From: 1905536XXXXTo: 19054427423
April 07 2011 05:33 PM
Hi CJ.
Just wanted to share with you my train story of the day. I'm a student. I just so happen to have a cold but needed to go in to pick up an exam, and don't usually miss school for colds, I pay for it. So I figure I'll be courteous, because I know how much people hate sick people on the train, so I'm sitting on the floor ... Out of the way ... see pic.
The "Cold Warden" (pictured above) will not stop giving me dirty looks every time I blow my nose even though I'm sanitizing every time!!! She's letting out loud sighs and shaking her head. Just wondering what your take is on this??? Am I wrong to be on the train???
From: 19054427423
To: 1905536XXXX
April 07 2011 05:30 PM
No, you're not wrong for going about your business. You have a cold. People with issues need to breathe through tissues is what I say. Solution? Carry around some surgical masks that you can get for free from any walk-in clinic and hand them out to people who can't deal with your compromised immune system. Some people need to get over themselves.
Hope you feel better.
a cold is a cold. Most people are good about keeping kleenex on hand and using sanitizer which all we can expect from each other. it's the people who don't carry kleenex and sniffle constantly or wipe their nose with the back of their hands that i want to throw off the train. that's just gross and annoying.
ReplyDeleteWell if I happen to forget a kleenex, and you see my using my hands or sleeve, please feel free to offer me one of yours.
ReplyDeleteInstead of sighing/staring at me because I dont have one.
Sometimes I forget kleenex, I could farmers blow it all over the floor but thats a little innapropriate.
Once I offered a guy a tissue and he told me no thank you. But I insisted as he's sniveling was driving me crazy and he told me he was ok. So finally I said, please blow your nose, it would make me feel better. And he did.
ReplyDeleteFor all she knows, you have allergies. Unless you're actually sneezing on her, she can stuff it.
ReplyDelete@ Pat - A job well done if you ask me,
ReplyDeleteThat person may have felt strange taking a kleenex from a stranger but forcing them to do so and letting them know they way it was going just didnt work for you was a good call.
Bring your cold into a public place and you may end up serving it to hundreds of "customers" by the time it finishes spreading from person to person outward from you. Possibly thousands.
ReplyDeleteEven if you take precautions like bringing kleenex along and sneezing into your sleeve, the germs can still escape and reach people.
Please just stay home and get better.
Ideally, in a perfect world, sure.
ReplyDeleteBut some colds take a week to shake.
I don't know anyone who can get a doctor's note for a cold. Some employers require one for more than 3 days of illness.
Not everyone has paid sick days, sadly, as well.
Wearing a mask on the train has been done.
I've done it. You get strange looks but at least I really am keeping my germs to myself.
I've had a cold for 10 days. I took 1 day off work, because I was really congested, but other than that I've gone to work. And I'm a nurse.
ReplyDeleteI have kleenex, medication, sanitizer and cough drops with me on the GO.
It's so unrealistic to expect people to stay home for the entire duration of a cold. And even though employers tell people to stay home when they're ill, I don't think they mean the entire duration of a cold. We're not talking about influenza here, we're talking a common cold.
Also, we are contageous before we even experience symptoms, so as a good citizen you just need to deal with reality and maintain good hand hygiene practices.