So, I got sent home from work today because I work with a crazy lady!

I started coming down with a cold on Monday night but I just thought it was allergies, by Tuesday I had the sniffles, and when I woke up yesterday I had l had a super awesome head cold (very congested and phlegmy). I called in sick yesterday, stayed in bed, and popped the Nyquil. This morning I was doing much better, still stuffy and a little bit of a cough because of the phlegm so I decided to go to work because I have dealines I have to meet.

Mind you I do not have any influenza symptoms; no fever, no chills, no body aches, no vomiting, no diarrhea. I've NEVER been to Mexico, none of my friends have been to Mexico in the past month, I HAVE A F*CKING COLD!

Right before lunch today my boss says she needs to talk to me...okay. We walk down to a conference room and she tells me that the lady who sits in the cube across from mine talked to her boss and was concerned because I was coughing all morning and that I was out sick yesterday. She said she is worried I have swine flu?!?!?! Are you sh*tting me??? She got to go home because she was worried about me and I went back to work.

My boss is cool and agrees this lady is crazy and is embarrased to even have to ask me to cover my mouth when I cough and to wash my hands. Really is this necessary? So then 1 hr later she informs me that I have to go home. I'm just at a loss for words and I can't figure out how this happened. I'm just mad yet laughing.

I've only been at my job since Aug of last year and they don't give you VPN access unless you've been there for a year or if you are suspected of having swine flu!!!! Ya that's right I got sent home and I now have VPN access so I can work from home. I work with over 1000 people I wonder if anyone else got sent home.

Sorry this is kinda long and I'm rambling, I'm just blown away by this crazyness. Part of me wants to laugh, part is mad, part of me now thinks this lady I work with is a whack job.

What are your thoughts?

Oh good grief! I am so sorry. This is a great example of the power of the media to incite hysteria among the masses.

I think people are super hyper sensitive right now. I think the media is focusing on it heavily.

I was watching Jon Stewart last night and he was going over swine flu news clips and one of them was "It can possible end up killing tens of millions of people". I think with things like that, people are being paranoid.

I agree , you work with a whack job.

You know, you could have refused to go. You cannot be forced out of the office under those circumstances.
*sheesh*...but I hope you feel better soon.

Yeah that lady has probably watched way too much news coverage. I have had a cold too and I also now have the residual cough and congestion (that comes with any cold) and I have had so many comments at my work about it. Granted I haven't been told to go home haha! Is there any way to look at this as a fringe benefit of working with a nut case? You get to work in your sweats and chill at home!

People overreact sometimes.

If you are in a job you can VPN into, there is a low risk of transmission even if you had it, but better safe than sorry I guess. In my case, I work in a restaurant with a high immigrant work force. I admit I will send people home if they manifest symptoms and confirm to me that they or their family have been in Mexico or California. Of course, the first confirmed case in Georgia was just diagnosed today in my hometown...

Thank you ladies I knew you would all get it! I just can't vent on Facebook because my boss in on it and I dont' want to cause a big stink.

It's fine I don't mind working from home I'm just surprised this lady freaked out like that. I thought she was "normal" hehe guess not.

It makes me think of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine works with the hypochondriac, so she coughs on her keyboard LOL (I'm not doing this but I think it's funny)

I think a grown woman would know the difference between a nasty cold or the flu, ya know?
Good grief. Maybe you can just work from home from now on

You're so right - this panic is ridiculous! I'm SO tired of people making comparisons to the flu pandemic of 1918. There's no comparison AT ALL. We have modern medicine and antivirals now. It's just common sense. Wash your hands. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze. Spray the doorknobs with Lysol every now and again. Seriously.

My buddy at work just sent me this...ROFLMAO

You would think, she's in her 40's and has 2 kids (kids bring home crazy germs from school). Like I said I'm shocked because I talk to her everyday, she's nice.

Working from home would be sweet! I'm going to take advantage of it and stay home tomorrow too! My boss said I should if I still have a cough, so I think I'll still have a cough tomorrow

lol at the pic, but at least u get to work from home now.

Take advatage of it be sick Monday too! LOL

similar thing happened to me yesterday!!! i was out sick on monday, on tuesday a girl i work with made a huge deal and threatened to report me to the head of risk and safety if i didnt get checked-so i called our health clinic (we have one in house), and she said my symptoms didnt coincide with the regular flu, let alone the swine flu-so then yesterday some nurses reported me to my sr Vp and he asked that i go to the clinic and get tested..and big surprise-i was negative!! im sorry you actually had to go home but at least you get to be in the comfort of home for awhile and still get paid right? i mean, if youre working from home u know?