Swine Flu News

[MickeyMomTo2]

We all love kids - but let's face it - they're little germ incubators.. LOL..[/B]

Since the whole swine flu thing started, I have been trying to have my kids (ages 7 and 4) wash their hands more, use more hand sanitizer, and keep their hands away from their faces. I have decided that it is virtually impossible to keep their hands away from their faces (especially considering my 4 year old still sucks her thumb). I will continue to be diligent, but I know there is only so much I can do, especially once school is back in session. Of course, I am trying to look at the bright side. My thumb-sucker should have a really good immune system after all the germs she is sticking in her mouth!

Anyway, we will do what we can, but with kids, germs will be spread!

 

[C.Ann]

Since the whole swine flu thing started, I have been trying to have my kids (ages 7 and 4) wash their hands more, use more hand sanitizer, and keep their hands away from their faces. I have decided that it is virtually impossible to keep their hands away from their faces (especially considering my 4 year old still sucks her thumb). I will continue to be diligent, but I know there is only so much I can do, especially once school is back in session. Of course, I am trying to look at the bright side. My thumb-sucker should have a really good immune system after all the germs she is sticking in her mouth!

Anyway, we will do what we can, but with kids, germs will be spread!

Reminds me of something that happened up here at the lake recently with this little 7 yr. old cutie pie who has "adopted" me as her 2nd "grandma".. (Her one grandma is deceased and the other lives quite a distance away..) Anyhow - she was in here visiting with me and she started to cough - into her elbow, just like she was supposed to !! I was SO impressed and couldn't help but think what a great job her mom had done of teaching her what to do in order to minimize the spreading of germs.. Obviously we can only do so much when it comes to kids and germs, but every little bit helps!

 

[Mskanga]

You got sick.

That is your evidence that I didn't take preventative measures ? You are not as smart as you seem to think you are then !

Since I left the Corps, I have never received the flu shot (until this year because my wife is PG). In all that time, I don't believe that I have caught the flu once. This is not because I am some sort of super human. It is because I take the normal precautions during flu season. Avoiding the flu is not that difficult, especially when you have a really, really good reason to do so.avoid getting ill, the suggested ways to avoid getting the flu are darn near bulletproof, especially for someone who is confined to the home

My kids never had the flu either and btw they did get the flu shot this year just like they have the 12 years before and so did we.
My daughter was "homebound from school " not "confined" to the house , big difference.
If you think avoiding any germs is bulletproof for someone who is "confined" at home , think again and I will tell you why:
Have a 12 year old go to school every single day with another 1200 kids , share the same school buses with two other schools and come home , then talk to me. All it takes is one swipe to any surface. BTW did you know that flu germs can live on a surface for 48 hours ? No matter how many times you wash your hands or do anything else , slip ups will happen and people get sick.

I'm working under the assumption that the person had a husband, an older child, a mother, a father, a mother-in-law, a father-in-law, an aunt, an uncle, a sister, a brother, or a trusted friend.

I don't know exactly what this had to do with anything.....but I will say there was only one more person in the house and he did not get sick.

You are implying that some posters didn't take all precautions or use their best efforts like you would and that just isn't fair or factual.
"they got sick." Not a well thought out response. It could happen to you too.

Trust me it will happen to him too.....it happens to all of us with kids and it happens to everyone working with kids.....ask any teacher !!

 

[Tinijocaro]

This is interesting-I thought the WHO had recommended NOT keeping track of new cases-England has continued to keep track, which I think they should-how do you monitor a flu when you're not keeping track of the cases?



news.sky.com

One hundred thousand new cases of swine flu have been recorded in the last seven days.
(visit the link for the full news article)



England - infections double in a week
"The number of new cases of swine flu in the past week has reached an estimated 100,000, the BBC has learnt.

The figure for England is double the total of the previous week and comes as the Department of Health prepares to launch the National Flu Service."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/hea...

