Sunday, January 6, 2013

CONTAGIOUS!




How many of you reading this right now are sick with the flu, stomach flu, headcold, sore throat?  Or all of the above.  Right now, around here,  a lot of people are sick, including my husband and me.  Doctors no longer hand out antibiotics like candy, with good reason.  So, if whatever you have morphs into an infection, it takes even longer to feel well again.

After nine days of having this sickness in our home, I am pondering ways to avoid having any more of this type of thing for the rest of this winter.  Last year neither one of us had any cold or flu sickness. It was wonderful. 

You know how when you are watching the news and see so many people in Asia wearing medical face masks?   At this point, having only slept three hours a night for the past several days,  even with taking a tad of Nyquil, I think the face mask thing may be a good idea.

While getting ready to go on a meds run to Walgreens,  I saw the reflection of my sinus-swollen face, white cracked lips, blood shot eyes, red swollen nose, and static filled hair.  I was thinking a Burka (burqa) would have been even better than a face mask, not only would it keep others from being exposed to this contagion but also from seeing the way I looked.  If only there were short Burkas that wouldn't interfere with driving.

So I went there and possibly spread my sickness to someone else, though I tried not to.  My husband was required to be at work during the holidays, so I am sure he spread some of our cold cooties around.  Someone else had spread their germs to him. If there was a way everyone could stay home when they were sick, especially school kids, I think we would all stay healthier. As far as staying home from work, many people are doing the work of two people these days at their job, and the work piles up if they don't go in because they or their kids are sick.  Sick kids go to school, and sick parents must go to work.  And so, we all just keep recycling our colds, and flu amongst each other until Summer.

So friends, how about those medical face masks? Any takers?  Has their time come?  We could make them into a fashion trend, like jeggings, or Ugg boots.  They could be made in colors to coordinate with our outfits----Fever driven contemplation; time for more acetaminophen.


On a serious note, that's my Mom and  Dad's house late 1930's - early 1940's pictured here in this post. This is the house that I grew up in.  I believe it was a quarantine for either measles or diphtheria.  The little girl behind the glass door was my sister.  Thankfully, there are now vaccinations available, if people choose to receive them, for  measles, diphtheria, polio, mumps, and even chicken pox, and flu virus. These illnesses were no laughing matter, especially in the time before antibiotics.  It would have worried me no end to have been raising kids before polio vaccinations were available.

I have had this blog post ready for three days now. I was unable to load my pictures into it until today. I found a help site which said it was in the process of being fixed, a "go around" while fixing would be to go to Google Chrome.  I (my husband)  had to install Google chrome before I was able to load my pictures from my computer into the blog.  In my last blog post it worked perfectly well with Internet Explorer. Go figure.  Update:  We still have our colds/flu, but are just now starting to feel better.

6 comments:

  1. What a great historic pic, is it in St Louis?
    My MIL is in "lock down" at her senior apartment complex! They want no one visiting each other.
    My husband never gets sick has had chills cough etc since NY eve. I just have a scratchy throat. Everyone at work was dropping like flies before christmas. I was always wiping everything down!
    Get well soon

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  2. So glad you are feeling better Susie, not fun having the flu, we had our share of sickness last January. , and have my fingers crossed that it won't happen again this year. I am for wearing masks, they would be a lot cheaper than Ugg boots! Smile~
    I remember hearing of quarantines from my mother!.
    Get well soon.
    Blessings,
    Sue

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  3. I pray this week with find your household well on the mend :) I have seriously thought of those mask, to prevent spreading germs or taken them in.... especially in the doctors office,and in the ER etc.
    Blessings on your week

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  4. So sorry you've been so awfully ill, and so pleased you and yours are on the mend. But I have to say Susie, your post was delightfully written and entertaining. Along with all you said, easy travel is not helping either - domestic flights and international.
    Hope you'll be smiling again soon and not be wishing for a burqa!!

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  5. I am sorry to hear that you have been sick. Glad to know that you are feeling better now. The winter months are the cold and flu season and it seems that everywhere you go people are coughing and sick. Take good care of yourself and get well soon. Blessings!

    Danielle

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  6. Hope you're feeling a bit better now Susie. I've been in the same boat with a chesty cough for a fortnight now. I'm even trying some Olive Leaf extract suggested by Rose- from Oz. I'm getting better, but since I just started on the Olive Leaf I can't say it's that, at least not that quick.

    I hope those flowers for spring bloom as they are on the packet.

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