The Flu Sux

I've gotten a flu shot every year since 1993, the year I entered medical school. The first 2 years of med school are mostly spent in the classroom, so I wasn't exposed to flu any more than a regular dude. However, beginning in 1995- present day, I've been treating patients. For the past 13 years, I've worked in the field of Urgent Care, so I have been nearly constantly exposed to the flu virus. And I've never gotten the actual flu; until this year.

In November 2012, I got Influenza A. Fever to 102,sore throat, cough, fatigue & body aches. I started Antiviral medication within 24 hours of my first symptom. It took 5 days for fever to go away, and 3 more days for the aches to disappear. The fatigue lasted another week.

Then, in March 2013, I started feeling bad again. Temp only 100, mild cough & mild aches. This time I tested positive for Flu B. I skipped the antivirals this time, and I was only sick for 5 days.

I'll still take my flu shot next fall. But if I get the flu again, especially twice, I'll think hard about it for the future!

End of the world as we know it

I'm reading a few news articles about "avian flu" again. Mark my words. Within the next 6 months, the news media will be talking ominously about this every day, telling us we are all going to die from the bird flu. Or will it be swine flu? Or SARS? Or Global Warming? Or the upcoming ice age? Or a comet about to crash into the planet?

In other words, Chicken Little is always telling us the end is nigh.