 

[luvwinnie]

These are the cases that scare me...since I have asthma:

A 39-year-old Petaluma man, a longtime horseman and husband, is the third Sonoma County resident to die of swine flu.
Family members and the Sonoma County Coroner’s office confirmed the death Wednesday of Tim Sturm.
Sturm died at home early Friday after being sick for about a week, family members said. He was being treated at Kaiser Permanante in Santa Rosa for flu symptoms.
His family said he had mild asthma but was otherwise healthy.
A lifelong Petaluma resident, he was married for 13 years.
Mark Netherda, the county’s deputy public health officer, confirmed a third death from the H1N1 virus, but refused to identify the person or offer any other details about age and location of the victim.
“I hear a lot of people say it’s just the flu,” said Netherda. “But it’s not. This is a different organism.”

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

It's okay to be scared.
Just don't let the fear over take you.

Educate yourself.
Find what you need to prepare yourself.
If it means doing nothing out of the ordinary, that's what you do.
If it means going to your doctor for advice, that's what you do.
If it means taking action that other people would scoff at, that's what you do.

We are all different and will react and adjust differently.
And we are all here for each other, no matter what course of action they may or may not take.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

These are the cases that scare me...since I have asthma:

A 39-year-old Petaluma man, a longtime horseman and husband, is the third Sonoma County resident to die of swine flu.
Family members and the Sonoma County Coroner’s office confirmed the death Wednesday of Tim Sturm.
Sturm died at home early Friday after being sick for about a week, family members said. He was being treated at Kaiser Permanante in Santa Rosa for flu symptoms.
His family said he had mild asthma but was otherwise healthy.
A lifelong Petaluma resident, he was married for 13 years.
Mark Netherda, the county’s deputy public health officer, confirmed a third death from the H1N1 virus, but refused to identify the person or offer any other details about age and location of the victim.
“I hear a lot of people say it’s just the flu,” said Netherda. “But it’s not. This is a different organism.”

These are the cases that worry me also because I have mild asthma. It also seems to be hitting people in their 30s and 40s with "underlying conditions" pretty hard.

The thing that struck me about this article is that he died at home. I looked up some other articles and saw that he went to the hospital but was denied admission, sent home with some meds, and told "You'll be better by Monday." Who knows, he may have died in the hospital, but if I was the family, I would be extremely upset that greater measures were not taken and more attention given.

 

[IDoDis]

Trust me it will happen to him too.....it happens to all of us with kids and it happens to everyone working with kids.....ask any teacher !!

I'm a teacher and I have my own kids. I haven't been sick in 2 years -- not even a cold. Well, one day last year I had a sore throat and a headache where I thought I was getting sick, but then the next day I felt fine.

Aside from the 2 years of not getting sick, the three years before that I may have had one or two minor colds. I can't remember specifics before that. My kids get sick, my DH gets sick (he's a teacher, too), my students get sick, but not me. I don't know what has happened to my immune system the last few years, but it has been super strong. I've only had the flu once in my life when I was a first year teacher. I think I've had to have antibiotics maybe 3 or 4 times in my entire life. Once for a sinus infection, once after a c-section, and I'm sure there were one or two other times that I can't remember.

I used up all of my sick leave when I had my kids, but now DS is 10 and I've got over 500 hours of unused sick leave.

 

[C.Ann]

These are the cases that scare me...since I have asthma:

A 39-year-old Petaluma man, a longtime horseman and husband, is the third Sonoma County resident to die of swine flu.
Family members and the Sonoma County Coroner’s office confirmed the death Wednesday of Tim Sturm.
Sturm died at home early Friday after being sick for about a week, family members said. He was being treated at Kaiser Permanante in Santa Rosa for flu symptoms.
His family said he had mild asthma but was otherwise healthy.
A lifelong Petaluma resident, he was married for 13 years.
Mark Netherda, the county’s deputy public health officer, confirmed a third death from the H1N1 virus, but refused to identify the person or offer any other details about age and location of the victim.
“I hear a lot of people say it’s just the flu,” said Netherda. “But it’s not. This is a different organism.”

When you look at the "age" of this poor man, that alone is enough for you to scratch your head and wonder why this particular strain of flu is so deadly for some.. Teenagers have died; at least two pregnant women who were only in their twenties died; toddlers have died; infants have died; tweens have died; twenty-somethings have died; thirty-somethings have died; etc.. That doesn't sound like the "normal" group of people who die from the regular flu each year.. For the most part, it's the elderly and the very, very young (as in infants)..

