March 03, 2009
Flu
My youngest had it first, then oldest with the stomach variety. I got it and it sucks. I did get the Flu shot back in October but we all know that is a 50/50 proposition. I get the shot every year but fortunately I have been Flu free for 10 years or more.Saturday morning I woke up with severe congestion. I looked around for some antibiotics to self medicate but everything in the medicine cabinet had expired. I don't have a spleen so I don't take chances with secondary infections. Spleen less persons are susceptible to bacteria not encountered before they lost their spleen.
Bad news for me, I had to line up at the urgent care clinic. The place was packed and we were all there for the same reason. I waited 2 hours to see the one doctor on duty. She listened to my chest and within 3 minutes I had a prescription and was out of there.
During the 2 hour wait I sat in the outer lobby, not wanting to sit in a germ laden waiting room begging to get whatever else might be crawling around. While I was waiting I asked the pharmacist wandering the halls what this Flu was all about.
Pharmacists are always more willing to share details doctors avoid and here is what I was told about this Flu.
It starts in the throat, enters the chest in a couple of days. Half the patients experience gastrointestinal issues in time. The upper respiratory symptoms can last up to 4 weeks. While I was waiting for my meds a young man was quizzing the kind pharmacist about how to hasten recovery. He was told Mucinex, the expectorant not the suppressant.
Day 5 and I am getting better. Appetite is back and the fever threatening last night did not develop into a sheet drenching nightmare.
I searched Twitter for "Flu" and found others sufferers talking about it.
Google has a great feature for tracking the Flu with Google Flu Trends.
Twitter and Google tell us this bug is widespread.
