Piggy Flu

First off, I am not making light of the H1N1 Virus that is running rampant. It is a very serious illness and should be treated as such. Too many people have contracted it and died for my liking. I call it the Piggy Flu because it was originally called the Swine Flu until some PTB's thought it wasn't politically or economically correct to use that term (Swine equal Porcine equals Pork and well....there you go).

At any rate, I greatly fear that dreaded virus as I have young children and my husband and I aren't exactly spring chickens. Because of health reasons, I am unable to have vaccines for either H1N1, Flu or Pneumonia. We looked into getting H1N1 vaccines for my husband and children and guess what - none are available, and none of them fall into the high risk category. I beg to differ - for my husband at any rate. He works with the public, coming into contact with who knows what a thousand times a day. He also qualifies chronologically as a senior citizen (sorry Hubs). However, because he's a healthy Senior, he does not qualify. That leaves my children. Because we home school, they are not considered in the risk category. Forget the fact that all of their friends are public schooled and they are also out in the public. Sure, they are not sequestered in a closed room with potentially 30 hacking and feverish kids, but they can and do catch "bugs" from time to time.

So what's a person to do?
Well we could sit back and just hope and pray we will be fine, we could think egotistically that "that would never happen to us" or we can be proactive.

I choose "proactive". What we are doing may not be the "right thing to do" but it is what we think is best for us and our situation.

First off, we look at where we may get those virulent buggies from and try to eliminate or at least try to stop them dead in their tracks.  Most of my points are common knowledge but should be revisited.

• Hubby works with the public. Judicial spraying of Lysol, use of anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitizer throughout the day at his place of employment not only might protect him but also his employees and the public as well.
  

• After a day out of shopping or whatever, we wash up as soon as we come home. Trying not to touch our faces or mouths with our hands in the mean time.
•  Keeping the house well aired out regardless of outside temperatures or weather.
• Use of Lysol and anti-bacterial products. Some tout no use of them because the use may actually cause differing strains to mutate but I'm going to be safe rather than sorry later.
  
• Never, ever share drinks, etc. Not even amongst ourselves. That include hands in the chip bag, double dipping, passing a handful of something to another.
  
• Keep up on laundry - The dryer will kill any germs (supposedly) that washing does not. 
• Completely clean all of your dishes. Use a dishwasher if you have one. If you don't, soak your dishes for a few minutes in very hot, soapy water, scrub well and rinse with the hottest water you have. Dry immediately with a clean towel.
  
• Stay current on vitamin supplements if your diet requires them. I push extra Vitamin C regularly because I know we don't get enough in our diet due to dietary likes and dislikes.
• The above takes me to eating a well balanced diet. Avoid convenient foods and go for good old fashioned cooking. You know what you put in it.
  
• Avoid closed, stuffy places. Did you know the most likely place to contract a bug of some sort is your doctor's office waiting room?
• Spray the inside of your vehicle from time to time with Lysol. Not only will it help kill viruses and bacteria it will also make it smell better.
• Get enough rest. Lack of sleep runs your system down and lets you be open to "invaders".
• If someone has a cold or a bug, try to avoid them. Hard to do if the sick one is a loved one but by taking precautions you can still be a loving, caring person.
  

Will all the above keep us healthy? I don't know. I sure don't want to take a chance.
Here's to hoping everyone who reads this gets through this "National Emergency" and is healthy as can be.