Sick Leave Guilt

I wonder if I'm alone in feeling guilty for being on sick leave? When I wasn't teaching, taking time off work to get better wasn't such an issue. I guess that as a teacher I feel guilt for not being there with my kids. I feel guilty for letting my team down, for using up school funds on CRT cover and for just not being there. In a way, it's all being compounded by the fact that I have heard (through the ever-so-helpful grapevine) that there are people at school questioning whether I'm truly ill and making comments about my commitment to my class.

This afternoon I spoke to my doctor and expressed my feelings to him. He told me that I have to put my health first, as without it, I wouldn't be able to teach anyway. So, let me know - am I alone in feeling guilty for putting my own health before my class? Do you work even though you know your body and/or mind need time to rest and recover? Am I the only one who would be sitting at home with glandular fever, not only feeling as though I should be at school, but also placing orders for graduation bears, typing up notes to parents and planning for the 2013 school year???