Pet Sitters Don't Get Sick

I did the unthinkable and got sick. Like, sick sick.  I have been in this business for...gulp... 17 years!!  I have been full time for almost 8 years.  In those 8 years, I have gotten sick, but it maybe lasted a few days.  A head cold, a runny nose, vertigo... which were uncomfortable, but I sucked it up and still worked.  This time I got the flu.  I had a fever for what seemed like weeks, but it was really only 5 days.  I was weak, I was coughing and it felt like someone was stabbing me in the chest, and I was hot all day long.

I started freaking out on Saturday when this began.  How am I going to work? How am I going to walk dogs?  I had extra dogs scheduled this week !!  I stressed and I sent out a TON of group texts to all of my regular clients.  I texted my doctor clients for medical advice (daily).  I didn't want to let anyone down, I thought that I could work through it.  I could not.  I still had a few cats to feed because my clients were already away when I got sick so I had no choice.  Just going to one house was exhausting.  It was then I realized that I am human.  I am not invincible.

I have worked 7 days a week for the past 7.5 years and have not taken a vacation since 2011.  I rarely say "No" to clients, I like to be there for them and the animals.  I overbook myself all the time, but I love what I do.  I am also a workaholic for a variety of other reasons, another story for another time. It was only a matter of time before I got sick enough to have to cancel walks.  How do you do that when people depend on YOU Monday - Friday? How do you tell them that you physically can't walk for more than 5 minutes at a time?  I was emotionally drained from even thinking about it. The crappy part was that Terry, my backup was ALSO sick which made for an even worse week.  The chances of us both being sick at the same time were a million to one, but it happened.  This lovely winter where the flu got everyone.  It got to the point where I was so delirious in my bed that I stopped caring about everything and just focused on getting well. In my mind all of my clients were going to drop me for being sick for a week and cancelling.  I thought, "Well, I'll just have to start over!" I'm glad that people stuck by me, even if they were angry.  Believe me, no one was angrier than the workaholic who was stuck in bed for days.

It put things into perspective about owning my own business, getting sick, having a plan, having backup, and just staying sane.  It is near impossible to plan for these things and even more difficult to fix them once they are happening.  Stressing about it will only keep you down longer, and I was down for about 10 days. I try to be superwoman and be there for everyone at all times, but it's not realistic.  I do my best and I say yes as much as possible, but I cannot do it all.  This flu taught me to see my human side again, and that was they only good thing to come out of the past 2 weeks.  I will continue to overbook and work day and night, but I will take more time to be a real person as well.