Weekend Assignment: Sick!
Fresh when it gets here from
Julie Barrett
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Are you one of those lucky people who hardly ever get sick, or do you tend to catch every cold or flu or virus that comes along? And when you do get some infectious disease, do you stay home, or try to keep going?
Funny you should select this topic. I'm at home while the guys are out to lunch today. I'm nursing a 7-Up and running a low-grade temperature. It's the crud. Again. I've been fighting it off and on all fall, which is sort of typical for me. Some years are worse than others, and this seems to be a worse year. Why? It's a rainy fall. The mold counts are way out of sight. As a result my sinuses go into overdrive. I think that fighting that makes me a little more susceptible to the garden variety crud.
Having said that, I didn't get the flu when Chris had it, and it was a golden opportunity for me, having just finished FenCon and dealing with a case of the concrud. Chris had Type A, which may or may not have been Swine Flu. The doctor didn't think so, and wasn't inclined to send a sample to the CDC. He came around with Tamiflu and antibiotics.
Stay at home, or keep going? Well, considering I work from home, I tend to keep going. But if I'm in a position where I have to get out and interact with people, I use coughing and temperature as a benchmark. I keep hand sanitizer and a container of sanitizing wipes by my computer and wipe down any items I share with others, like the telephone. (Bring on the telephone sanitizer jokes!) I've discovered that if wipe my keyboard and mouse down a couple of times a day that I generally tend to get over the nasty stuff sooner. The effect may be psychological, but it doesn't matter. But since I do tend to get a lot of what goes around (and the low-level crud is generally no worse than dealing with allergies), I tend to work through it.
Extra Credit: Are you getting a flu shot this year?
Already have. Like Karen, I'll probably skip the Swine Flu shot unless my doctor thinks it's a really good idea. I do have asthma, but I seem to be at an age where I have a higher immunity. But when I get the flu, I'm really sick. I haven't had the flu in quite some time, but about five years ago did come down with what my doctor called a "flu-like virus that's been going around." He stressed that it wasn't the seasonal flu, but I couldn't tell the difference. It hit fast. At 4:00 I was dancing around with the DI team, and by 6:00 I was on the phone with the doctor begging to be put out of my misery. So while I'm aware the shot doesn't protect me against everything, it certainly lessens the odds of getting that ill.
I've rambled enough. The guys are back from lunch.
Tags: Weekend Assignment
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Karen Funk Blocher said:
I read this when you posted it, and I'm still trying to settle in my mind what "the crud" is! Cold + Allergies, perhaps? I hope you're feeling better - I am!
Date: 11/1/2009 2:45:55 AM
Date: 11/1/2009 2:45:55 AM
Karen Funk Blocher said:
I read this when you posted it, and I'm still trying to settle in my mind what "the crud" is! Cold + Allergies, perhaps? I hope you're feeling better - I am!
Date: 11/1/2009 2:45:55 AM
Date: 11/1/2009 2:45:55 AM
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