The End Result

You just don't know what the end result will be when you're eight and the doctor standing above you says, "I'm going to give you a shot, it's really going to hurt, but then nothing else I do will hurt," and then proceeds to give you an excruciatingly painful local anaesthetic in the head. You just can't see the end result of that action: a q-tip shoved up your nose and writing four days of sub plans.

I started feeling tired and achy last weekend. I've had fatigue before though, and gone to the doctor for nothing, so I got my tired body out of bed and shuffled to work on Monday morning. By noon I knew I was running a fever, so when Mr. N urged me again to go to the doctor, I agreed. Which is when they shoved the q-tip up my nose. Not pleasant. Not AT ALL pleasant. Ten minutes after the q-tip incident, the P.A. walked back in the room and cheerfully announced,
"Influenza! Looks like you won't be going anywhere for the rest of this week." Then she takes another look at my file. "But didn't you get a flu shot?" she asks.

No, no I did not get a flu shot, which is the end result of my experience as an eight year old. Since then, needles have been among my least favorite things on earth. Since then, I will avoid any needle that is not strictly required, including flu shots.

Which is why I was sitting in the doctor's office a week ago, recovering from a q-tip probe, mind spinning with, "WHY didn't I finish those emergency sub plans the first week of school? WHAT on earth will I have a sub do for four days? Can I leave an introduction to decimals with a sub? No, not a good idea. How many movies can I show in the next four days?"

In the end, of course, this was really a minor disaster...my kids are mostly unscathed and my health is improving. But I've learned my lesson. Next year, I brave the needle!