Presenteeism, they call it. Going to work to be "present" when by all rights you should be home in bed. I was running a 101F fever last night, but it was down to 99F this morning, so I trudged in dutifully to work.
I have sick days I could use. But I only have 10 for the whole year, and I wanted to ensure I saved enough for doctor's visits and such later on. I've already blown a day and a half and it's only February.
It's not just the sick days, though. I feel obligated to be here. We have a project go live this afternoon, and I'm supposed to be working on a training presentation for the team we did the project for, which I will need to actually use for training in the next few days.
I'm not throwing up, although I did have terrible stomach cramps yesterday afternoon and I've been battling nausea since yesterday morning. I've been washing my hands obsessively. I have a private office and I am going to avoid the public spaces here as much as I can.
Thing is, with my fever and the massive headache, I don't know how productive I will be.
Why do companies limit paid sick time? I guess I can understand you want to prevent someone from malingering, but 10 days isn't enough if someone becomes seriously ill. (If I remember right, if you are sick beyond two weeks at a time, they'll put you on short term disability at reduced pay.)
I am lucky in that I have the option of working from home, or I would if we were not in the middle of the final phases of the project, when I need to be in the office.
I'm going to keep taking my temperature throughout the day. If I break 102F at any point, I'm heading to the doctor.
Until then, I'll keep washing my hands and staying the heck away from everyone else.