Wow. I've just had the worst 10 days of my life, health-wise. I feel like I now know what it's like to be chronically ill or dependent. Had to call my brother to come and help me. The ASA he brought helped a bit with the fever and chills.

I will spare you all the grim details (and they are legendary). I haven't been able to even keep water down. I've lost 14 pounds!

I'm assuming it's flu; it's sure a lot of various symptoms. I wish my GP's office was closer to me and that he didn't frown on going in with flu - I know it's communicable and I'd hate to pass it to my worst enemy but at a certain point I'm giving up hope of ever getting over it by doing nothing, which is what I've done so far.

I'm always pretty healthy so it's unexpected. I never get flu, so likewise.

I had heard this year's edition was predicted to be severe. They were 100% right.

Right at Christmas when markets and fairs and churches are packed. The flu bugs are happy.

The irony is how I always preach about avoiding germs (hand-washing, for one, after shopping etc). I've missed four days from work this week, more than I've missed in the past 10 years put together.

So. If you want to contribute positively to the health and well-being of your fellow citizens, don't cough or sneeze on them, and definitely consider skipping church and other gatherings even though it's the holiday season. Whatever the disappointment, it's got to be better than what I've experienced this week. No wonder they say it's killing people.

Stay healthy. Stay safe. Hope I'm up and about tomorrow to check in again. I've been totally out of commission all week. Busiest weeks of the year at work. :(

Brutal.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2018 05:31PM by Nightingale.

That sounds awful.

Hope you're back to your usual self in no time.

The measles have come to our county, per news reports. Many, possibly hundreds or thousands have been exposed to it already by one Middle Easterner coming here from overseas. Scary the implications.

Are you considering getting the flu shot once you're over this bout? It isn't too late to get it for this year's flu season.

Sorry to hear that, Nightingale. I hope that you recover soon.

I've had a cold and a cough for three and a half weeks now. I think it's finally on the way out. It has really worn me down. When I'm over it, I'm going to go get that flu shot.

This is awful, Nightingale.....

I am SO SORRY!!

I hope you and your doctor can get together soon, and that your doctor knows what is going on and how to best deal with it, and that you recover completely, and SUPER fast!!!!

We care about you.

That sounds awful. I hope you get to feeling better soon!

I got my shot this year. I hope it covers me.

I can sympathize--my wife has it bad, and has been hacking away for a full month. She says it's a cold, but it looks like flu to me, although that's seven of one to the half-dozen of the other. I haven't made so many late-night errand runs since she was pregnant!

Did you get the flu shot Nightingale? I had the flu/pneumonia last year. It almost killed me. This year, for the very first time, I got my flu shot. I hope it protects me.

Measles, chicken pox and Polio etc etc - it's all coming back.

Doesn't matter if CDC calls it flaccid myelitis now so as not to alert/panic the public - it's Polio.

Did the flu shot miss the mark this year?


Get well, Nightingale! :(

You poor thing.

Rest Wishes!

I am so sorry, but I would love to post your wise words at the entrance to my office.

So sick of people coming into work with the plague.

Feel better and take care.

So sorry you’re going through this, Nightingale. Wishing you a speedy recovery :)

As someone pointed out above, once you’re feeling better, it is still not too late to get a flu shot.

Fortunately, here at my Assisted Living, we were all offered flu shots in October so I most definitely took advantage of it and got mine. Although I was surprised at the number of people who declined the shot, stating they’ve always gotten the flu after getting the shot. This is a fallacy! While some individuals may experience some mild symptoms after getting the shot such as achiness, even a low-grade fever, it is not the flue. The vaccination uses a killed virus and does not cause the flu. But just as old habits can be difficult to break so, too, can long-held beliefs, regardless of whether or not they may be ludicrous.

Sorry for the long-winded rant, its the former nurse in me :)

Get the flu shot. Get the flu shot. Get the flu shot.

...they always make me take the "Swine Flu" shot.......cause' I'm swine?..........OK.

Interestingly enough, back is the famous year of the "Swine Flu" shots, I was holding (with no training) the position of Public Health Nurse in my army reserve unit. I made sure EVERYONE got the shot.....except me.

I am sitting here and anticipate that I may get the present flu shot tomorrow. My health cannot risk an extra sickness

Sympathy, nightingale. I got the flu shot and about ten days later flew to England for a family funeral. After two days I went down with a bug,hacking cough that would sometimes go on for an hour or more, chills, sweats and other nasty symptoms. I have not felt as sick in years. Two visits to hospital emergency room and two weeks later started to feel better. Thank heavens for NHS, which I was qualified for so no cost to me for blood test, ekg and other exams. Being sick was bad enough, being sick in someone else's home is worse still. Fortunately the funeral was more than three weeks after I got there.

I avoided a flu shot last year and became terribly ill. I thought I did get the flu because of the lack of having a flu shot.

As fate would have it, I actually had a bad case of colon cancer..which was fortunately treatable.

I was 51 at the time. Getting to a doctor sooner, and having a colonoscopy at 50 would have made things far simpler.

Get the shot and listen to your health care people.

Glad you were able to catch your colon cancer in time.

