November 05, 2009

Hand Sanitizer Let Me Down


I've been sick with flu-like symptoms for 5 days now. Tried the garlic, honey, cayenne pepper remedy Ginger- and all I can say is-yuck! It sure added gagging and nausea to my symptoms. Maybe if I'd used the raw honey instead of the Giant-brand honey that comes in a bear it would have been more bearable (ha!). I have no idea if it helped. Somehow I just felt I smelled more of garlic.

Despite copious amounts of hand sanitizer use in the last month, I still got the bug that has been my biggest fear. You know what the upside was? Suddenly I could kiss and hug my two year old who I'd been keeping at arms length when she came down with a cough. We snuggled in bed and watched lots of TV. By the way I don't recommend watching the movie 'Outbreak' with Dustin Hoffmin when you are sick in bed with the flu.

Another upside? (I'm always an pessimistic-optimist), Now I don't have to live in fear of getting this swine flu (if that is what it was) ever again. Whoops- since I'm not sure what it was, maybe I do have to live in fear still... It's funny because in the beginning I kept saying to myself 'this isn't the swine flu because I have no fever and it's just a small tickle in my throat.' Then as I got worse and felt like a truck ran over me, I hoped it was the swine flu so that I could have it and be done with it. Never had a fever, but I googled symptoms and found out fever isn't a criteria. Well I am going to choose to believe that I have had it already. And I was given the nasal mist for the seasonal flu, so I'm good right? Can I hear ya say "right!?" NO more getting sick this year.

During the week, at times I felt pretty sorry for myself. I kept thinking of a resident's wife I know of who got this same bug and her husband (in his residency mind-you) had the balls to tell my husband (his chief) that he would be taking a couple days off to care for her. This couple days off he granted himself sure made for some longer hours for my husband and his family to deal with. Did I get that kind royal treatment? Let me hear you say "no!" Not a two way street there my friends.

Lets just all be reminded that life is not fair. And when the primary program is coming and things need to be done, a flu-like symptom week just cannot get in the way. Laundry still needs to be done, milk still needs to be bought, teens still need to be put in their place. Breathe in breathe out.... Let enough time pass and eventually normalcy will find it's way back again. I saw a glimpse of normalcy today. I can't wait for her to come back. In the meantime my hands need lots of Curel for all the symptoms of dryness caused by useless hand sanitizer.


6 comments:

Dallas said...

Oh, we hear you there. Tim finally went to the Doctor last night after 5 days of it and me starting to feel sick. At least now we know that it is the Flu. But I just keep saying at least we are getting it over with so I won't be so uptight about it anymore. We have all the side effects as well. Empty bottles of hand sanitizers (which did us no good as well) and dry cracked hands! Hang it there, and we will too!

noyb said...

so sorry you are sick. i have been living in fear myself. i hate getting the flu. i have been washing my hands raw and taking airborn(highly recommend it). so far, so good. i felt a little icky yesterday, but airborn and a good nights sleep made me wake up ok.

Kristina P. said...

That is very sucky!

I am anti hand sanitizer. All the people I know who have gotten sick use hand sanitizer constantly. They don't build up their immune system.

Katie said...

I'm sorry!!

Dawn Parsons Smith said...

I went through the very same thing!

I had a guy tell me I smelled like a cheap French hooker after I used my Target brand hand sanitizer the other day! lol!

Get better!

literaqueen said...

I'm all for good hygiene, but the hand sanitizer thing just doesn't seem to be worth it. I say build up the natural immunity!