Oink, oink

The Texan has an iron stomach and a stainless steel constitution. Therefore, it has come as a deep shock to her to get what appears to be full-fledged H1N1 influenza.  She has been down for three days now -- severe gastrointestinal distress and high fever. She says it's the worst she has ever felt in her life. Luckily, her fever started dropping in the wee hours of this morning.

I am still not showing symptoms.  At least, symptoms of flu -- it's a different story about symptoms of OCD.  I have been hand-washing compulsively, upping all my vitamins and taking walks to clear my head and keep my immune system activated without over-taxing it.  Every time I sniff, I worry that it is the start of the sore throat.  The third cup of coffee that is one too many acid-hits for my stomach? -- I wait, alarmed, for worse to follow. A light headache from too much soot in the air? (I absent-mindedly left the stew on the boil for a few hours a couple of nights ago) -- I take my temperature.  But nothing serious so far, so good.

In the meantime, based on my observations of the Texan's experience, I would recommend getting a flu shot (once vaccine becomes available).  I myself tend to put it off until the vaccine is gone -- aside from the fainting from the needle (Yes, my name is Vivi and I am a needlephobe), I routinely run a fever for 12 hours or so after the shot. (That is, despite repeated assurances from nurses and the media that the shots themselves do not make you sick. Hypochrondia or placebo or actual virus -- whatever causes the fever, real or imagined, I get the effect.)  However, a needle and 12 hours of a low fever is far preferable to the misery of 5 (or more) days of what the Texan is suffering.  So this year, if they get any more vaccine in stock, (and if I haven't already suffered the disease), I'm getting all the shots.