What do you tell your clients when you get sick, say with the flu and have to take off a full week? Do you tell them that you are sick and cancel all appointments for that week, or do you give them a different reason? In another context, what do you do when you get sick on a business trip? Do you cut your trip short and cancel all appointments?
So saying to your clients that you are not feeling well with the flu or whatever you have is perfectly understandable.
I would much prefer that a woman tells me ahead of time that she is sick, and cannot see me, rather than me showing up and she is coughing, sneezing, and feeling terrible.
-- Modified on 2/26/2005 7:34:43 PM
is a jackass. We are humans and we get sick. Even if it was a trip that had been planned for a while...Be disappointed and sad - OK but angry and mad?!
Wack-o, Get a jail cell with Jack-O
I just had to cancel all appointments last week due to the flu! I even told one fella who wasn't sure he wanted his appointment cancelled, "I am filled to the gills with NyQuil, I'll be fine, you make the choice.". He wisely agreed to wait until I was better. I'm sure someone has a fetish for runny noses and phlegm, but I don't think I want to be their provider.
And a late one at that? Just about all my friends are down with it, and at least one school district in my area is missing is missing a lot of students and teachers now.
I did manage to get a shot for myself, since I have to work in crowded conditions. As a result, both my roommates are down with it, but I haven't caught it yet.
I had it too as did many other people at my job.
I did not get a shot. The shots are useless on me, I seem to get it regardless.
Sometimes they'll work as I've found out. Sometimes they won't. It depends on if they inocculate you against the right strain, and how it mutates in the meantime.
Exactly. Most flu shots are given to prepare you for what are thought to be the prevalant strains for the coming season. They have to start preparing the vaccines months in advance, and conditions change.
They also only are good for two strains, three max, and there are hundreds of flu variants out there.
Just tell the truth... this has happened with me a couple of times and as long as clients are notified,
they should understand. Any person, provider or client who would not accept this... well, I would not want to meet them anyway.
By all means, tell them and reschedule. I've had to break an appointment because I was very ill. Felt quite bad about it, but it was the right thing to do as it turned out to be pneumonia, that was probably caused by another provider who had a cold, and managed to pretty much inject it directly into my lungs with a sneeze. (No, I don't blame her. Her hands were busy 
, and she couldn't turn her face with mine right there. And no, I won't give out her name)
Any client who doesn't underestand you have to cancel because you're ill, isn't worth seeing.
This question was meant to elicit responses from providers, not clients.
When I am sick and have to cancel, I just let them know and try to make it up to them. Everyone gets sick now and then, but personally I think they would repect you alot about being up front about being sick then showing up and trying to have fun especially when you feel like you were hit by a truck..
When I am on a trip depending on how many days I have left with a getn, I may continue and get some over the counter stuff. If it is the begining of it I will let them know if I feel bad and let them make the call.
Thanks
...a provider usually lets you know with some sort of euphemism that is she is ill... I've had a few say things like:
"Well, to be honest Lex, you scare me."
or
"Backchannel is you're petty ugly, hon, I think I'd throw up"
...which I could tell really meant that they had the flu or similar illness.
One lady, however, was much more honest about her health:
"Next Tuesday it is!...oh wait... Did you say 'Lex'? No, I'm sorry Lex, but I'm sick next Tuesday. Yes, Wednesday too. In fact I'm sick the whole month. Why don't you call back some other time, hon? Good-bye now."
...that the ladies usually put the money in my underwear and then I put it in my wallet. There's no envelope involved.
Let them know what your real status is and let them decide from there. If you are not up to keeping an appointment because of illness, tell them so. It probably wouldn't have been a good one anyway for either party. I recently had an appointment (pre-standing) which turned out to coincide with my being at the tale end of a common cold. While I was pretty sure that I was no longer infectious, I contacted the lady a day in advance to let her know of my situation and allowing her to make the decision if she wanted to proceed or fill my time slot with another customer. Providers should act in a similar manner IMHO.
-- Modified on 2/27/2005 10:19:49 AM
She was the sweetest thing -
I could tell it was a major effort for her even to call and tell me she wasn't feeling well; and she was very apologetic. I couldn't help but feel the deepest sympathy for her because she cared so much and she went so out of her way to call... we've been talking over email quite a bit and really developing a rapport, and we were both really excited to meet.
She just basically said she woke up feeling sick this morning and rather than ruin our time together, asked if I had some time later this week and if I'd like to reschedule.
I think that's a great honest, respectful way to do it. Doesn't really have to be any more complicated than that.