Update

A few days ago, I wrote in my blog about how terribly ill our whole family was. I was t-totally convinced that we had just lived through the H1N1. Since then, our family is feeling much better. We're still really tired by nightfall and have to take more breaks during the day but we're getting much better. Stan is going to work, I returned to my office cleaning job yesterday, Abigayle has been back to school all week. But, Leighlyn has not been able to return to school since last Friday. She feels just as good as we do but, her temp goes up every night and she still has a cough. Until kids have a normal temperature and have not used any drugs to keep it normal for 24 hours, they cannot return to school. As long as someone has a temp, they can pass whatever junk they have on to others. She still has that dog-gone cough! I think that part of it is due to her seasonal allergies.

Last weekend, I was POSITIVE that we had been swined. In the past few days, I have begun to think otherwise about that. For one thing, we are recovering quicker, I think, than most of the H1N1 patients probably are. For another thing, I have learned that in Garden City where H1N1 has been confirmed, that most if not all of those people started off with TERRIBLE breathing problems so severe that arterial blood gases had to be taken to measure just how much oxygen concentration was actually in the blood. Now, that's scary! Then, after all of that, comes the other symptoms most associated with seasonal flu such as vomiting, diarhea, etc., etc.

I still believe that the flu that we had last weekend was worse than any that we have ever had. There were times when I believed that I was going to die. I mean that literally. I spoke with a lady in the health profession yesterday. She described it as people saying that it was terrifically violent. VIOLENT!!! That is the best way that I can describe it.

I would advice everyone to stock up on any and all of the medicines that you usually use to fight fever. (Remember that when fever is high, it is great to alternate the Tylenol with the ibuprofen so that the temp can be lowered quicker.)

Have cold and cough medication on hand.

Have at least a 5-day EXTRA supply of food on hand so that you do not have to leave the house to buy groceries when you are ill. Have the ingredients for the B.R.A.T. diet on hand. That is bananas, rice, applesauce and bread for toast. I recommend the instant rice because it cooks quicker. When you are coming out of the horrific sickness of this, the last thing that you feel like doing is having to stand up for long periods of time to cook, etc.

When the vomiting begins, pull small empty trash cans close to you. (I would definitely recommend that you leave the plastic trashbag in it.) When this junk hits, you don't always have time to get to the bathroom.

Personally, I appreciated having Lysol Disinfecting Spray on hand. To me, I at least felt like the house was fresher and abit more sanitary.

Have kleenexes and PLENTY of toilet tissue handy.

Have Clorox ready to go to work. The only Clorox that actually kills germs is the original WITHOUT the addition of scent such as the floral version. Check out the bottles' labels if you do not believe me on this one.

Have disinfecting cleansers on hand for when you begin to feel better, you can begin to de-germ your house.

Probably most importantly, DO NOT let anyone return to school, to work, to the public in general until his/her temperature has been normal for at least 24 hours without needing to take drugs to keep it normal!!! If you don't want this virus, chances are that no one else wants it either.

Stay well!!!

VLE-B