I am a teacher at a charter school in an urban district. we get 3 sick days in my district, which I feel is insane to begin with. I've had bronchitis for 3 weeks now, and missed the entire week before Christmas because of it. it won't go away, and I have had a history of severe lung issues from bronchitis that have led to a collapsed lung and pleurisy.
I went to urgent care yesterday to get meds, and will be starting my second round of steroids and a round of antibiotics today. I was feeling ~better~ yesterday so I only asked them to sign a doctor's excuse for yesterday's missed work, not a preemptive day for today. But last night I took a bad turn, and I texted my admin early in the morning that I wouldn't be able to come in for the first few blocks, but that I would try to come in for the last part of the day. They responded that I would need a doctor's excuse.
Each time I have to go into urgent care, it's a $75 copay, which is a half-day take home pay. On my way in for my half day today, I remembered that virtual visits exist, I'm wondering if they'd be able to give me a doctor's excuse? Otherwise, how do I possibly work with this? If I don't know until the day of, how do I manage to get a doctor's note EACH day I'm sick? Especially when like, a lot of the times I'm sick I already have a way I'm being treated (ie: meds for bronchitis, migraine meds, etc: things I don't have to go to the doctor to be treated for). How do I deal with this?