Monday, January 27, 2020

Flu





Well, the flu has caught up with our family.  My husband, Tom, has been sick with a cough for a while now, but nothing too bad and he was able to take part in all of his usual activities.  That all changed this past weekend when it hit him hard and with a high fever.  Yes, these things always happen on the weekend when your family doctor is not available.  I took him to an emergency walk in clinic where they promptly did a flu test on him.  Influenza Type A was the result.  This is not something that can be treated with antibiotics since the flu is a virus.  We can treat the symptoms such as the cough and otherwise the usual rest and lots of liquids.

I am staying busy taking care of him.  First thing on my agenda was to get him comfortable and then make some home-made chicken soup.  We all know that is the best medicine anyway!  I’ve been cleaning and disinfecting everything I can around the house to keep those nasty flu germs down.  The doctor even told us to buy a pack of inexpensive toothbrushes and have him switch out his toothbrush every couple of days and throw out the used ones.  Otherwise he could keep re-infecting himself.  This is the first time I’ve been told to do that when you have the flu.  I’ve always cleaned my toothbrush and I’ve heard of even putting them in the dishwasher to disinfect after being sick but this was new to me.  It makes sense because he certainly wants to get over this nasty bug.  This Thursday is our 40th anniversary so it looks like we will be celebrating it late this year.  In sickness and in health, right! 

I was sick over Christmas but it was Christmas – I simply did not have the time to go to the doctors or to rest, so I did not have a flu test.  It is the time we have everyone over to our house to celebrate the holiday and our busiest time of the year.  I rested up the week after but now I wonder if I had the flu and gave it to him.  Of course, you can catch the flu anywhere and we have been many places so it is impossible to know where you might come in contact with it. 

If any of you are feeling a little under the weather please take care of yourselves and if possible, avoid crowds.  The doctor said if you have a minor illness, such as Tom’s cough, you should be very careful since your resistance is down and you are more likely to catch something like the flu. 

When I started this blog I had hoped to keep up with it a little better than I have recently, but as I said in my first post “Life Happens”.  I have not even had a chance to read the blogs I follow today yet but I hope to get to them soon.

Stay well everyone!
     

37 comments:

  1. I am so sorry to hear that Tom is sick...I hope he recovers from it quickly. I have often been surprised that the toothbrush is never mentioned. I hope you don't catch it, or catch it again if that was what you had over Christmas.

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    1. It is really going around in our area but I worry about him because he has a stent in his heart and some other health complications. You and your husband be careful!

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  2. Maybe you should have some of the chicken soup, too....

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  3. So sorry Tom has the flu. It scared me when I read that he had had a cough...Poppy came home from work last Tuesday feeling bad. He had a sore throat and has been so hoarse I can hardly understand what he says. He is feeling better. Sure hope it doesn't turn into the flu. Hope you don't get sick again. I know what you mean about blogging. I may never catch up again. :) Just can't find the time. Take care. Love, Henny

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    1. I had something like what Poppy had over Christmas. I almost lost my voice it sounded so funny and I still have a cough now. If poppy was sick and then got better tell him to be careful because his resistance is probably still low. If he starts running a fever take him to the doctor.

      You just blog when you can - everyone understands and loves you when ever you can blog! I know I'll never be one that can blog every day but I'd like to be at least weekly or a little more. You and Poppy take care of yourselves Henny!

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  4. Influenza is a miserable beast, isn't it? Take care of yourself while you're busy taking care of your husband. Hope he feels better soon! Blogs have to take a back seat when life happens :)

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    1. Flu is no fun, that is for sure! I am so new at blogging that I still don't have a rhythm set up as to when and how often I post. I'll probably never post as often as I'd like to but I'm working on it. Take care Jenny!

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  5. The flu is not to be underestimated, as you know of course. I am sure your husband is under the best care imaginable and will soon be right as rain again - but it takes time, especially after the virus has left the body, to build up one's strength again.
    The suggestion about toothbrushes sounds reasonable. I shall remember it next time I am ill (which happens very rarely - I guess travelling by public transport so much has made my immune system very strong!).

