Why I care about the Flu

[NMDemDist2]

I work at a VERY popular tourist destination very close to the Mexican border and daily come into close contact with literally thousands of people of all ages from abroad, Mexico and the US.

Today I had 150 students from an El Paso High School here, up close and personal as well as two full tour buses in addition to our usual 1000 visitors a day. Guess the Hi School kids made it just under the wire of Texas closing down all these kinds of activities.

I'm not laughing a bit. our Admin Asst. today went on a special (unscheduled) shopping trip for Lysol spray, Clorox wipes and a couple cases of hand gel.

if it goes much further down this road, we'll all be laid off when they close the facility til the flu subsides.

it's not funny for some of us.

[uppityperson]

1. Wash your hands, don't touch your nose or eyes. Wash your hands, don't touch your face

Best wishes to you, it is not funny for many. If I have done dark humor, it is because otherwise I will freak out and I don't need that. It is a reaction from yrs of being a nurse and trying to not cry.

Best wishes to you, and all.

[ecstatic]

6. Isn't it almost involuntary (touching one's face/eyes)?

I think I heard adults touch their face several times a minute.

[uppityperson]

7. I used to do it more, have broken myself of it by watching myself and by returning

to working with the sick and with people with lowered immune systems. Put on a pair of gloves to do a procedure and IMMEDIATELY your face itches but Nooooooooooo, can't touch.

If you rub your cheek not by your eye, it is better since the route into your respiratory system is through your eyes and nose (not so much through mouth)

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. I know about the itching, HATED IT

[TorchTheWitch]

16. like needing to pee as soon as you get in an elevator

That always happens to me. Every time I step into an elevator and the door closes I immediately feel like I need to pee, and I KNOW it's because there's nowhere to pee in an elevator.

[Pithy]

2. Hang in there

There's no way to tell which way this will go. All we can do is stay informed and use good judgment. I hope, for the sake of your job, and for all our well-being, that this fizzles out.

[alittlelark]

3. Carlsbad Caverns?

[lobointexas]

4. I care about it too!

I live in Comal County, Texas where the school district has closed all schools in the area. My wife teaches in the one where my oldest attends and my other two children go to different schools. The news from San Antonio tonight confirmed that the reason Comal decided to close the schools was because they had 3 confirmed cases in the school district, 2 students, 1 teacher. The worst part was that they reported that there were over 140 cases in the county that were presumed to be swine flu. The scary thing is that my wife is not feeling very good, kind achy with sore throat. She doesn't have a fever and isn't vomiting but if she doesn't feel better tomorrow then I'm taking her to the hospital.

At my job today, they sent me to buy some hand sanitizer at Sam's Club but they were SOLD OUT.

BTW, I'm originally from NM - lived there almost all my life and miss it VERY MUCH! I have family and property there so I go back often.

[Pithy]

5. Just had a sad email exchange

My right-wing sis wondered what the big deal is about this "pretty tame virus." I gave her a few facts and said that while I wasn't panicking, I *am* keeping my eye on it. She asked some good questions, seemed receptive, and when I told her about some supplements I'd bought (lysine, vitamin D), she responded, "Don't forget to buy face masks and store up on 2 wks worth of tami-flu!" Totally sarcastic and poking fun.

She also refused to listen a few years ago about torture in Guatanimo and Abu Ghraib, the missing WMDs, the wiretapping, the Plame scandal, etc, so I guess it's business as usual. She married into a right-wing family and now watches FAUX and believes it.

So sad - she's a doctor and very smart and fun in every other regard. All I can do is just close my eyes and shut my mouth. We are so close and I cannot understand how someone so smart can be so intellectually incurious, politically. It makes me feel very sad and weary.

Thanks for letting me vent a bit.

[FourScore]

18. There are a few people close to me who fit this description.

It is so sad. And it leaves a an area in the relationship that should just never be breached because the damage it inflicts is too hard.

I feel your pain.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Call your private provider before going anywhere

if you do not have access to health care, (insurance) call local health clinic and ask triage nurse

They will tell you whether to come for testing or not

AN ER may not be the best of ideas right now

[and-justice-for-all]

8. I dont care anymore about his flu then I do any other...

When people start dropping like flies or turning into republicans(zombies) then I will panic, until then......how about those prosecutions??

[readmoreoften]

13. Why do you think anyone is asking you to panic? They're asking you to take it seriously.

There's a huge difference.

[EFerrari]

9. Not funny at all. No one needs to lose more jobs.

:(

Best of luck, NMDemDist2.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Good luck

wash hands'

Wash hands

Wash hands

Yep, I know boring

Wash hands

and do try to build a stash of food if mandatory quarantines are ordered

[NMDemDist2]

14. sadly, I can't leave my post that often

I hope the gel stuff will help

we are all amazed that NM doesn't have any reported cases yet.....

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Gel will help

it is just as effective for most bugs 99.9

And this bug is susceptible to the alcohol, as in it will kill it

Just remember to use cream at home, hand cream, for the chaffing

[wildeyed]

17. The gel stuff will help.

Other than that, like everyone else said, don't touch your face. Keep people at arms length when possible. Cover your face with your elbow when you cough or sneeze. Keeps germs from getting on your hand and then you wiping them all over the place.

Flu pandemics are serious stuff. I read a book 10-15 years ago about the 1918 pandemic that scared the bejeezus out of me. Now that I have little kids who hang out in germ factories called schools everyday, there is even more to be concerned about.

Stay healthy :hug: