"Splain to me about the H1N1 please...UGH

[Star*]

(GERMOPHOBE ON HIGH ALERT FREAKIN' OUT) Lysol stock goes through the roof and MANNNNNNNNN am I ANGRY at DF's friend.

Background:

DF has a friend who has 2 grandchildren. 1 goes to daycare with all the other little germ infested kids and brings the bug of the day home to Grandpa, Grandma and infant sister who is being baby sat by Grandma. Grandpa is disabled, but comes to our house every day because Grandma can't stand for his (worthless) behind to be under her foot every day. (Yes she's a nice one).

So the other day, Grandson is at daycare and Grandma calls Grandpa at our house (because he has their only car) tells him Grandson has a fever at noon but by 2:00 it's gone. UT OH. Grandpa freaks out and says - "I'm on my way - that's H1N1 for sure." Everyone tells Grandpa he's a (can't say those words here) but by midnight that night - Grandson has spiking fever and vomiting. Take Grandson to the hospital and they diagnosis with H1N1 and send home with medication.

So Grandpa shows up at OUR house after holding, cuddling, taking care of - GERM-INFESTED H1N1 Grandson. WHAT IN THE H is he thinking? DF has about NO immune system. But since Grandma can't stand Grandpa being under HER feet all day she concocts this story for Grandpa to tell DF that they were ALL GIVEN MEDICINE TO TAKE AT THE HOSPITAL - EVEN the Mom, Dad and Infant sister. WHAT??? ARE YOU SERIOUS? You're all taking medication so that you won't be carriers of the H1N1 flu? "Yeah so it's Okay for me to be here at YOUR house, I'm not contageous."

Have ANY of you heard this or is this some great concocted story so that Grandma gets (worthless) Grandpa out of her hair everyday and at our house for 6-8 hours? I swear if this is a lie it will be the end of this friendship. I have not heard of ANY place or ANY facility giving the entire family medicine to take so that they don't infect others. Have you?

I think she's just told him to tell us that because she KNOWS I'm a germophobe....and would FREAK out if I knew that the kid had H1N1....and would ask Grandpa to stay home - and she'd have to put up with him being there and cramp HER life. She is about the most .......(insert ugly thought) woman I have ever met. UGH. UGH twice.

 

[hearts and roses]

My friend's entire family was given Tamiflu to avoid getting the flu themselves. Whether or not that prevents them from spreadin the germ they may already be carrying sounds a little too good to be true to me. The doctors also told my friend that her child was okay to go to school after two more days of rest - but the poor little bugger was exhausted when he got home from school and slept all evening into the next day.

Personally, I would tell grandpa to go somewhere else for a few days to see if he comes down with anything before resuming his regular visiting times at your house!

 

[smallworld]

Sometimes the patient is given Tamiflu to lessen the duration and severity of the flu AND the family members who are exposed to flu are given Tamiflu to prevent them from coming down with flu. But who knows if that is true in this situation.

 

[DammitJanet]

I havent heard of that medicine. I think my doctor would have given me a script for it to have on hand because he knows I have one of those little germ factories that come to my house on a regular basis and he hasnt been able to get me the shots either.

Keyana got her shot so we are praying she doesnt bring anything home to me.

I dont think its definite though that just because the baby is sick that everyone in the house is going to be sick.

 

[hearts and roses]

Apparently, there is a shortage of Tamiflu in many areas, as well as the vaccines so it doesn't surprise me that doctors are not handing out this medication to have one hand, Janet. Sad, but true. As an asthmatic, I would love to have some in my house 'just in case'.

 

[smallworld]

Janet, here's a link to information about antiviral medications to treat influenza from the CDC:

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/antiviral.htm

 

[DammitJanet]

Interesting. I didnt know all that. This stuff scares me. I am trying to stay far away from doctors and hospitals but I have to go to doctors and dentists at least once a month...sigh. I feel like going in with a mask on.

 

[smallworld]

I was an an airplane last week from Baltimore to Salt Lake City, and there was a gentleman on board with a mask on. So it's not unheard of.

 

[hearts and roses]

Wearing a mask will not prevent you from GETTING it, but wearing a mask if you're already infected will prevent you from SPREADING it. At least that's the latest on wearing a mask that I've read. Doesn't make sense to me, personally.

I think the best prevention is to be cautious, wash hands often and keep out of crowded areas. If wearing a mask to your Dr appts helps you to feel safer...

