ImmilBees Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 This may be better in the expat part, but today I've been beaten by my cold, I ache, I'm cold and shivery, sore throat the lot. My husband has had to come and get the kids and drop them at his mums and I have taken to my bed! But what do you do when you're on your own?? This is one of my worries, we live an hour away from family anyway (luckily hubby works near them) I suppose he'd have to stay at home and take the day off, or my oldest will be in school and the baby will be at kindy by then and I won't have to worry anyway! I try not to rely on family at the moment as it's just ammo to show we might not cope. I'm guessing your friends become your people to fall back on. Let's just hope I've made enough friends before I need them! Or that I just don't catch a cold in the Aussie sunshine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arwen Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 Unfortunately until you have a good circle of friends who you are happy to trust you just have to suck it up. Sounds harsh but it's the way it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfie Posted December 5, 2014 Report Share Posted December 5, 2014 I was stuck in the UK for 3 months with a broken leg 4 days prior to leaving for Oz with no furniture just a blow up bed my clothes a radio lap top and dongle and my mobile phone. Thank god the woman who was going to rent my house decided against it also 4 days prior to leaving for Oz, and I didnt send my white goods or I would have been up the swanny without a paddle basically. Friends and family appeared intermittently because to them your already DEAD as you have chosen to leave the UK. Unfortunately life goes on and you just get on with it theres no one to rely on except yourself Of course this is from my perspective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibbs Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 I go to work and carry on as normal. I've had about 3 days off work ill in the last 15 years. 1 of those was with broken arm, as i had to have x-rays and it took all day, and another 2 days was with shingles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted December 7, 2014 Report Share Posted December 7, 2014 Our kids are a little older now so don't need caring for, but there's a lot to be said for developing a network of friends. When I was recovering from an operation, we had friends drop of meals - much better than a bunch of flowers lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImmilBees Posted December 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2014 Ha ha thanks guys, think I was feeling quite sorry for myself when I posted this, I did suck it up and get on with it in the end. Bibbs kudos to you 15yrs without a sick day. This is probably the first time in 3 years I've had a "day off" I say it in quotation marks as I'm on Mat leave. I just worry about these things, but it's unnecessary worrying, we're so close knit I know we'll muddle through x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 I think I've always been pretty good at knowing when I need time off. No criticism to you Bibbs, it clearly works for you but when I'm sick I'll take time off, I respect the fact that my body is fighting something and needs some support. I think 'business' has conditioned us into believing that we shouldn't do this, that we're perhaps weak or less well favoured if we take time out. I'll generally know in the morning if my productivity is going to suffer as a result of my illness and if I think it is, I'll bail out. One day out means I'll hit the ground running the next whereas I might feel rough for two or three if I go in and then I may be present but not very effective. When we first arrived we knew no one but Freo is an amazing place and the voluntary work I was doing meant that when Mrs p was admitted to Joondalup for surgery, we had people rally around us and all manner of support was offered. The school was very helpful too, allowing the kids to sit in the library very early so that I could drive up to see her and keeping them busy in the afternoon if I was late. We also had great neighbours, people we didn't know very well who thought it strange that we wouldn't ask for help. Maybe we were lucky but when either one of us had one of those days, there seemed to be a solution within the community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibbs Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Bibbs kudos to you 15yrs without a sick day. I'm just the sort that goes into the office and infects everyone else. Not really, I'm just not really that ill. More luck than judgement. Also it's the life of a contractor (no work = no pay). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted December 9, 2014 Report Share Posted December 9, 2014 Ha ha thanks guys, think I was feeling quite sorry for myself when I posted this, I did suck it up and get on with it in the end. Bibbs kudos to you 15yrs without a sick day. This is probably the first time in 3 years I've had a "day off" I say it in quotation marks as I'm on Mat leave. I just worry about these things, but it's unnecessary worrying, we're so close knit I know we'll muddle through x Not feeling sorry for yourself at all, the stark reality of moving to the other side of the world .... once you have an idea of what you need to do, it doesn't seem such a big hurdle. ' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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