Mind Over Matter???
Sometimes I think that my advisor would have been well suited for a career in the military if he did not go into science. He is a hardened man that does not let anything get him down. And I admire this fact about him--even if it works to my disadvantage.
Just last year, the entire lab got sick around the same time. Those of us who had the misfortune of not having a current grant had to spend time writing a grant (myself included). Thus, those of us stuck writing a grant (about half of the lab) had no choice but to come into the lab to write/work in order to meet the grant deadline. At lab meeting, my advisor could not help but notice that the other half of the lab was missing at lab meeting. He wondered out loud why these people are not in. I told him that they are out sick. He then got a little irate and said that why be at home sick when you can be in the lab sick??? At least if you are in the lab sick, you can be doing something.... According to him, it is of no benefit to be at home sick.
Anyhow, for just a little over two weeks I have been sick with some persistent bug. From severe sore throat, larygitis, bad cough, dizziness, and fever, I have dutifully come into the lab with the exception of one day I was just too ill to really make it out of bed. Thus, I have followed his rule of "Why be at home sick, when you can be in the lab sick?"
Today my advisor walks by my bench as I am having one of my coughing fits. He mentions it to me what is it with all this sickness I have? I tell him that I don't know, I have been sick for a little over two weeks.
He then proceeds to tell me that he was like that earlier (now I know where I got this bug...). He then tells me it is a simple principal of mind over matter. I then mutter to him in between my coughs, that he should perhaps convince my germs of that fact.
Mind over matter. Yeah...right!
Just last year, the entire lab got sick around the same time. Those of us who had the misfortune of not having a current grant had to spend time writing a grant (myself included). Thus, those of us stuck writing a grant (about half of the lab) had no choice but to come into the lab to write/work in order to meet the grant deadline. At lab meeting, my advisor could not help but notice that the other half of the lab was missing at lab meeting. He wondered out loud why these people are not in. I told him that they are out sick. He then got a little irate and said that why be at home sick when you can be in the lab sick??? At least if you are in the lab sick, you can be doing something.... According to him, it is of no benefit to be at home sick.
Anyhow, for just a little over two weeks I have been sick with some persistent bug. From severe sore throat, larygitis, bad cough, dizziness, and fever, I have dutifully come into the lab with the exception of one day I was just too ill to really make it out of bed. Thus, I have followed his rule of "Why be at home sick, when you can be in the lab sick?"
Today my advisor walks by my bench as I am having one of my coughing fits. He mentions it to me what is it with all this sickness I have? I tell him that I don't know, I have been sick for a little over two weeks.
He then proceeds to tell me that he was like that earlier (now I know where I got this bug...). He then tells me it is a simple principal of mind over matter. I then mutter to him in between my coughs, that he should perhaps convince my germs of that fact.
Mind over matter. Yeah...right!
posted by Katie at 4:37 PM
2 Comments:
Syrup of Ipecac is particularly useful in these situations. Strafe 'im with vomitus just once, you'll get the sick time you need. I know you know how to use it.
William,
Although your suggestion is a useful one, I think I will pass on the Syrup of Ipecac considering that vomiting is just one more symptom that I don't care to stomach (pun intended).
Although not completely well, I am feeling much better...
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