H1N1 and winged piggies

[davefreer]

I know - it's in the millions in the US. And the death toll is relatively small, thank heavens. But it's about to impact Southern Africa. And I think that may make Mexico look healthy. Our health ministry says its all under control - ooh look another winged pig flutters past... spreading disease! Which is why official numbers jumped from IIRC 8 on

Comments

[fear_the_drool]

Don't know about your nephew, but H1N1 is nasty. Both Molly and I caught it (official statistics, after 3 weeks of official denial).

We basically got better with antibiotics (for any secondary infections), sleep, tons of liquids and time. Took 3 weeks of painful, feverish time to get over it (mostly).

Funny thing, appetite never goes away on this one. You feel fine, when sitting down. Get up to use bathroom/etc and you spike to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Sit down, all better. 3 weeks hardcore. Couple more draining (at least me, still hanging in upper chest. Yechh).

Molly, with all her problems healed up before me. Go figure.
I wish you and yours wellness and luck!

john
fear the drool, i am basset

[davefreer]

Good to know you both got better, Basset. I worry about Joe (nephew) and my older boy (he's fit and tough, but asthmatic)
Dave

[fear_the_drool]

Well, Sylvia is a hardcore asthmatic. Never even touched her. A mild infection 1-2 days, that's it. Kid and I were dying, hacking, coughing, draining everywhere (well, we were trying to be good about it), house was on quarantine (complete, for 5 weeks). She had no problems. Pissed me off that did, lol!

I wanted to make everyone as miserable as I was! Especially her, with all the snarky/smug comments from my "loyal" wife. Ha!

With any luck, he'll breeze past it all too. Stock up on antibiotics tho. I believe it's the secondaries that really make this bad/fatal. It seemed to us to be a longer version of regular flu ('cept, all upper respiratory and feeling normal when no exertion).

john
fear the drool, i am basset

[seaboe]

John said: "It seemed to us to be a longer version of regular flu ('cept, all upper respiratory and feeling normal when no exertion)."

The "all upper respiratory" is what makes it flu. Influenza is a respiratory disease, not a gastro-intestinal one.

I cannot recommend "Flu" by Gina Kolada highly enough. I think it should be one of those "everybody reads" books (except they always pick fiction books instead).

Lisa S. in Seattle

[reverancepavane]

Of course, the curious thing about the 1918 Spanish Flu was the death rate amongst healthy individuals. This was because it wasn't the flu which killed the patients, but rather the immune system's response to it's presence. Immunologically impaired individuals were actually safer.

[davefreer]

Yes, at first they thought that was the case this time too, but it turned out not so. Might still go that way, of course.

[fear_the_drool]

Yeah, wait for the wetter, colder winter. Then wham-o! Come back harder, mutated and deadlier. That's when I hope Molly's and my antibodies work. I figure we're immune. I hope.

It sucked. A mild form, really sucked. I. Don't. Want. To. . A. Deadlier. Form.....