Not everyone, but around one in three people, at work are currently struck with the dreaded influenza!
CDC Link
I ran out, and did the correct thing last Fall by getting vacinated, and it probably did two things:
A. Delayed onset.
B. Reduced Severity.
C. Did I say just two things, well here's a third, lessened duration.
In fact if I hadn't insisted on running a fan during the winter I probably would not have become dehydrated (overnight on the night it was so darned cold, and the air so darned dry) to the point where my immune system became overcome - leaving me prey to the dreaded influenza.
This flu was misery! Chills, aches, weakness, sore throat, lung congestion.
But I suspect that I didn't have it as bad as other's I've heard from, and about. Many of those folk were hit with higher temps, while I barely broke a sweat. I was out for three days, essentially ruining my three day (paid holiday) weekend, while many of those folk who skipped out on the shot are still struggling after nearly ten days!
That doesn't mean I should have gone to work today, but I did take a sick day on Tuesday, and actually wanted to get back into the world of the living today - odd of me?
In the meantime I guess I'm immune now, but while on the phone today I talked with folk from around the nation (USA), and I can say this virus is everywhere!
It's not going away, and more than likely it will have its way with you - if you get just a bit overtired, dehydrated, or stressed out. I'm assuming all of us have had, or will have contact with the virus itself, so it's just a matter of giving it a chance to overwhelm.
Image: Ahhh Cream of Wheat
So stock up on all the medicines, and comfort foods, and if you come under the influenza of a bad star don't panic it will most likely pass in a week - leaving you a wisp of what you were, but someone definately more convinced of the frail nature of your own life - a lesson we all can use from time to time.
Image: Ahhh Chicken Noodle Soup
It might also scare the crap out of you to think what would have happened to you if you kept getting worse over the course of just a day or two.
That thought crossed my mind. What if this was bird flu? When you're weak, and in pain, and only want to sleep, its very easy to imagine how easy it would be to slip out of life's embrace without much of a fight.
If it had been a mutation of the bird flu my chances would have been fifty-fifty that I'd be alive today to write this. I sure hope the government that gave up the underwhelming response to Katrina, and who still have not secured our ports, or borders years after 9/11 are trustworthy enough to follow through on the bird flu issue! Because otherwise there's going to be a very big drop in the cost of real estate - globally!
Oh yes, this whole influenza experience explains why I haven't posted in awhile.
But I'm back my loyal readers, I'm back!
Here's an interesting Influeza related link:
FluWatch.Com
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Cream of Wheat: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA01/White/kitchen/Crwheat.jpg
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