My first day sick -- Monday morning -- I left my job before it began, immediately e-mailing in my "Krankmeldung," or notice that I am sick. This is a requirement. For my boss and Oberboss, the school secretary, and any co-worker who might give a damn, I listed my symptoms -- probably not necessary for German superiors or co-workers -- but something I feel I must do to verify an actual illness.
Because you see, when I am sick, I feel guilty. I feel like I'm lying, and I have to prove it is true, even just to myself. This comes from years of working in the U.S. and calling in sick occasionally, maybe when I wasn't always very unhealthy -- especially in my younger years.
Could the ambivalent feeling I get when I'm sick here in Germany come from calling in too many times when I really wasn't sick? Yes, maybe one or two of those times I was hungover, or maybe I just didn't feel like going to work. We all know that taking a non-sick sick day is sometimes quite necessary.
For some reason, we Americans aren't allowed to be sick. When we are, our co-workers could be angry at us, because they might have to do our job. Our absence is felt dearly when we are not there, and therefore more guilt. If you have a cold, you can tough it out! It doesn't matter if you go into work feeling like crap or spreading the virus, because by God you've got to get your job done. In that case, the guilt might come from a good work ethic, or perhaps it is simply a sign of conscientiousness and care for your co-workers.
Naja, in Germany when you show any sign of being sick, your friends and colleagues wish you "eine gute Besserung," and they seem to sincerely care about your health and well-being. I've never experienced that before, from any co-workers, friends or bosses back home.
I am really sick this time, and on Tuesday, I went to see the doctor. An employer requires that you get a Krankbescheinigung, or literally "sickness certificate," after missing work three days. I went on the second day, which is kind of silly, because a doctor can't do anything for a virus or a cold, except tell you to stay home and rest. And sign your Krankbescheinigung.
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| A blank Krankbescheinigung |
After listening to my complaints, taking my temperature, looking in my throat, and having me lift up my shirt so he could listen to my lungs, der Arzt returned to his desk. Obviously, I was chipper and not miserable in his presence, so I couldn't have been too sick. He acknowledged I was there mostly for the Krankbescheinigung, after we discussed the fact that he really couldn't treat me with antibiotics or other medicines, except for maybe some cough syrup.
The big question then arose: the doc asked how long I wished to stay out of work.
My American mind thought quietly, Do you deserve to have any time away from work? You aren't THAT sick.
Placing the burden in his hands, I asked him what he thought. "Was denken Sie?" I asked quite innocently. After all, he is the professional. How many days did he think it would take me to be cured from this horrible illness?
The suspense didn't hang in the air long. It was only milliseconds before he suggested that I stay home through Friday (five days total), and that I would be cured before the week-end and could return to society on Saturday.
Oh, it seemed so extreme. Did I really need to take the whole week off of work? Of course, I didn't fight him in the least. There is no point in disrespecting a fine physician, and a German one at that.
He did suggest, however, that if I felt better, I could always go into work Thursday.
Tomorrow is Thursday. Will I go in?
I won't know until the morning. If my cough is severe, and my head still hurts, I will stay home, find more things to watch on the television (I'm sick of all my DVDs and German shows take a lot of concentration), soak up some more sunshine (if there is any), try to read (I've finished my current Krimi novel), eat my homemade chicken soup (best cure ever), and sleep some more (a great time spender).
Truly, it's getting kind of boring being sick this long, and obviously, I'm not used to it, or I would have stocked the house with DVDs and English Bücher. It's a bit hard to take, getting a week off of work for a silly little cold. However, I'm getting a little writing done, and I'm very prepared for next week at work. When I suggested I go back to work, both a co-worker and another friend told me, "Oh no! You'll have a Ruckschlag! It's better to stay home!"
In America, that's crazy talk, but here in Germany, a relapse is very likely. I'd better stay home and do what the doctor says.
There are some blueberries and bananas there; I could bake muffins. I have leftover M&Ms and walnuts for cookies. I could even paint, if I had enough energy. I could go for a walk in the woods, but again, that requires energy. Do I have any? I haven't done anything for three days straight except move from the couch to the kitchen to the bathroom to the balcony to the bed.
I'd better just do nothing, read what I can, and sleep a lot, catching up on couch time. After all -- though I ask my self 50 times a day if it's true -- I'm sick.
Wörterbuch / Dictionary:
der Arzt - the doctor
Bücher - books
Eine gute Besserung! - Get well soon! (lit. "a good recovery")
Krankbescheinigung - certificate of illness
Krankmeldung - notice of being sick
Krimi - crime story
Naja - Well
Ruckschlag - relapse
Was denken Sie? - What do you think? (polite form)
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