My mythical nickel jar has welcomed a new member into the fold, courtesy of yesterday afternoon. $1.40.
When I woke up yesterday morning, I had no idea that Tommy would be diagnosed with influenza. It was confirmed with a swab of his button nose. This was a shock, considering he was vaccinated last October, along with our entire family (my experience here). The doctor said 20% of their confirmed flu cases this season have been in kids who had the vaccine.
The good news is those who received the vaccine have much milder symptoms than those who did not receive the vaccine. Tommy’s primary symtom was wheezing that just wouldn’t go away, even with nebulizer treatments. Otherwise, I would have had no reason to take him to the doctor and we would have never known what evil lurks in his nose.
Because the doctor does not want to see it spread around our family like a vicious rumor, he prescribed Tamiflu for all seven of us. Pills for hubby and I and syrup for the kids. We emptied the pharmacy of their entire stock of Tamiflu, actually. It was the first time I left the pharmacy with a large grocery bag. The looks of pity and concern on my fellow shopper’s faces was hard to see—-they were running the opposite direction and hiding out in the feminine hygiene aisle, where no one goes unless they absolutely have to.
I was pleased to find a very appropriate picture of the influenza virus. It is a lovely shade of green, perfect for St. Patrick’s Day:
The kids were deeply concerned about wearing green today to avoid being pinched by the leprechauns. Who needs to wear green when you have the crisp, clean green of the emerald isles floating around in microscopic airborne particles?
I am wearing pink.
I didn’t know that the flu virus was pretty enough to make a leprechaun green with envy.