Anyone know what the average age of death is for the "regular" flu every year?

There really doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to this particular flu.. Age doesn't matter; prior health doesn't matter; medication vs no medication doesn't seem to matter; hospitalization vs non-hospitalization doesn't seem to matter.. It's no wonder they're having such a hard time getting a handle on this thing..

 

[Tinijocaro]

The thing that struck me about this article is that he died at home. I looked up some other articles and saw that he went to the hospital but was denied admission, sent home with some meds, and told "You'll be better by Monday." Who knows, he may have died in the hospital, but if I was the family, I would be extremely upset that greater measures were not taken and more attention given.

I think it's a bit like the child who is constantly complaining about being ill or injured. After you hear it enough, you start telling them they are fine, go back and play. Remember that the vast majority of people who have this bug are fine. They are overwhelmed with people either having the swine flu, or thinking they have the swine flu. They are looking for people with severe symptoms. The trouble with this bug is that when it kills, it seems to happen quickly, or the breathing trouble happens quickly. Some people appear to be recovered, then suddenly develop a cough and sudden breathing troubles. I'm sure doctors are pretty much trying to guess with each patient based on the symptoms they have at the moment they are being seen.

I sure wouldn't want to be a doctor right now.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I think it's a bit like the child who is constantly complaining about being ill or injured. After you hear it enough, you start telling them they are fine, go back and play. Remember that the vast majority of people who have this bug are fine. They are overwhelmed with people either having the swine flu, or thinking they have the swine flu. They are looking for people with severe symptoms. The trouble with this bug is that when it kills, it seems to happen quickly, or the breathing trouble happens quickly. Some people appear to be recovered, then suddenly develop a cough and sudden breathing troubles. I'm sure doctors are pretty much trying to guess with each patient based on the symptoms they have at the moment they are being seen.

I sure wouldn't want to be a doctor right now.

also, around here they are sending H1N1 patients home in order to avoid the high risk patients already in the hospital from catching it - I got this from a nurse.

A family member who was in really bad shape with confirmed H1N1 was sent home, when they really should have been admitted - dehydration, underlying health problems of their own....her DH had to take time off work to stay home with her and nurse her back to health.

 

[JessicaR]

also, around here they are sending H1N1 patients home in order to avoid the high risk patients already in the hospital from catching it - I got this from a nurse.

A family member who was in really bad shape with confirmed H1N1 was sent home, when they really should have been admitted - dehydration, underlying health problems of their own....her DH had to take time off work to stay home with her and nurse her back to health.

Your story is very frightening. I would be more scared of being turned away and refused medical treatment than I would of actually getting the flu. I suppose maybe they really didn't need to be admitted. I hope that is the case rather than hospitals turning away people that have this flu.

I read today that some hospitals ERs are creating areas to treat this flu so patients are confined from other patients that do not have the flu. That would be a great trend if its possible. The hospitals around here are crowded to begin with I don't see where any extra space is coming from.

I hope your family member is feeling better by now.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1912087,00.html

 

[monkey68]

These are the cases that worry me also because I have mild asthma. It also seems to be hitting people in their 30s and 40s with "underlying conditions" pretty hard.

The thing that struck me about this article is that he died at home. I looked up some other articles and saw that he went to the hospital but was denied admission, sent home with some meds, and told "You'll be better by Monday." Who knows, he may have died in the hospital, but if I was the family, I would be extremely upset that greater measures were not taken and more attention given.

Well if it will ease your mind some, I also have mild/moderate asthma, and came down with piggy flu. I'm 24, otherwise healthy. And I seem to be on the mend (hopefully ) I did get Tamiflu right away, and I'm drinking plenty of fluids. I'm also taking my albuterol a little more liberally than I normally might, since my asthma always acts up when I'm sick, no matter with what I'm sick with. Maybe I just have a milder strain?

 

[JessicaR]

Well if it will ease your mind some, I also have mild/moderate asthma, and came down with piggy flu. I'm 24, otherwise healthy. And I seem to be on the mend (hopefully ) I did get Tamiflu right away, and I'm drinking plenty of fluids. I'm also taking my albuterol a little more liberally than I normally might, since my asthma always acts up when I'm sick, no matter with what I'm sick with. Maybe I just have a milder strain?

