How do you deal with sickness on a tight schedule?

How do you deal with being underload and on tight time schedule, then end up with the stomach bug or something that really has you feeling sick? Can you just let DM know and get schedule adjusted or just keep rolling and stop whenever you need to? I know this is a nasty question, but there have been mornings when I know it wouldn't be wise to start down the road.

 

Well, you can either talk to dispatch and try to get the load repowered so that you can sit and wait it out.....or you can suck it up and roll down the road, stopping often enough to take care of whatever you might need to take care of BEFORE it becomes an uncontrollable urge. You might have to do a combination of the two, if the load is on a really tight schedule....meeting that other truck en route so that the load can keep moving without losing TOO much time.

 

You really have to take it as it comes. If you are sick but can limp on then you want to try and do so. You will, unfortunately have those times when you can't be more than two feet from an unoccupied restroom. When this time comes you let your DM know and personally I would check in at a hotel and take the time to better yourself. Also when you are under the weather you are putting your safety more at risk as your attention is fully on what you are doing.

There are many precautionary things you can do to help minimize this. I personally avoid the buffets and fast food and such and try to stick to more of a healthy diet. Keeping your hands washed all the time and using hand sanitizer also helps minimize the chances of contracting a sickness.

This, in my opinion, is the absolute worst part of being an over the road driver! When you are under the weather or have bathroom issues its very tough to just whip off the interstate to take care of business. Especially when it strikes you during rush hour in LA or something!

 

Thanks, that's sorta what I thought. Just something some wouldn't think about until it happens.

 

Been there,more than once.Suck it up and go, all you can do is hope for the best and be prepared for the worst.Tried to keep this post from being too gross.

 

I got food poisoning once, was unstrapping on a jobsite when it hit me. Got that load off, picked up the next one nearby. I had let the main office know soon as I left the site, still picked up the next one bc it was nearby. Headed for a mutual terminal and dropped it there. I don't know that it would have mattered if I didn't pick up that next load, but I had already committed to doing it. However, heaving up neon green stomach acid at 35 mph (couldn't even get her stopped in time) out the open door will make you reconsider doing anything but laying down next to a pail with a big bottle of water/gatorade. Tell you what: 2 days in the sleeper wondering "if this is what it's like to die, hurry it up!" and I'll never worry about picking up that next load after that. God. Horrible.
Don't be afraid to tell your dispatcher that you're in no condition to work. Sucks as an O/O bc customers really aren't interested in why you can't meet your obligation

 

Just a cautionary tale: Although hand sanitizer is a really convenient way to go, when I was in CNA class (prep for Nursing, which fell apart on me) they told us it can actually do more harm than good. Recommended method is only to use it once in every 4 times you wash your hands...The other times use soap and water. Oh, and seriously, spend at least 20-30 seconds on the soaping/scrubbing portion alone and rinse well.

 

There was a great thread on backup toilet ideas on here at one point, not sure if it could still be found. I am def going to have some form of backup in case something hits my stomach and I am stuck in traffic or cant pull over for a bit to find a bathroom. I would hate to pull off an exit and block traffic to run into a gas station.

 

Always remember, you are in charge of your truck. If you feel that you can't make it safely down the road, it's time to stop.

Having said that, there's a big difference in a queasy stomach, and having to live in the restroom for a few hours, or longer. Make sure your boss knows what's happening, maybe they can repower the load, or call the customer with a delay, or similar.

 

I can be sitting at home sick not making money just aswell as going down the road sick...just stop when you have to stop.

I took at load to jersey city a year or so ago from north of pittsburgh with food poisoning and I swear i stopped at every rest area along I80 and a couple of on-ramps but I still made money.