This is it. Ten episodes in, and my Sick Leave Saga is wrapping up.
Starting tomorrow, I’m back to normal working hours – full shifts, full chaos, and (hopefully) full energy.
To be honest, this last week felt like a bit of a plot twist. On paper, it was only a three-day workweek. What could possibly go wrong, right?
Well, let’s rewind.
Monday:
Worked 6 hours from 8 to 2. Then I stayed a little longer in the office to get some prep done, ran to physio, and sat through a 3-hour online B2 German class. By the time I logged off, I felt like a poorly-charged phone. I was toast. Not even crispy – just… soft and sad.
Tuesday:
Woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a fatigue truck. Weak, foggy, sore. My husband was sick too – so we both stayed home (well, I’m technically still on sick leave anyway).
He spent most of the day working on his game development in our living room–turned–home office, while I stayed on the couch with Netflix. But since his desk is in the same space, every time I gasped, laughed, or said “Oh no she didn’t!” he’d pause and go, “What’s happening now?”
So basically, he watched the whole show by proxy – without even looking up.
Tag team streaming, 2025 style. 😅
Wednesday:
Back at work – a bit wobbly but fine. I missed my physio because I mixed up the time (I was an hour late… oops). Took that as a sign to rest again and hang out with my still-sniffly husband. The only productive thing I did was… finish another series. Priorities.
Thursday:
Did some actual work. Started drafting the next featured blog post, got through a child observation and prep for a parent meeting. Felt productive enough to reward myself with – you guessed it – more Netflix. No regrets.
Friday:
Came with a plan: a picnic in the park with some of my colleague-friends. But, as these things go, plans collided and fizzled. So, we pivoted – family mini-golf instead!
To make it interesting, we turned it into a prize game. Whoever won got their wish granted – which, in our family, usually means food. I picked two bags of my favourite chips (a rare treat now that I’m watching my cholesterol), Linus wished for chorizo (also a “once-in-a-while” thing in our slowly-less-processed-food life), and my husband?
He wished for two things: a bag of chips and the right to not be reminded about bedtime like a toddler for one whole night. (Yes, bedtime reminders are a thing in our house. Yes, I’m the bedtime police.)
Guess who won?
Of course – my husband. Fueled by snacks and freedom. We picked up his prize (chips included!) on the way home.
Saturday:
It was time to cash in on that “no bedtime reminder” wish. Normally we’re lights out by 11 or 12, but this time, he proudly declared, “I’m staying up until 6 a.m.”
I gave him my best bring-it-on look. Challenge accepted.
But by 2 a.m., he was already looking sleepy – not asleep yet, but visibly wilting. Meanwhile, I was just getting started: finishing a series and squeezing in a horror movie for good measure.
And no – I didn’t say a word about bedtime. I just sat there like a silent monk of self-restraint. Honestly, not nagging might have been harder than doing physio.
I should’ve gotten a prize too. Which I did – my husband let me have some Doritos when he bought his chips. Fair trade, I’d say.
Duolingo Update:
I made it! Back in the Diamond League – after a temporary fall from grace. I kept my 243-day streak alive, even if some of it was saved by streak freezes. And I’m now doubling down with Busuu too. Can’t stop, won’t stop (until B2 German makes sense, or I pass out – whichever comes first).
Looking Back…
Each post in this series has marked a small but steady improvement – from the early days of constant pain and limited mobility to now, where the discomfort mostly shows up when I’m overtired. It hasn’t been a dramatic transformation, but it’s definitely progress. And this tenth post feels like a milestone in itself.
I’ve learned a lot in this weird, in-between season – and honestly, I’m proud. I showed up for myself, even when “showing up” just meant crawling to physio or cracking open Duolingo at 10:58PM.
If you’ve been following my Sick Leave Saga from the start, you’ll know this isn’t my first time wrapping things up with a list of “what I’ve learned.” And yes, I’m doing it again – because repetition is the soul of progress (and recovery apparently).
So here’s a final-final round of reminders – same vibe, slightly upgraded:
💬 Speak up (again and again) – Whether it’s your back pain or your snack cravings, life’s better when you don’t bottle things up.
🌟 Celebrate what counts (to you) – Maybe it’s a completed shift. Maybe it’s surviving a Netflix recap for someone who wasn’t even watching. Either way – worth a cheer.
🛋️ Rest like you mean it – If your body says stop, listen. And maybe rewatch an episode of Big Bang Theory while you’re at it.
🎮 Earn your rewards – For me, it’s PS5 and Doritos. Not every day, but when I’ve really earned them. It keeps me moving. (And crunching.)
😂 Laugh whenever possible – Especially when your husband tries to stay up until 6am to win a bet and taps out at 2. Blog-worthy gold.
So, that’s it for the Sick Leave Saga.
Next chapter?
👀 “The Move-Out Saga: Leaving the Apartment We Barely Lived In.”
Yes, that one’s finally happening (probably). Stay tuned.
Also, stay tuned for next week’s June Featured Person! She’s amazing, full of heart, and her story really left a mark on me. Can’t wait to share it with you.
Thanks for reading – all ten episodes. 💚 If you’ve missed any part of this Sick Leave Saga, you can find all the previous posts in the blog section of my website. They’re all there, in order – the ups, the downs, and everything in between.
You make this journey worth sharing – every read, every message, every moment of connection. 💚