Well, folks, I feel a somewhat responsible that Jimmy’s most excellent blog has been a little slow the last couple of days. Since inviting me and Michelle to jump in with him on JA.O I have been the least consistent of the three in getting posts up, but I have a good excuse this time; I am just coming back from a virus (the organic kind, not the digital kind) that has had me out of commission for the last week or so. Ordinarily I would keep that to myself, but this virus has been surprisingly, well, virulent and I am wondering if anyone else out there may have had it or seen it recently. This can be like our own very un-scientific study.
Here’s why I’m so curious: My brother and his family, who live three states away from us, have had a bug with a very similar M.O. at their house. His entire household has had the thing, as well as our whole family, though I dodged it for a week. This makes me think that it may be unusually contagious.
To help you to recognize this foul little beastie, look for the following:
- Really sore throat, followed by-
- Sinus infection
- Painful ear infection (my eardrum actually ruptured)
- Conjunctivitis (eye infection) with discharge (eewww!)
There are other symptoms I won’t go into here, but the above are the most characteristic. I don’t mind telling you that this thing turned me into a whimpering bag of protoplasm for a few days, fit only to hold down our sofa. I am crawling back to normalcy now, and hope to post something more interesting soon (my brain has always been slow to boot-up). Meanwhile, I am open to chicken soup recipes.
So, you want to see the scar from my operation…?
Tim, sorry you’ve been feeling bad. I have been in Louisiana visiting family in June/July and in Michigan in July and EVERY person I know has been sick with something very similar. My 22 month old had it and all she wanted to do was sit in my lap for four days (poor Baby) Now back home and all my oldest child’s friends are sick. This virus gets around.
It seems that the medical profession is content to call a thing a virus, and not investigate as to -which- virus, which would be necessary for epidemiology. Even during SARS, they wouldn’t take date to mark its spread.
Now we have the strong possibility of a pandemic from either the avian influenza, or another outbreak apparently coming from pigs in China that has the same symptomology – including significant haemoraging under the skin, as the 1919 Spanish Lady influenza pandemic, with something like a 30% mortality rate. Pigs are the usual final vectors between birds and humans in influenza transmission.
Have not experienced the virus myself, but I have seen something similar stalking the halls of this office, so I’ll be looking into cloves of garlic to decorate the outside of my office door. 😉
Sorry you’ve been sick and hope you get completely better soon!
Glad you’re beginning to feel better, Tim! Nasty bugs like that have been going around where I keep haunt, too – No Cal & No Nevada. And, speaking of cute little viruses . . . Here’s a place what makes plush ones! No, really! Hey, I work in a medical office so they’re a must have. 😉 Catchy name, too!
http://www.giantmicrobes.com/
Tim, does it start with a fever or anything?
Nope, no fever, KristyB. Just a raging sore throat.
loved the giant microbe website! I’m trying to decide between the flesh eating microbe plush doll and the black death one. A must for every household…
Glad you’re feeling better, Tim. I’m down with a cold myself, but thank God no sore throat. Take care, and drink all the chicken soup you can get your hands on (sorry I don’t have any recipes!).
So did you take any antibiotics, or just suffer through the thing?
I’m dealing with drainage, stuffy nose, cough, and sore throat right now. (I lost my voice over the weekend but seem to have that back. I had a bad headache last night but thankfully that’s gone now, too.) There doesn’t seem to be an infection, but I’ve had it for probably 5 days so it’s a real possibility of one appearing. I am still resisting a doctor visit or antibiotics because I am breastfeeding, and I am plain tired of paying doctor’s copays (both sons and my husband have been to the doctor a few times in the last 2 months).
I had something very similar to this only 8 weeks ago right around the time my baby was born, and I got through it without antibiotics. Now I’m wondering whether I’m relapsing, and if I should go get some drugs. 😛