I have 2 cake orders for this weekend, one for saturday which is a carousel cake plus 50 cuppies the other is for sunday which includes a 2 tier and 3 tier cake. I baked my cakes thursday like I always do and freezed them. This morning I woke up horribly horribly sick with a cold/borderline flu. I'm coughing and sneezing really bad. I had hoped to get started on the decorations so this morning I rested and hoped I would get better but the opposite has happened and I feel worse. My question to everybody is what would u do in my situation? would u call to cancel the orders or put on a mask and get to work?? I've never dealt with this before so I'm looking for some advice. Thank u in advance.

Well..It is a little late in the game to call and cancel...I realize that you shouldn't work if you are sick etc...but customers are counting on you and you made a committment.I say strap on the mask..wash your hands frequently..don't cough or sneeze near the cakes...do the best you can do...I'm sure workers are always sick in resterants,fast food places etc...germs are going to happen...you can't completely eliminate them.

I'm so sorry you are sick!!! Are you friends with any other decorators that could help you out? When I sold Real Estate I always had a back up person if something went wrong, like if me or my daughter got sick and I couldn't show properties. Sometimes customers would fly in and only be here for a weekend to see vacation properties, so a back up was a must.
I hate the thought of you getting so many other people sick.... but it is also too late for these people to get anyone else to do them. Ahhhh...what a terrible situation! I wish I had the right answer! Maybe you should call them and explain... and pray they are understanding people.

I say take some daytime cold meds, strap a mask on and decorate as best you can! I worked in restaurants for a long time and both front and back of the house works unless they're falling over. Just be mindful of washing your hands etc and you should be fine. Hope you feel better! It's going around!

thank u so much everyone!! for the advice and well wishes I took what u all wrote into consideration and started working....I didn't have a surgical mask so I put a bandana around my nose and mouth and step out every time I have to cough or sneeze and have washed my hands for the upteenth time....my little sister told me i look like a bandit with the bandana and took a picture *sigh* lol.....thanks again everyone!!

I'm sure I won't be popular with this opinion, but this is why flu's become epidemics! If your sick, stay away from peoples food! If you don't have a back up plan to deal with this, the best thing you can do is cancel. Sucks, but that's what happens when your a one man crew. If I found out my baker made my food while sick to the extent you described, I would leave my order with you, and get any money back. A mask and hand washing is not enough when handling food. You have a responsibility to make sure the food you produce is safe to eat. Preparing it while sick is not safe.

I do apologize if this sounds harsh, but as someone who has a child who has a life threatening illness that is aggravated by anything that can produce a fever, it's a major deal for me. There are people who cannot risk getting a regular illness that the rest of us can shake off.

Calhoun, you are right. While my bakery was under construction, I asked the health department about giving cakes away. They approved this except for giving to the very old and very young. My giveaway to a cancer fundraiser was to be baked on a day I had that horrible flu everyone got last year. I was over it, but still very sick. My three daughters got in the kitchen and I gave instructions from a chair across the room. They did a beautiful job with very little experience. I had already found which bakeries had cakes in case I had to buy them. I think if we take orders and we are a one man show, we need a backup plan.

An option... see a doctor in a walk-in clinic and find out if you are contageous and for how long. This is the only reliable source for this information.