Amyjo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Glad you were able to catch your colon cancer in
> time.

Thanks!

I always enjoy your cheerful chirp from the North Country.

Well, maybe this time it was less cheerful than usual, but I'm happy that you are doing better. As for me and my household, we got our flu shots in October.

And do not get a flu vaccine because you will get autism. Don't listen to those evil doctors who are only in it for the money they get from big pharma.
/s

I've been getting the flu vaccine since 2008. Have had both pneumonia vaccines. They have saved me umpteen times from what travels around the office since I've been getting them annually.

Before 2008 I'd catch whatever the student interns were bringing in with them from their college campuses to where I work.

I haven't gotten that sick since. 2006 was the last time I had a bout of pneumonia. Since I've received both pneumonia shots, I haven't had a recurrence of that either.

I came down with the flu 22 years ago, and it was the one and only time I actually considered calling an ambulance. I thought I was going to die. A friend and neighbor (Kurt Oscarson - his name is on one of the charities on page 3 of the Utah income tax form) DID die from the flu that season.

I have religiously gotten flu shots ever since. I don't care if they are not all that effective. Last Christmas was the first time I got a case of flu in the ensuing 21 years. Turned into a secondary lung infection, and I was down for about a month. Blech.

So, Nightingale, I feel your pain. Get well soon.

I had the flu last year, and behold I testify that I felt like Shiz!

(((HUGS))) I'm sorry. It sounds awful! Here's hoping it resolves soon.

* Average number of Americans who died from the flu each year between 2010 and 2017: 36,714



* Who died from the flu last year: 79,400

3-1/2 weeks. I've had a cold "cough" for over 2 weeks now and my doctor told me just Friday it would be over soon. I've been working for 4 weeks at Sam's Club and just pulling myself through every day, but staying home in bed doesn't help either. I can't call in sick. Shocked they don't send me home. I thought after 2 weeks, I'd be doing well, but I'm not. Coughed for a good 2 hours yesterday. Took 3 different types of cold/flu medicine before it calmed down enough to get to work. I've HAD IT!

Luckily, I haven't had what nightingale has, although I have lost 7 pounds in 2 weeks. I have no appetite and it doesn't matter what I eat, I'm still weak and fatigued. I just want to feel "normal" again.

My boyfriend, ex, and my son all have it, but are already getting over it after less than a week. No one I work with has it yet.

I feel your pain. My “vacation” was spent trying to get over a sinus infection and bronchitis. I’m too damn old to cough all night. Today was my return to work day. Made it 6 1/2 hours before I told my director I was leaving.

Need to work a few hours tomorrow to make sure the year rolled correctly so I’ll make it up.

I've still got it! :( I'm going into week seven as of today. I finally cried uncle a week before Christmas. My NP gave me a course of antibiotics because she said I was "on the bubble" for a possible infection (I could tell she was thinking of a possible sinus infection.) She also told me to go back on the Flonase that I take for seasonal allergies, and she gave me a flu shot because flu was just entering our area at the time.

It's been very, very gradually resolving, but it's still there -- like a cold with a runny/stuffy nose and white phlegm that I cough up on a regular basis. At least the coughing is just occasional at present. It's improved a whole lot, but I'm just tired of it at this point. I've never had anything go on this long.

At its worst I was using Ricola cough drops on a regular basis to get me through a day of teaching. I was also using a Tussin/DM cough syrup during the day, with some added prescription Codeine at night to help me sleep (I would recommend this if you can tolerate Codeine.) I'm mostly off of all that at this point.

I hope that you feel better! Rest is helpful, as much as you can get. And keep hydrating.

I am sorry for you too, summer!

Seven weeks!!

Your course of medications seems really invasive to me, and I hope you get on the other side of this very, very, soon!

I am wishing you a wonderful 2019--even if you do not feel all that wonderful right now.

Happy New Year!

Thanks, Tevai! I figure the illness can't last forever. Having a nice long winter break has really helped. Happy New Year to you as well!

I work double time all year to get two weeks off at Christmas. Looking forward to it for ages. Sick since end of Nov. Ended up in ER 24 25 26 experiencing the infamous Hallway Medicine in Canada. No beds or patient rooms available due to overload just stretchers head to toe along a drafty corridor. No privacy. It was literally a thoroughfare alo g which staff visitors & patients travel non stop. If a dr is examining you as they pass too bad. No curtains no screens no privacy. And cold as a witch's tit as my dad would so inelegantly say. Not conducive to peaceful recovery. They got all worried because my BP spiked. So did my temper after 48 hrs of the guy next to me withdrawing, screaming, demanding, swearing about how he couldn't breathe. If you calmed down and quit yelling you could breathe better I said. Not helpful I know but it was unbearable. I'm going to start screaming myself I said to the hapless young nurse. Closest I've ever come to losing self control. Just barely managed it.

It was cold enough that my car battery died between my two admissions. Then I was given the wrong Rx. Started to feel quite sorry for myself. Then tonight after Mom visited me she fell and cracked her collarbone. Now she's in Emerg waiting to see an MD hopefully this side of Armageddon.

