Germaphobia

I am not a germaphobe -- honestly.  But after listening to the news the last couple of weeks and hearing about all of the stuff out there, it's hard not to think about the microbial world that operates under the radar.  It's a good thing that our eyes aren't more keen because who would WANT to see all that stuff?

The flu -- it's BACK.  Apparently, this year's flu shot didn't quite get it right and we have a strain that it more or less misses.  Today I perused the CDC's information brochure online that discusses all of the whys and wherefores of the flu. 

And a few other sites just to be sure I'd be thoroughly confused.

Here's what I can tell you about the flu for 2014 that is going around, shutting down schools, and wreaking havoc on Christmas plans in families all across America!!

1.  So what if I am exposed to it?  You'll have to wait from 24 hours to 4 days to find out if you get it or not.

2.  So then what?  Well, if you do come down with it, you could expose everyone around you a day before you  show signs of it yourself.  That's reassuring.

3.  And if you get it?  Well, you get tested at the doctor's office or stat care or the ER by means of a nasal swab which will show the presence of the virus. 

4.  And?  Then you get a prescription for Tamiflu which should shorten your flu by about 2-3 days as long as you went for treatment within a couple of days.

5.  How long does it last?  5-7 days

6.  How long are you contagious?  Maybe 7-10 days if you are a kid.  If you are a grownup, shorter time period.  Or go with the one website that declares that if you have not had a fever for 24 hours without use of medication, you are probably okay.  It probably would help if you aren't coughing or sneezing though.

7.  How do you get it?  Exposure to the virus that is in the droplets of liquid that come from your nose when you sneeze or that are expelled when you cough.  Apparently, and this is the good news, casual contact is not generally enough.

8.  Does this mean that I might want to don a mask if I'm caring for sick kids, etc.?  You are DARN RIGHT it does.  This is my own opinion; I didn't see anything about masks, and actually, the little viruses are probably smaller and would go right through. 

9.  Does this mean that the entire family needs to know if someone has the flu or has been exposed?  Again, see the answer to #8.

10.  Does this mean that Christmases all over the U.S. are probably on hold in some cases?  Yep, it does.

What about Santa?  I'm not too worried about that right now, how about you?

So that's my best take on the whole thing, but if you are confused as to whether or not you have a cold or the flu, the symptoms are about the same in a lot of cases.  Helpful, aren't I?  Here's the big difference.  If you get the feeling that you've been hit by a Mack truck and symptoms come fast and furious, you probably have the flu.  Colds come on gradually, one symptom at a time.  The flu hits hard.  Headaches come early.  The nasal discharge is thinner, I'm thinking.

So consult the doctor, for sure.  But maybe this will help you decide if you have a problem or not.

My granddaughter, Ella, was diagnosed with flu yesterday afternoon.  So she won't be over for Christmas Eve and I'm so sad about it.  I'm sad that my daughter-in-law won't be over either.  And if Ella's brother comes down with it in the meantime, he might not be able to come either.  This is turning into a weather mess for Christmas Eve and a sickness mess!! 

Take care, good friends.  We're getting to the end of another blogging year and I want to thank those of you who keep reading.  We'll talk about 2015 soon.