 

[Star*]

Thanks Jo & SW -

My Mom said the news showed that the virus is SO small that it goes THROUGH the paper masks so they are virtually useless.

DF has made EXCUSES so that germ-factory (OMG I'm sorry about that crack I was just so angry- I really love that kid and kids in general) GRANDPA will stay home. Mean old Grandma is just going to have to inhale it up for a few days and live with the man she married. We actually feel sorry for Grandpa-DF's friend. This woman actually told him he had to STOP taking his pain medication because she couldn't understand him, he was stupid-talking and then she told him after he got disability check #2 to get his broken butt out of bed and go get a job, THEN she told him to get out of the house that she needed her alone time. - So he comes and hangs out with DF all day. I think he has MS or the beginning of Parkinsons or something of that nature because his motor skills are just going down hill and his brain functioning is decreasing rapidly. He's an ace mechanic and yesterday he tried to help DF put on door hinges and they were upside down and actually argued to the point of tears that they were put on right side up. DF finally said "You know I think you're right.", shut the door and went in the house and went back out later after the guy left and turned them the way they were supposed to go. It's really sad whatever is going on. DF said he's afraid to watch him drive even. Not sure whats going on - but his wife isn't helping by being scared and taking it out on him by being mean.....then again you never know what goes on behind closed doors.

Thanks for the great advice!!

 

[Hound dog]

A paper mask won't do you much good for h1n1. Which is why anyone suspecting they have it......aren't allowed near a clinical site or at the hospital where easy child works. She's getting in ALOT of overtime due to this.

Don't know of anything docs can give you to prevent it short of the vaccine. They might have gotten tamiflu.....but that won't prevent them from getting it........just might lessen symptoms when they do get it.

I'm still iffy as to whether or not I had it at the beginning of the quarter.......might have been. But if I did........even with my compromised immune system I threw it off pretty well. Felt like I was dying while I had it.....but it didn't linger. (if that's what it was)

Hopefully hospital also stressed to grandma and grandpa how utterly important hand washing is in preventing the spread........and grandpa washed his hands good before coming over. Not too bright of them regardless.

husband can get the vaccine. All docs/health dept is allowed to charge is I think like 10.00 for the administering fee. The shot is free regardless of where you get it. If his immune system is that bad......he needs the vaccine as soon as it's available in your area. Being high risk puts him at the top of the list to get one.

I need to get one........(cuz I don't know that what I had was actually h1n1) but I just haven't been able to get to the health dept before it closes.

Oh, don't let him do the nasal spray. It has a live form of weakened virus.........and with husband's immune system like it is......it might give it to him instead of protect him.

Some people are soooooooo stupid. sigh

Hugs

 

[gcvmom]

Here's a thought to maybe focus on and breathe calmly over... Given his age, it's very likely he was exposed during the last swine flu outbreak here in the US in 1976, thereby making him immune. That's one of the reasons they are not as worried about middle-aged people as a high risk group.

Your DF CAN get the injectable vaccine, just not the nasal mist vaccine. Check your county health department for a free clinic -- that's where I had to take difficult child 1 to get his shot because none of our dr's offices have the vaccine and they don't know if they will at all this year.

And yes, those people are morons.

Hope you can keep yourself and DF well...

 

[totoro]

I'm thinking a huge bubble for you and DF. Putting up quarrantine signs... yellow tape around the house.

little germs factories, too funny!

 

[Shari]

Hey, Lisa, I've heard that the reason its so hard on the younger folks has something to do with it affecting those with strong immune systems more so than weaker ones. Not sure the mechanics of that, but that's why I heard it was hitting different population groups than normal "flu" so heavily.

 

[Hound dog]

Shari I've heard that too........but not sure they have accurate info to back up the theory. Another theory is that my generation and above didn't receive antiboitics for every little sniffle.....so our immune systems are also much stronger than the younger generations. *shrugs* I dunno.

But I know that both my girls are very careful of medicating their kids when it's something viral......or something they should get over without the help of antibiotics.''

I'll probably never make it to the health dept to get the darn thing between clinicals and school.

But my worry isn't the virus itself.......it's that it won't take much to throw my body into acute renal failure.....that's the big worry. So I scrub my hands so much it's surprising I have skin left. I keep my distance from anyone who appears to be ill or even sniffly. lol

I think that's the deal with the immuno-suppressed. Not necessarily that the virus itself will kill them.......the the secondary problems caused by their body attempting to fight it off has the high potential to kill them.