Flu season

I never really understood what people meant when they said “It’s flu season again.” I just assumed that people said it when two or more people they know got the flu at the same time. My mom tells me it’s a season of the year when the virus multiples quickly and spreads just as fast. The sad part is, whenever “flu season” is, I’m most assuredly going to get it.

And, sure enough, when flu season rolled around this year, I was one of the first ones to get sick again. The odd thing was I don’t even recall being around anyone who was sick from which to get the virus from. As far as I know I was perfectly fine one minute and then keeling over the next.

Funnily enough, I always know when the sickness is coming. I know myself so well I can predict with scary accuracy when I’m about to get the flu. It begins with a scratch in my throat. A small itch develops that I can’t seem to “ahem” away. Then the itch starts to turn into a dull pain. Pretty soon the pain is a full blown sore throat. That’s always the first symptom I get. Once the sore throat arrives the rest is sure to follow.

Afterwards, in no particular order begins the runny and/or stuffy nose, the fever, the chills, the sweat, and the fatigue. Ironically, even though I know the pattern like I do the back of my hand, it doesn’t make it any easier or any more bearable. I don’t just always get sick — when I do it’s always pretty major. Many times I would swear I am on the edge of death as my temperature skyrockets.

This was my state of mind last week, as I fell victim to the flu. The whole sickness was even more poignant now because not only do we have the regular flu virus to contend with but we have the added fear of a possible H1N1 infection at the same time. Not that it would have been possible for me to contract H1N1 since I hadn’t been in contact with anyone who had it and I hadn’t traveled in the past month, but still. The fact that this mutated flu virus is also out there managed to scare me even more and I began imagining every symptom was a harbinger of doom.

Perhaps this is what happens when one has too much time to think which is exactly what happened to me last week. I got sick on Wednesday morning and was down and out all weekend long. Even Monday when I woke up and tried to start getting back to work my head would begin to spin after about an hour and start to feel heavy again. I think that’s one of my least favorite symptoms — the bowling ball head. My head feels so heavy I can barely lift it and I get dizzy so easily.

In any case, I am finally getting better and I finally have a better understanding of flu season. This is definitely it and the virus is out there. I already know three more people who have been sick and dozens more who are already starting to feel ill. So take my advice, load up on vitamins, wash your hands all the time, and try to stay healthy because lets face it — no one likes being sick!