Normal

Yes, I’m back to feeling, what is for me, pretty much normal again. I’ve been out of “quarrantine” since Friday and have gotten out of the house a few times now. It is good to be able to get out and about. Having been confined for much longer periods of time that this episode, I am very thankful for when I’m not confined for what ever reason.

The Lord saw fit to let me fulfill my obligation as the Sunday School sub. I’m thankful for that as well as the opportunity to serve Him and the church in that capacity. Though I do have to admit I feel I probably profit much more from it than the church does. I plan to write about the lesson this coming week. I figure in hindsight I’ll be able to present it better than I did this morning.

Maybe I Spoke Too Soon

Yesterday I thought I was about over this nastiness.  Last night my streak of two nights sleeping well was broken by bouts of burning up and chilling.  These bouts continue today.  I hope I didn’t see my “tunnel” prematurely.  But tomorrow was the soonest the doctor said I could expect to be over this so perhaps it’ll be better the next 12-24 hours.  I certainly hope so at least.

Is That A Tunnel I See?

Yes, I feel like there actually may be a tunnel out there, coming into view, that may have a light at its end. Perhaps I’m about to round the proverbial corner on beating this flu? I think may be!

The last two nights I have actually slept pretty well. My headache is intermittent now, only flaring after reading, watching the TV or looking at the computer screen for what my body decides is “too long”. The pesky cough and chills still reside though. I am glad to report the cough is much less intense and more sporadic now.

H1N1: A Disease That Affect Us All | HealthMad

H1N1: A Disease That Affect Us All

A new article I wrote about the H1N1 Swine Flu virus posted on the Internet health website Health Mad.  I hope you like it and get something from it.

One Week In

I am about one week into having the flu now.  Thankfully the symptoms are beginning to ease up a bit now.  The aches and dizziness have lessened, as have the sniffles.  The headache is almost gone now, too.  Unfortunately, the cough is still here, but tempered by the cough syrup my doctor prescribed.  And the chills from the fever are still holding onto me.  The chill/sweat cycle is the worst, for me, at this point I think.  Overall, it has been a fairly miserable week I must admit.  My doctor says that I need to be cough and fever free, without taking any medication, for at least 24 hours before I can go out.  Thursday will be the first possible day for that.  I am cautiously optimistic that I’ll meet those criteria by then.

Swine Flu: Pandemic or Panic-demic?

Image by mkandlez via Flickr

A pretty comprehensive article on the influenza pandemic of the H1N1 virus. The author contends that over hyped accounts are leading to panic, not solutions and offers good advice and solutions, as well as rational insight, on the situation and virus. A must read!

Swine Flu: Pandemic or Panic-demic?

Shared via AddThis

Just Chillin’

I am about three days into my flu experience now.  I am still going from chilling to burning up, chilling right now.  Yesterday the high here was a bit over 80 if I remember right.  I wore sweat pants and a long sleeved thermal shirt with an undershirt all day.  I removed the thermal a bit ago but think it’s getting ready to go back on.

Tomorrow we have company coming in from Pittsburgh.  It is an outing that we’ve been planning for at least a month.  I am not going to be able to attend and am pretty disappointed about it.  Of course, I wouldn’t want to be so selfish as to risk contaminating anyone, thus me staying home and away from the gathering, but I really wish I could go.

Back to the flu, I am fairly miserable.  I don’t know that the actual symptoms are any worse than a regular flu; anytime you are sick it isn’t fun.  But this, for some reason, it affecting how my regular medications work.  I have nerve damage in my legs and take medication for neuropathic pains (similar to diabetic neuropathy) that I have in them.  Normally the meds pretty well keep  the pains in check, with the occasional “break through”.  For what ever reason, this flu seems to be blocking out the meds and making them ineffective.  The result is not only the rottenness of being sick but also having these sharp pains throughout my legs.  They are also hypersensitive, too, a problem I’ve not had in many years.

The Results are In….

…kind of.

I officially have the flu. But what flu I don’t know and probably won’t.

It sees that as of Monday the state of WV is overwhelmed with tests for the H1N1 virus. While a “rapid result” test is available for the regular flu strain, the H1N1, or “swine flu”, takes a minimum of 3 days to do and get results. Since the treatment for both strains are the same, WV, as I understand it, will not test anymore cases and just treat them all the same way.

My treatment is 5 days of Tamiflu and some cough syrup from the pharmacy. And to plan on being down at least another week, perhaps more.

The first dose of Tamiflu is in me now. I’m waiting for the cough syrup to be filled now, probably another 2 hours.

So far the worse things are missing out on a long planned family reunion this weekend, missing time with my grandson and my church family. Oh yeag, and somehow this dea
l has my neuropathy all fired up. And that is pretty miserable, too.

Under the Weather

I’ve been under the weather since Tuesday afternoon, coughing, aching, sneezing, freezing and burning up, among other things. I now sit in my family doctor’s office, adorned with a “fashinable” yellow face mask. I am guessing there is a reason for the fashion accessory I’m wearing. But I hope it isn’t the reason I think it is: H1N1.

I am under or about 24 hours from the onset of symptoms and have hear there is a simple and fast swab test that can identify it if that is the problem. I dearly hope there is and that it is negative. I’ll post more when I know more.