s always hard to interpret tone in these sorts of things because they are legally bound not to tell you if they are going to rank you highly or not... but I guess I was hoping for something vague-but-enthusiastic rather than vague-but-meh. I’m hoping the program director proper or the chief of service might send me more hope-inducing emails; otherwise I’m going to be terrified until fellowship match day (December 2nd).

5 hours until Esther's vet appointment, if the vet is on time which I highly doubt as he seems to never be on time. I wish I was home with her today but I just got back to being at work full time and I already need Friday off to go to my sister's. I really hope the vet doesn't tell me it is time to let her go. But if he does, I hope I am strong enough to do it. I don't want my baby suffering. She is probably hiding out under my bed anyway. That's where she was yesterday.

I hope the appointment goes well, SK.

thinking good thoughts for you and Esther, Kit.

Yep. They said it's because they want their workforce to remain as healthy as possible or something like that.

I'm not against the flu vaccine either--in fact I got mine last month or earlier this month--but I do think it is odd for an employer to mandate it. Unless you work in education or nursing or something. My sister works for a preschool and she has to get hers. Doesn't matter...she has five kids. One of them is always sick with something.

I think it's like @@ said and if we get sick we might call out and even if we didn't call out, and worked sick since so many of us are at home anyway, that would affect our productivity.


I also think it's silly that I have to submit my proof when THEY processed the claim in the first place! They already KNOW I got it.

When i worked at the university in the early 2000's, they brought a nurse in to give you the shot so you didnt even have to go to your dr or pharmacist.

When I worked for the schools they also brought someone in to administer the flu shot, but it wasn’t mandatory.

Was this the amys baking company one, where Gordon actually walked out, then the place went viral, and he did a 2nd episode about that? That one was more like REAL therapy! Denial, denial, denial!

Eta - my fridge started making a noise, so i finally moved it and unplugged it. It has seemed like an impossible job, like i was too weak, for the past idk 2 years? I cut my topamax in half about a week ago, and i am feeling pretty whats the word prancy!

Amy’s Baking Company was seriously disturbed. I always root for the restaurants on Kitchen Nightmares to do well so that episode made me really uncomfortable.