How much is too much?

I just spent the better half of my morning juggling a bunch of things while snorting my nose a hundred and sixty three times. I've been sick for the past two and a half days and even had to take off from work yesterday. Which means that I have to do that much work today while I am still sick. I have a load of papers to grade and prepare for next week's classes as this weekend will be extremely busy with preparations and then the happening of the Pickle's birthday party on Sunday. It doesn't help that the husband too is sick.

So in the thick of all this, while my head has been reeling like a bell at a train station, I went in for my physio appointment. Its really a 3 minute drive from home so that was fine. I go in, pay, wait a couple of minutes and then the therapist comes in and asks if I am sick, I say yes and she says she has a six month old at home and so for fearing of contaging, could we re schedule for next week? In my mind I thought WTF, but the words that came out were Well, thats okay. I also added that I have a 2 year old and am relieved he isn't sick. Inside I was beginning to get mad at her but then I decided that I could be a pushover (for lack of a better word) for today. I am now asking myself why I didn't politely ask her to call me to ask if I was sick if she was worried I might be sick and thereby contagious( I must clarify that I had gone to see a doc at the place a couple of days ago for sthg else and he had made note of my then bad cold).

Why didn't I convey my annoyance? I told myself that this was someone I would be working with for the next few weeks so it would help if we started on a good note. The fact that she obviously didn't think of that has just sink in. And that I am tired of this, of being disagreeable of standing up for myself, even for trivial things. Take this woman I had written about. Turns out she was at the same restaurant we ate at last night. It made no difference to me as she had completely escaped my memory but I could see how visibly uncomfortable she was with our presence.

I just decided to be an idiot today. I completely understand a mom's concern for her little baby and even appreciate it. However I am unable to understand her ethics as a professional. Afterall she works at a hospital where germs abound. Does she spin everyone back and sit there all day and get a nice plump salary? Or only treat people in the pink of their health? How about if I had a six month old I had arranged to be cared for by a babysitter and made it to this appointment? What about being considerate for another mother, just another human being? I know I went back to work when Pickle was a little over 3 months and I was lucky enough that the n ature of my work allowed me so much flexibility of being with him. But what is also true is that I tried not to mix my personal with the professional. The university is the best place to get germs but I would try and be as germ-free as possible. And what about germs from the husband? One time Pickle got the flu when he was 3 months old from the husband. So kids, babies are strong enough and can fight them out and we can just do our best without putting others at inconvenience.

What do you think?

(The birthday post follows very soon... as soon as I feel bit better)