Didn't you just get sick 2-3 days ago? How did they confirm swine flu already? I am so glad you are already feeling better thats incredible!

 

[Tinijocaro]

Well if it will ease your mind some, I also have mild/moderate asthma, and came down with piggy flu. I'm 24, otherwise healthy. And I seem to be on the mend (hopefully ) I did get Tamiflu right away, and I'm drinking plenty of fluids. I'm also taking my albuterol a little more liberally than I normally might, since my asthma always acts up when I'm sick, no matter with what I'm sick with. Maybe I just have a milder strain?

Give yourself some time to be sure you are really better-you don't want to be one of those people who gets better for a few days then gets really sick again, especially with asthma.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

Well if it will ease your mind some, I also have mild/moderate asthma, and came down with piggy flu. I'm 24, otherwise healthy. And I seem to be on the mend (hopefully ) I did get Tamiflu right away, and I'm drinking plenty of fluids. I'm also taking my albuterol a little more liberally than I normally might, since my asthma always acts up when I'm sick, no matter with what I'm sick with. Maybe I just have a milder strain?

Thanks for posting this. I don't plan to waste any time getting meds if I think I have it. I also have a nebulizer at home that I plan to use as much as I think I need it. My main trigger for my asthma is illness, so I am not going to waste anytime getting help. My plan is similar to what you have done, so I appreciate you posting a success story!

 

[Mskanga]

Didn't you just get sick 2-3 days ago? How did they confirm swine flu already? I am so glad you are already feeling better thats incredible!

The results usually come back within 24 hours.
I talked to my doctor when I took my kids for physicals yesterday and he said they are still seeing some flu cases but nothing compared to when school was in session a few weeks ago.
BTW the tamiflu works pretty fast too , overnight you start to feel better. One thing I also had to take this time was prednisone and I have NEVER had to take steroids before in my life.

 

[JessicaR]

The results usually come back within 24 hours.
I talked to my doctor when I took my kids for physicals yesterday and he said they are still seeing some flu cases but nothing compared to when school was in session a few weeks ago.
BTW the tamiflu works pretty fast too , overnight you start to feel better. One thing I also had to take this time was prednisone and I have NEVER had to take steroids before in my life.

Thank you, I had no idea turn around time was this quick now! It is interesting that some areas are still testing while other areas have stopped.

More amazing to me is the mild symptoms and shortened duration, this is terrific to hear. I only had the flu once in my life and I honestly asked to be put out of my misery I was SO sick and it lasted SO long.

As far as symptoms go did you notice similarities in your family when you had it? Did you all have it for the same length of time?

 

[monkey68]

Didn't you just get sick 2-3 days ago? How did they confirm swine flu already? I am so glad you are already feeling better thats incredible!

I got sick on Monday, tested on Tuesday. Results came back yesterday for influenza, and because I'd been exposed through a close contact (my dad was sick with it the week before, confirmed), so it's a safe assumption. I did start taking Tamiflu Tuesday morning after I saw the doctor, really sick Tuesday and Wednesday, had a major turnaround sometime around Wednesday night because I actually felt human on Thursday. Still not 100%, but at least I don't feel like a zombie anymore. I don't know, maybe I am just lucky? Maybe it's because I started taking Tamiflu early in the course of the virus? Either way, although I'm still not 100% (food is not my friend right now), I'm just glad to be doing a bit better.

 

[Mskanga]

As far as symptoms go did you notice similarities in your family when you had it? Did you all have it for the same length of time?

In my case my youngest ( who was the first one sick ) and I got very bad coughing and a fever that we could not break , I have not been so sick in my life. I had a fever of 103 for almost four days , I had to alternate tylenol with ibuprofen every three hours.
My oldest one ( my cancer recovering child ) said she felt as sick as when she was in chemo except this time she had hair. But she started recovering fast because she started getting the tamiflu immediately after I was confirmed.
My youngest one rarely ever gets sick and she was sick as a dog , like me. We don't wish this to anyone.....and everyone I know has had swine says the same thing.