I took a chance.  I decided not to get the flu shot again this year, mainly because the last time I got it I got the worst flu ever.  My doctor, sounding a little exasperated, told me you can’t get the flu by getting the flu vaccine but in the next breath said something about if it’s the wrong strain, the flu shot doesn’t help anyway.  So I took my chances.

As a veteran teacher, I do believe I have a super power, that being that I’ve built up some immunity to all the stuff that floats around school.  To this point I have used none of my sick leave this year and I have accumulated enough sick leave that I could take off for over two months if I needed to.  But here I am, contemplating taking a day off tomorrow because I can feel it coming on.  Slight fever, little aches, cough. Should I have gotten the flu shot or would it have happened anyway?

Normally I would be fighting this more.  After all, it would mean getting plans together for a sub, probably popping into school to get stuff set up despite how I feel.  I feel like I’ve been pushing through this year, going from one event to another and the last few weeks have been crazy.  However, I have been blessed with a more than capable student teacher who knows how things go and there are no major things going on this week where I have to run something, so I may stay home.  Am I giving in?  Should I fight more?  How logical is this?  Most people get sick and just stay home and take care of themselves.  Teachers are the only people I know who actually debate with themselves whether or not they’re sick enough to stay home.

The sad thing is, is that if I had a major event this week, I would drug up and make it work.  I would probably sleep every other possible second and push through.  Is this healthy?  Probably not but as teachers, especially music teachers who have events every day of the week, including weekends, we learn to suck it up and make it work.  If I’m going to blame anyone, it would be my high school band director, whom I love dearly, but he’s the one who taught us that unless you’re on your death bed you go to rehearsal or you go to your performance.  I missed one rehearsal during my high school years and missed no performances.  The only reason I missed the rehearsal was because I had the flu with 103 temp and my parents wouldn’t let me go.  I can remember feeling so embarrassed when my mom called my director to say I wouldn’t be going, despite the fact that it was logical not to send me.

Teachers are a tough bunch.  The reason we’ve survived all of the stuff that has been thrown at us, additional duties as assigned (too many to list), larger classes, fewer resources is because we’re tough, intelligent, passionate and driven to do what we do well.  We will do whatever it takes to make things work because we are committed to children.  We think quickly on our feet because it’s what we do as teachers.  Those outside of the teaching profession are attempting to push one new thing on us, assuming that we’ll follow the usual pattern of sucking it up and making it work.  But I’m beginning to feel and see a change.

In a profession where 50% of new teachers will be gone after five years, those of us who have stuck it out are strong.  While there were armed men outside the building where 17 people were killed, there were hero teachers inside who used their intelligence and passion for children to step into places they never imagined, adding other duties to their already bulging list to save others.

So, what is battling the flu compared to that?  Nothing.  But just like deciding whether or not to get the flu shot, when it comes to having to have a weapon at school, the answer is no and I’ll take my chances.  Because I’m tough.