H1N1

Holding It All Together - by Amy McCollom - swine flu

Are you panicked about the H1N1 virus? I'm not anymore. I've stared the knarly beast in the face and walked away still alive. Well, presumably. Last Thursday one of my little people came down with a fever, cough, and aching muscles. After a trip to the doctor it was presumed to be H1N1, but they don't test for that on a regular basis. The treatment is the same whether it is the "swine flu" or any other variety. Rest, fluids, pain reliever, and stay away from people.

One by one the girls in my family succumbed to the virus. Big to little, my sick ward became full of pink pillows, stuffed horses, and cups of chicken soup for the sickly. I cornered off one of the bedrooms in the children's' wing as my sick bay.

At first I was hyper-paranoid about germs. I wore rubber gloves and a mask and was spritzing everything down with bleach cleaner. I used half a bottle of hand sanitizer before my husband got home from work. Then in an absent-minded moment, I kissed a child on the head just as she sneezed...and realized I was fighting an uphill battle.

Feeling a bit like Rambo, I tied my hair back, rolled up my sleeves, and went in bare-faced and ready to fight. Ok H1N1, you want to take me on....go right ahead. I had come to the conclusion that I might as well get the sickness and then get over it, since vaccines are few and far between. Then I will build up my own antibodies and not have to walk on egg shells the rest of the flu season. I wouldn't recommend just anyone doing this.

If you have an under-lying health condition such as asthma, that puts you at greater risk for developing a more serious infection such as pneumonia. The regular seasonal flu kills people too. On average 36,000 people die from flu-related complications and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related causes each year. So the flu is nothing to sneeze at, pardon the pun.

I'm just saying, don't get caught up in the hype and hysteria about the H1N1 flu, or the seasonal flu. Arm yourself with knowledge, and perhaps some vitamin C. There are people who have the virus right now and don't know it because they only have a few symptoms, thinking they have allergies or something mild. If you've touched a dollar bill, you've probably already been exposed. It's everywhere. Get the facts from a reputable web site such as http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm . And stop already with the masks and rubber gloves. If you're sick, stay home and don't share it with everyone. Be responsible. Talk to your health care provider. And for crying out loud, get your yearly flu vaccine. Get the H1N1 vaccine when it's available. Oh, and wear your seatbelt, and don't smoke if you're so concerned about dying. Just quit freaking out already.