back from the dead (flu)

[A Quiet Boom]

Wow,

It's nice to have the energy to sit at my comp again. I've been down since the Wed before last. No energy, could hardly eat and what I did eat came out one end or the other. It got really bad when I couldn't even keep my anti-anxiety medicine down so on top of being sick I was nervous as well. I called my psych and he told me to go to the ER, wound up on IV for fluids and having blood tests run. Sure enough the ER doc told me this thing has been knocking totally healthy people down like the plague. Matter of fact she told me I'd have been worse of if I hadn't drank plenty of Gatorade and Propel water. Anyway they got some food in me later that day and put me on the "BRAT" diet for a few days (banana's, rice, applesauce and toast) yuck! but at least I kept it all down. I was also told to stay home all this week from work which is very tough for me since I love my job and frequently put in late hours. Finally I'm getting the strength back and actually just got back from dinner with the wife. Anyway this thing is a nasty one, I learned on a machinst's board of a member's friend who died from it, another member who is a teacher whose had about 60% absence rate with students and faculty.

Just a warning, don't make the mistake I did and push yourself if you get this thing. Stay home, drink lots of clear fluids and try that BRAT diet. If you're not better in a few days get to a hospital.

Stay well guys, spring's almost here!

[azasadny]

Christian,

This season's flu seemed (to me, at least) to be especially severe. Everyone in my family had it at one time or another between Dec and Feb and we were all very sick. Not pleasant at all! My appendix ruptured last April and I had emergency surgery and I swear I felt worse from this flu than I did from the ruptured appendix, and that's pretty bad!

[Don Ro]

Originally posted by A Quiet Boom
Wow,

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Bad wine?
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Just funnin'.
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Take care.

[dd74]

Christian - I feel for you, man. I'm glad you're on the mend. I got it too the day before a race event at Willow Springs, last Wednesday. Nothing keeps me down - if I get sick, I sweat it out on my road bike, weights or the treadmill, but damn if this one wasn't the worst flu I've had in years. I'd be talking to my kid and "pow" fall asleep right in front of her. It was weird. I finally gave in, because I was about to O.D. on allergy medicine - which I first thought this was - allergies. I ended up spending two days basically in bed, sleeping ten hours at a time; this when I'm usually a five hour a night sleeper. I just had to give in to it. I've seen too many people get pneumonia simply because they won't allow themselves to rest - that's when things get real bad.

[ubiquity0]

Its been brutal here as well. I think I've been off work more this winter than in the past 5 years combined. Its pretty much the same for all my coworkers.

I wonder if the vaccine shortage at the beginning of Winter allowed more nastier strains to develop?

[SteveStromberg]

Had It twice this year Kicked my Arse.

[A Quiet Boom]

Yeah,

So far this thing has knocked out the owner of my company for a week, our chemist for several days and one other worker, I got it the worst though mainly because I pushed myself for several days after getting it, even working late on my CNC mill a few nights. Twelve hour days when you're sick are a very bad idea. One of my customers told me he has had so many call-offs this year he almost thought it was a strike LOL. I'm pretty susceptable to the lower GI's anyway so I sort of blew it off at first but like dd74 said, all of the sudden it just knocked me out. After a full day of not keeping anything solid down I figured I'd have a GNC meal replacement shake made with milk (I lift and use these for extra protein) another dumb idea, that came up right away. Not until I got to the ER did I find out everything I was trying to eat was only making the problem worse, especially dairy. I drink at least a half gallon of milk everyday plus cream in my coffee and I love cheese. I also love red sauces on my pasta, another bad thing to eat when you're sick like this. I'm laughing now but I sure wasn't a few days ago. My mother dropped off a pot of homemade chicken soup some of which I'm scarfing down even at this late hour, I swear that stuff is magic! Thanks mom

ubiquity0, I'd bet you're right. Our chemist is 74 and got the flu shot because he had a heart attack last year and he still got the flu, what's that tell you? Of course he goes to the doctor the minute he doesn't feel right unlike my stupid butt.

[dd74]

The dumbest thing I did was the Tuesday night before it hit me on Wednesday: I went to a dinner party at an ex-Warner Bros. exec's house and had two martinis while on four Tylenol allergy pills with Tylenol aspirin to boot. Man, I didn't kow whether to puke, go to the hospital, or call a priest. I was supposed to be at the track the next day at 7AM. No telling how much of a danger I could have been to the other drivers and myself.

Of course, now I'm the king of phlegm and incessant disgusting old man coughing of the Lucky Strike filterless sort.

[pwd72s]

Cindy & I both had it earlier this year...I lost weight, but I doubt that "the stomach flu diet" would be a book that would fly off the shelves. Maybe an infomercial would work?

[M.D. Holloway]

I can understand what you went through completely, it does feel good to be on the mend.

My upper res infection progressed to pneumonia last week, my son had got pneumonia the week before right after his busting his arm (he hasn't been sick in 3 years!), and the same week my wife had this gut flu that looked like it nearly killed her.

If I didn't know any better I would think it was bio-terrorism. Nothing like a flu to bang on the national productivity!

[A Quiet Boom]

Lube,

Take care of yourself with that pneumonia, my father who never smoked a day in his life and was very healthy got double pneumonia about 15 years ago, he couldn't even climb the stairs for weeks and swears he's never been the same since. The gut flu your wife got sounds like what I had, hoping all three of you get well very soon.

pwd72s,

Fortunately I only lost 2 lbs, but it felt like I'd lost 30!

I heard from my boss today and they've installed anti-bacterial soap dispensers at all the sinks and put disinfectant wipes near all the telephones. A small company like ours cannot afford to have key people out for long periods.

[bell]

glad to hear you're getting better christian

[A Quiet Boom]

Originally posted by bell
glad to hear you're getting better christian

Much better, thank you. Only trouble now is my sleep cycle is all screwed up. I just woke up after crashing out watching TV after evening meal. Sometime next week weather permitting we should get together and go for a bike ride, I know some nice trails not too far from home. You do have a mountain bike don't you?

[RickM]

...and they said this year was not especially bad for the flu. Wait for that Bird flu crap to start kickin in.....