Somewhere in the midst of it all my brain defaulted to mo blessings as in this would be the time to seek relief. But of course I don't believe in the magic of (young) "elders" and sacred olive oil. So it's just nursing doctoring time and my innate basic good health to rely on.

My brother has been the taxi driver for us both. It's his only holiday weekend of the year and he's spent it in ER with us both. Looki g a bit disgruntled.

I can hear the nurses planning their midnight celebration. Pizza and Perrier. Count me out. I'm the one on ice water still.

Happy New Year though to all. And here's hoping for better times in 2019. I've got a good nurse tonight. Not like last night when the RN seemed to go AWOL but not before losing my samples! Now we have to start all over to reassess things. Sheesh.

Not the fab hol I'd envisioned all year. We're definitely not in charge of our own fate. I would be swigging champagne otherwise! But small blessings - at least I snagged a room tonight. Too bad there are three other people in here too. All infected. All sharing one toilet. And I'm the only one who flushes. No wonder I'm feeling so queasy...

Thanks for all the kind messages. I really appreciate it. But I still feel sorry for myself. Sob...

Thank you for the time and effort to update us, Nightingale, but Jeez....what a terrible awful time you have been going through!!

[I am sorry about your Mom, too!! The pain and discomfort she has been going through, just like you!]

I am glad you are in a room now, and a room with a toilet, too ;)--and sorry about the round-the-clock ambiance. That has got to be really hard to take!!

Many, many thanks for your post.

We are thinking about you--and we had no idea how awful it has been for you.

Hope you begin to feel much better soon....and I hope that your Mom gets healed from that cracked collarbone ASAP.

Happy New Year...I hope some of the best of the New Year kicks in soon, and this "adventure" will soon exist only in your memory.

Thinking of you, every day. :)

Thank you for your lovely post, as always, Tevai. Yeah I've amused myself thinking up xmas analogies. The first night in the ER corridor the dr apologized for the hallway exam. "There is literally no room at the inn" he said and we laughed.

For New Yr's I'm in with an elderly lady who is confused and crying for her daughter, another elderly lady who doesn't speak English so I'm on pee patrol, tracki g her for the nurse and an old gentleman with a painful wound of some sort.

Not anybody's idea of a party really.

I hope you won't be offended that I'm laughing!

It's the kind of helpless, silly giggles you get when everything is FUBAR, and you've still got to carry on dafke. [Hebrew everyday slang for "despite," "regardless."]

The best Happy New Year to you that you can summon!

(At least you're in a real room now--and no longer have to be publicly examined in the hallway. ;) ]

I'm sorry, Nightingale. May the New Year bring you better health!

I had been at work on December 31st 1999, looking forward to a big night out to celebrate the new millennium, but by 5:00 I was too sick to move. Listening to the midnight "pips" on the radio was the extent of my festivities. I was out of work for two weeks after that. Never again, I get a flu shot every year.

Here I am begging to have it all just end and find out that it has been seven weeks! I will make it seven if I have to, but I sure don't want to. I've promised to do some transcription today and I'm putting it off. I finally did dishes! I kept hoping someone else would. I have to go back to work tomorrow, but my hours are not going to be as many at Sam's since Christmas is over. Whoops! I was wrong. I work 4 days, then 1 off, then 4 days, 1 off in the next 10 days starting tomorrow. Oh my!

Working at home doing transcription is much easier than working outside the home. You can take your time and be slow if necessary. Never had to call in sick. My daughter is getting married on the 26th. Seems like I'll just be dragging through another 3 to 4 weeks with no energy.

I felt a burst of energy this afternoon, so maybe I've finally turned the corner. Ya think? I've picked up a lot of weird organisms over the years with my teaching job, but this one takes the cake in terms of length. When I first got it a friend warned that it would last several weeks, and I didn't quite believe him!

When I used to work retail, January was nearly as busy as November and December due to people making lots of returns. Hang in there. I'm with you, I would much rather be at home. I've turned into a real homebody.

I agree with others who are urging you to get a flu shot every year. I've been getting flu shots for many years, ever since they came out and I have never gotten the flu, despite being around lots of youngsters, teens and college students. I am so grateful for modern medicine. Please be sure to protect yourself with this technology. We can't afford to lose good people like you!

Sheesh. They still won't let me out. First they discharge me too quickly, which they admit, but now they won't let me out. I'd have to go against medical advice. Don't want to go that way yet.

The lady with dementia went home today. Beautiful woman with lovely figure still at her relatively young age. Now there's a second man in the room. The other senior lady has non-stop visitors including a 3 yr old granddaughter. I find it very tiring. I have trouble sleeping no matter how exhausted I feel. The man beside me moans and mutters. I sure hope to get a sleeping pill tonight or it'll be another tough night. Time passes at glacial speed when you're ill. I didn't realize.

I begged to get out today mostly due to Mom's injury. But also as I felt I couldn't stand another minute here. The volume and level of activity are not helpful to me.

But hey. At least I'm not in the hallway. Could always be worse right? I'm scared to find out if that's true.

Nobody's mentioned religion at all, not even asking to list preference. Secular institution. My preferred option.