Craps. Can't believe what happened today. Need a hug.
I never miss work unless I'm really sick. Only late when held up in traffic unexpectedly.
The lab schedule is put out monthly. I get a copy, highlight my days and hours and keep it on the kitchen countertop.
Somehow, this past Wednesday or Thursday, I was double-checking the schedule and saw that I wasn't on this weekend. Somehow I'd remembered being scheduled for today, so I triple-checked it: not on. Both days off.
So I slept in this morning, coasted through my chores, ate breakfast, and headed to the kitchen to clean up. While sorting through mail and returning paid bills to my 2014 folder, I put my schedule on top of the pile of new bills to be paid. Where I saw, clearly highlighted, that I was supposed to be in the lab at 7:30 this morning.
It was just before 11am. I grabbed my phone out of my purse, found a voicemail "where are you? you ok?" from the lab. Raced in at 11:30.
I am so horrified. I have never done anything like this. Ever. I don't get it. I double and triple-checked the effing schedule. The only difference I can see is that I used a different highliter on today, lighter and fluorescent. It disappears a bit if the light is intense enough. Was there brilliant sunshine on Thursday? I don't understand how I could have missed it. I triple-checked because I'd remembered being scheduled for today. I was actively looking for it....and not seeing it.
I don't know if I accidentally looked at the wrong month -- I was cleaning up and have a vague memory of putting away December or November...I had left one of them out for some reason a couple weeks back.
I can't believe I did this. I feel like god hates me or something. Like the evil gods played some dirty pool with me. I was so happy this morning, full of energy and plans for the weekend. Now I feel like crap.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I am sure everyone has done this, at least once, in their working lives...
And the fact that you got the voicemail means they were worried........NOT pissed off.
It was a mistake, not a sin. It's OK. Relax and do what you need to do, for yourself, OK?
More or less.
I was in Chicago when I was scheduled to be somewhere else. Before cell phones.
I like Chicago too, making it all the more suspect.
All my fault.
Nobody died and I kept my job.
Nothing lost, I'm probably the only person in this universe who remembers.
Still, an uncomfortable memory.
Everyone makes mistakes. How did they treat you when you finally got to work?
If you are always punctual, they should realize this was a fluke.
Here's a little hug to help you feel better:
I will say this: when I make mistakes -- and boy have I made them, and yes on the order of yours -- I always find that my own stupidity bothers me much more than it bothers anyone else.
You may not be able to sleep well, if at all, but in a day or two you'll feel more yourself, and within a week, this crazed and horrible, and embarrassing and stressful day will begin to shrink in your rear view mirror. You seem to be so conscientious that this abnormal day won't have any long lasting effect on our good reputation or the esteem that others have for you. Believe me.
That's your boss's job. 
and I've also done it the other way. One time I had a class substituted at a time I would never have normally agreed to. I kept forgetting the class. I think I forgot it at least three times.
Like magical thyme, I am very conscientious about my job. It escapes me how I could have done that not once, not twice, but three times.
Cher
I had a little mead and a chocolate pudding cup. That is helping. We'll just keep that secret between us. M'kay? Or I'll get in trouble for spreading woo. 
I didn't know I screwed up until the next day when I got called in to the supervisor's office as soon as I walked in the door.
It was awful.
It is like 30 years later and I still feel squicky when I think about it.
It seems that missing work is entirely out of the ordinary for you - your coworkers should know that and understand.
...and stay away from the fluorescent highlighter. 
I hate it when things really screw with my head like that but as mistakes go, it's a teensy one. Have a laugh, eat a piece of chocolate and enjoy all the hugs.
Then they came out with ...White Out for Something we call a ..."pen"
Then on the latest typewriters...something called the "erase key"
Last time I looked they still have a ..."delete key" on computers.
If you were the boss....and this happened to one of your employees..who was almost always responsible and
reliable..would you forgive that person??????
Then forgive yourself.....please....................
I'm feeling much better today. I've gotten most of what I wanted to get done yesterday. It's too cold today for the dog walk or horseplay. Chores are happening in their own time, but the critical stuff is done. I watched Mitt last night and got to laugh at the hubris and self-importance. And have been watching Cheers again today -- Sam and Dianne broke up and they've introduced Frazier. Plus I got another board certification maint course done today with another 100%, so it's 5 down and 31 to go.
I feel bad for letting the morning tech down, but I'm letting it go. It's a hospital lab and we're already on a skeleton crew, which makes it a particularly sucky thing to do/have happen to you. But at least it wasn't a crazy day, at least until synovial fluid arrived, and I did the bulk of that even if I did have to ask a lot of questions. My questions were legit and were intended to make sure I did a good job despite my limited training and experience in them. I don't know why some doctors insist on doing synovial fluids on Saturday afternoons when there is only 1 or at best 2 techs available. They take up to 2 hours of intensive manual workup, and inevitably a slew of EDs arrive at the same time. And of course, yesterday every ED CBC that arrived while I was trying to workup the synovial needed a manual differential. Just to add to the stress!
Cheers! 