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    1. I am glad to hear you are rarely ill. You may be correct that traveling public transport does improve your immune system. I worked in a medical office for many years and built up my immune system while there until I got in my 60's and it starting failing me again.

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  6. Flu is awful - I once lost nearly 2 stones in weight - but the things that's often not mentioned is how depressed you can feel once you seem physically better.

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    1. You are right about that. I wonder if part of it is because you feel so isolated when sick and you don't feel like doing anything. The flu is bad in the area where we live right now.

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  7. I don't know how to say this so I will just be blunt - it appears that you have been married to a teddy bear for forty years! I hope that Tom is much better by Thursday - your Ruby Wedding.

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    1. Yes, a teddy bear! I don't think he is going to feel much better for at least a week or two considering how he is now. We will celebrate our anniversary at a later date.

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  8. Ugh, I had the flu years ago, and it was horrible. Hopefully he will feel better soon, and you will be spared.

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    1. Thank you Sharon. You are right, it is no fun. We are taking one day at a time.

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  9. I hope Tom is feeling better and stays well after this flu. In sickness and in health--yes. :) Happy anniversary to you guys! Celebrating later is fine. Life happens. And with the blogging...I could never have kept up blogging every day. Just blog whenever you can. We'll be here. :)

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    1. Thanks Rita. He is still pretty miserable but he is resting and I'm trying to get liquids in him.

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  10. With all best wishes Bonnie and get well soon to Tom. You know I am always thinking of you and a bond that we have through blogging and beyond. xx

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    1. Thank you Rachel. Your friendship is important to me.xx

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  11. The flu is a hard one this year! Take care of yourself...it took me about three weeks to get rid of the head cold that I had. My husband is still coughing and has been since Christmas.

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    1. You two please be careful. This flu is the last thing you need right now especially! It is a bad flu this year and is all over our area. I've had a cough since Christmas too, but this flu has really knocked Tom back.

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    2. Sending get well wishes to your husband Bonnie. He is lucky to have you to care for him. I hope you get rid off your cough soon. Take care.

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  12. Bonnie - on my post today you speak of not liking. some of the recipes you try in your slow cooker. I was the same and I found (friend's advice) I was putting too much liquid in (none can escape in the form of steam.) A good idea if you are making a casserole is to put in no liquid but add a tin of chopped tomatoes

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    1. Thank you, that is excellant advice. I will try that. It is so good to see you here!

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  13. Could they not give your husband Tamiflu at the clinic? I've heard that if you catch the virus early enough they can administer that and it will drastically shorten the duration of the flu. Sometimes it's not available though, especially when there are big outbreaks like we're having now all over the country. South Carolina has been well above average in number of cases and our local hospitals are full to overflowing. I took a flu shot back in October and am crossing my fingers that I don't catch another strain of it.

    Homemade chicken soup is a wonder drug! I sure hope Tom is better soon. He will need extra care for a while, though. The flu can really take it out of a person!

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  14. We discussed Tamiflu with the doctor but she felt like he had it for too long in order for it to be effective. Thank you for the suggestion though. I took Tamiflu once when I had the flu and I think it helped a little. We are having a large flu outbreak here too. So many are sick. We did get the flu shot too - you just never know if it will be the right one for the strain of flu.

    Thank you for your kind words!

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  15. I was just checking in to see if if you had posted an update...hope Tom is feeling better by now and you have not caught it (again if that is what you had over the holidays)

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    1. Thank you Rose. He is still sick but slowly improving. If not better by next week I will take him back to the doctors. I have not been feeling my best but I don't think I have the flu, thank goodness. I'm just staying busy looking after Tom. You take care!

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  16. I was so in hopes he was about back to normal. Maybe if he felt better you could get to feeling more normal. It is just hard when our mates are sick.

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  17. I hope your hubby is well soon. That is new to me about the toothbrushes harboring flu germs, but it makes sense.

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    1. Thank you Terra for your well wishes. He is getting a little better slowly. Welcome to my blog.

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  18. Why is it that flus and colds go around at Christmas time. Get well rapidly to your husband.

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    1. Thank you Red for your good wishes. I think so many people get together over the holidays and more germs get passed around unfortunately.

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