Bugery Eyes in a Man's World

So I now have to call my boss to let him know that my beautiful child has pink-eye and that I won't be able to come to work today. I remember having this as a child and thinking that although it was annoying, it's not that bad and I get a day off from school!! But seeing your own child look a lot more Asian than she really is as well as green bugery stuff coming out of her eyes is heartbreaking. I know it's bothering me a lot more than it's bothering her...
So anyway, called my boss to let him know I couldn't come in. Background: I work at a place where there are only two other people who have children. One person's children are grown and the other unfortunately is slightly removed since her job is located away from everyone else's as well as administrative. I also work in an environment that- I'm just going to be brave enough to say- is still very much a man's world. That being said, I literally sat here terrified to call my boss. At this point, let me explain that my boss has never given me grief for having family issues and has even accomadated my weekend schedule by giving me a day off even though that's pretty much what I'm there to do. I guess I'm worried that it is hard for people without children to understand the limitless unforseeable illnesses or injuries that occur to a toddler. I don't think there is a more hazardous occupation than a toddler. I have just put Milynn in full-time daycare so I was aware that she would be getting sick more often as she will be exposed to more germs. It's pretty guilt laden if you break it down: "Here honey, you play here and expose yourself to all these other germy kids while mom goes out and earns money." I'm also not happy at all with my daycare. It's a government owned facility (that we qualify for due to occupation, not need, if that explains it better). I feel that they are completely underpaid and have way too many kids and not near enough staff. For example, a staff member called me today to inform me that I had to pick my child up due to pink eye. She then explained that a different child went home on Friday with pink eye and now on Monday (3 days later) four other kids were being sent home for symptoms. The kicker is that if Milynn would have came into contact with it on Friday she would have had symptoms on Friday or at least by Saturday. My child went to daycare today looking a lot less Asian and not at all bugery eyed. This says to me that she came into contact with the bacteria likely from an unclean surface, toy, etc. Milynn has also been sent home from daycare three times with fevers, had a bleeding diaper rash, and a busted lip all in a three week time span. I feel like I'm dropping my kid off to a germ infested land mine!! I have been lucky that Matt has been able to stay home with her these past weeks while I pretended nothing was wrong and went to work. Not to mention if Matt misses a day of work he still gets paid, not in my case. But luck has certainly run out and he cannot miss more days. I guess I'm worried I will be seen as a fraud, this mom who thinks she can still have a career in a place where being a parent is the minority. I can't count the times I've heard someone at work state in disbelief..."You have a kid!?" I guess I'm a really good fraud at times...
I'm going to hope my boss isn't too mad at me and doesn't think I'm unreliable b/c I have a kid. I think this is a dilema for a lot of working mothers. I love my child with all my heart but I also I love everything about my job. I have no desire to be a stay at home mom. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, in fact it's quite commendable. I just know for myself that I will be a better mom if I can have a seperate life that includes earning money for my family as well as being mom. Here's to hoping the door code doesn't change...