To be on the safe side

What a gloomy day it has been outside. Summer is almost officially over and fall is beginning to show it's face. I have an appreciatation for all of the seasons. But I missed out on enjoying the summer this year. I started a new job in April and have yet to feel comfortable in taking a day off. I'm not one to call in sick because it's always been my fear that I may really get sick one day and will need to have my time banked. I don't call in sick unless I know I am contagious.
It makes me laugh because a lot of people I know will wake up in the morning and just not feel like going to work. So they pick up the phone and put on a groggy voice with maybe a sneeze and a cough as they call their boss to tell them how sick they feel. Or they chalk it up to a mental health day. Which we all need from time to time. Lord knows we over extend ourselves and we just need a break every now and again. But I think i'll just continue saving my vacation and personal time for those kinds of days.
I once knew a woman who was in a very bad car accident. She suffered a compound fracture to her FEMUR bone. The largest bone in the body. Compound meaning that the bone actually split in half and pierced through the skin. Sounds like excruciating pain doesn't it? But luckily, she doesn't recall any kind of pain. I suppose your endorphins kick in when you suffer that kind of trauma and it just masks the pain. Anyway, she had so much banked sick time that she was able to take off of work for 3 whole months with out having to tap into short term disability. STD only pays about 66% of your salary. I don't know who could live on that for an extended period of time but I sure couldn't.
So to be on the safe side.
Don't take sick time unless it's absolutely necessary!