Felled by Flu Season

February 7, 2008

Cold and flu season has run over this household like a truck of wet cement. Last week, we went down like dominoes. First, Ben ran a fever and missed his basketball game. Then Joey began to complain he felt shaky and feverish. Given the symptoms, I surmised they both had the seasonal flu.

Yes, I admit we failed to get the recommended flu shots. Flu shots are available in the fall, and are recommended. But I let an aggressive soccer schedule prevent us from getting to the doctor. If I had it to do over again, I would do it differently.

After four days of convalescing, feeding them chicken soup, and taking temperatures, I finally sent them both back to school. No sooner had I shut the door, and then I began to feel the same symptoms.

Frankly, I secretly envisioned lying in bed and watching an unrestricted amount of true crime television, ordering pizza, and lounging at will. But I had forgotten what “shaky and feverish” felt like. All I wanted to do was crawl under the covers and get warm. And as to unlimited television, no matter how many channels you have, there is never anything on television worth watching. I have determined that the only thing worse than a made-for-tv movie is a made-for-cable movie. The acting is bad, the plot lines are ridiculous and the dialogue is cringe-worthy. Even the Forensic Files couldn’t help me last week.

We have mostly recovered, although Joey continues to cough. The pediatrician sent me to the pharmacy for an expectorant that contains an ingredient crucial to methamphetamine production. After filling out some DEA forms, I slinked away from the counter feeling like a criminal. Then again, maybe I have simply been watching too much true crime television.

Joey has always been the child who can’t seem to shake whatever illness comes around. When the rest of us have recovered and are fully back to health, he is still having coughing fits and rubbing his nose raw. I am reminded how we take good health for granted when I see him struggle.

So here’s this week’s tip. Take care of yourself. Since I failed to take better care of my own household, let me help you with some tips I gathered from the web.

How to treat Cold and Flu Symptoms:

1. Get plenty of rest
2. Avoid smoke or second hand smoke
3. Drink lots of fluids and clear soups
4. Gargle with warm salt water or use throat lozenges
5. Use saline nose drops.
6. Use a cool mist humidifier at night

Call the doctor if:

1. A fever exceeds 103 degrees or last more than three days.
2. Symptoms last more than 10 days.
3. Trouble breathing or wheezing
4. Bluish tint to the skin
5. Changes in mental awareness or seizure
6. Flu improves, but changes to fever and cough

Of course, now the FDA advises against giving any over-the-counter cold and flu medicine to children under the age of 6. The FDA found little value in the medicine and, in fact, in some cases found they caused harm. Of course, these are the same medicines that meth distributors buy in bulk, so maybe we shouldn’t give them out so freely to our young children. Just a crazy thought there.

Hug you children and keep them well.