I have the flu.

[Taboo]

...and I live in NYC.

Thoughts right now from the nurse that I saw: this is probably not Swine Flu, just regular flu or a similar virus. My fever hasn't been as high as they've seen in the swine flu cases here, and seems to have gone down a bit since yesterday, so hopefully I'll be fine. I didn't travel over spring break, but I regularly take the subway into the part of NY where the swine flu cases are centered, so exposure is unlikely but possible.

However, I'm required to isolate myself at least for today and if my fever spikes up again I'm supposed to go into the ER.

Blergh. I feel horrible and I'm not too happy at the prospect of the ER and more isolation either. I have finals this week - I've already missed one of them today - and I may end up a semester behind because of this. Plus I may have to miss my internship interview Thursday...

I could use a hug right now.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Everybody seems to need hugs today...well, I can always spare some...



Also, virtual tea and honey, tissues, and a warm fleecy blanket if you need it (though after today's weather you might not, but it actually cooled down quite a bit by the time I got home).

[Nurian]

*onward for hugs*

Sleep as best you can. Make sure you get some Vitamin C and E in you. You have to give your body a fighting chance.

[lordlundar]

<long distance hug>

Just follow their instructions and don't let the paranoia get to you. As it stands, it's no more dangerous than normal flu, just the populace isn't resistant to it.

[Taboo]

<long distance hug>

Just follow their instructions and don't let the paranoia get to you. As it stands, it's no more dangerous than normal flu, just the populace isn't resistant to it.

Oh yeah, I know. I'm pretty sure it's just normal flu. My biggest concern is that they'll request I be isolated for longer (whether I have it or not), I'll miss more finals, and I'll lose a semester worth of classes.

I just woke up today at around 6pm, haha... I've slept something like 20 hours since yesterday. Lots of water and gatorade. I've been trying to eat some applesauce, but my throat is so sore and most food's just out right now. I'll probably go back to sleep in another hour or two.

Thanks, everyone.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

You also could benefit from some ginger ale to help settle your stomach.

It sucks to have the flu . . . I had a 24 hour bug that hit suddenly a couple of months ago . . . ended up going home early from work (I barely made it through an hour and when I started throwing up, it was time to go.)

Sipped on Theraflu (which also helps with the aches/pains) and ginger ale during the afternoon between catnaps and bundled myself under the covers (I was also having fever and chills. Ugh.)

I also get restless at times . . . I would either be sleeping, watching a bit of tv, slipping outside to the porch for a quick smoke, come back and wander around the kitchen until I couldn't stand up much more and crawl back to bed.

Some things I've found are good for a sick tummy:

applesauce
soup
Jell-O
ginger ale, 7-Up or Sprite
grits (yes, I've tried that once - they actually stayed down)
ice (I'll freeze a bottle of water until it's almost solid, bust it up until the ice chunks are floating and munch away)
crackers

But above all, rest as much as you can and, if you're running a fever, a warm shower might help you feel better too.

Take care and if you're still not better in a day or two, please go seek medical help. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[AdminAssistant]

If you haven't already, you need to contact your professors. Chances are, they can give you an Incomplete, then you can take the final when you're better, and get your grades.

[RootedPhoenix]

I second AdminAssistant. Professors are usually really good about this kind of thing, if you tell them what's going on.

*many many hugs* Ginger ale is good for me when I feel awful. Herb tea is too, but I think it's mostly because it's warm stuff. (Not that it's not yummy.)

[sanchopanza65]

This whole possibility of a pandemic scares me so I have been reading up on it a lot. The good news is that the NYC cases have been centralized to one school, and that many, many more people will go to the ER thinking they have it than actually do. It's also only severe/fatal in Mexico. Your professors will hopefully understand that your (and the public's, god forbid) health is more important than final exams.

[DesignFox]

*sends hugs* feel better soon!

I had a 24 hours thing once, too. It was awful. I was at my SO's when it hit. At first I thought I might have had a slight hangover, because we had been drinking the night before- but I thought it odd because I drank about half what I usually consume without any side effects.

When the dizziness, nausea, headache and stomach pains didn't subside after sitting around for an hour (and none of the water I was drinking would stay down) I finally texted my sweetie to tell him I would still be in the apartment when he got home from work. I couldn't open my eyes for more than 5 mins without being overcome with retched dizziness. I alternated between chills and overheating. It was terrible. And since I didn't have a key to his place, I was worried what would happen if I actually did get hungry or needed something.

He came back from work early with meds and soup. He got some kind of alka-seltzer flu med. It tasted AWFUL but worked in fairly short order. By the end of the night I was able to keep down some food, the headache had abated, I stopped getting chills, and I could sit up without getting dizzy. It was a big help.

I hope you get well soon!

[calulu]

Did you get some Tamiflu in you? It works well the times I've taken it. Rest and try not to stress, sending you virtual chocolate and hugs.

[Amethyst Hunter]

Just follow their instructions and don't let the paranoia get to you. As it stands, it's no more dangerous than normal flu, just the populace isn't resistant to it.

This, bolded for emphasis. It's cause for concern in that this virus is taking down healthy people in addition to the very young/old/sick (who've always been a higher risk group), and cases have popped up in several countries/states, but the media fear factor is blowing things way out of proportion (as it always does, being that Scary Shit sells).

None confirmed in Illinois yet, but I expect that to change, being that Chicago is a major transportation hub and has a high Hispanic population, many of whom I'm sure have relatives in Mexico.

Hope you feel better soon!

[Taboo]

I'm doing a bit better today, still sick though. I may see if I can drag myself into classes.... along with a couple gallons of gatorade and water. Today I have reviews for my art history final, and I'd really like to know which 50 of the several hundred paintings we discussed will actually be on the final, so hopefully I can manage that.

My professors from yesterday, luckily, are being very understanding. I'll be able to redo those finals next week.