Health and workplaces:
I am in a pickle and don't know what to do, so I'd love some tips please.
I work 2 jobs - They are in completely different industries, one is childcare and the other is not. I love both jobs, for different reasons. However the situation I'm in is causing a cycle of health issues and consequences for both jobs. For background, I have a chronic auto-immune disease, so my immune system is pretty stuffed.
During my time at the childcare centre , I'm exposed to children, and obviously with that comes the sicknesses they they bring in (in a perfect world, every child sick would be kept home, but this just doesn't happen). Once my few days are up there, I awake on day 1 of my shift with workplace B and I'm sick, sore throat, congestion etc, then I need to take a few days off. I can't go in sick as my employer has immune issues too, so I can't risk that. By the time I've literally *just barely* started to feel better, I go back to work in childcare, catch more bugs, and then I'm unwell again for my 2nd job. This happens nearly every fortnight. Sometimes my kids get sick too - particular worse for my youngest who is prone to asthma and chest infections.
Just recently, I still haven't recovered from my last virus 2 wks ago (I'm cleared of symptoms, but my body still feels drained) and now I'm sick again. I don't want to have to give up either job, as I genuinely LOVE both.... BUT I can't keep going on like this. My health sucks; my family suffers a bit (as I'm not the best mum/wife that I usually am); my kids being sick is not good; I don't look great as an employee with lots of sick days; and I'm just tired of feeling congested, run down, and icky.
Deep down I realise I probably need to stop working at the childcare - to protect myself and my family from ongoing bugs (as well as 2nd employer), but I feel like that is an extreme step. What can I do in the mean time to try and boost my immune system? What vitamins are out there actually work?! I find a lot of them don't actually do much for me. Thanks in advance x
7 Replies
One too many bouts of the childcare plague is what took me out of that industry too. I just got to the point I was like "I seriously don't get paid enough to turn into a walking petri dish every time I get sneezed or coughed on".
I was getting sick back to back and I just wasn't getting a chance to recover properly (and I have a perfectly typical immune system).
I mean, there's some evidence that a good probiotic can help alongside a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle but if you've already got a compromised immune system, that'll only do so much (if anything).
Childcare is not the best place to work with a weak immune system, I think you will just have to admit defeat and find something else or focus on the other job. Vitamins aren't going to help you if you have a compromised immune system.
There is no such thing as "immune boosting". In fact, your immune system, with an autoimmune condition works TOO well and attacks your healthy parts too. Your medications would probably include an immune blocker meaning exposure to illness leaves you more vulnerable than others. You probably need to quit childcare to stop this cycle, unfortunately.
What autoimmune disorder do you have, what medications do you take and are you on a regular diet or a specific diet (e.g. vegan)?
There's things you can do to help your immune system but it's not a one answer suits all.
Could you stay in the childcare industry, as you love it, but change the way you work. Eg. leave long day care and become a nanny or housekeeper for one family. That could reduce the variety and intensity of connection with new bugs.
Update with some extra info:
My auto-immune condition has no cure, but it is managed with medication. I choose to have a better diet to assist with this too (just makes me feel better) but generally it's nothing relate to diet.
When I'm unwell with a cold/fever/flu etc, this can make my condition more tricky to manage, unfortunately. I'm nearly 40 and I can just feel that my body takes longer to recover now.
I've worked in the early childhood industry for nearly 20 years, so it saddens me to think it may be in my best interest of my health (and my youngest son's health as he is prone to asthma and every sniffle of a cold ends up in his chest) to leave it. I know if I leave this centre I won't be going back to any other centre - I've hit the jackpot with this current one!
I'm not interested in being a director or anything that is "off the floor" as I would miss the children so much. I like the idea of being a nanny - I've done that before :)
Common sense would be leaving the child care job. 🤷♀️🤷♀️