The Flu

Gotta love it, right? Um, no.

I started feeling ill last Wednesday and debated making a trip to the Dr on Thursday, but there was no fever so I decided to put it off. On Friday I could barely get out of bed and with a steady dose of Tylenol my temp continued to climb past the 101.5 mark. Off to the Dr I went. Over 2 hours later, a steady temp somewhere above 102, a heart rate sitting down of 116, and a rapid flu test, it was determined that I do in fact have the flu. The Dr tried to get approval from the state to do an H1N1 test but that got denied (because I'm not in the hospital, haven't been around pigs, and no one I know has tested positive for H1N1 - it's an expensive test so they limit it). So they're just treating me as if I do have H1N1. It's an interesting antiviral drug that you inhale in powder form.

They also put Evie on Tamaflu. Which is difficult to find. We had to go to 3 different pharmacies to find one that had it in stock, and she got the last dose they had (my stuff was out of stock at one pharmacy). We've been hearing all these warnings on TV about how there is this flu pandemic and the flu season has started early this year, but the pharmacies aren't adequately stocked with antivirals for the flu? Doesn't make much sense to me.

Anyways, it took 4 hours to finally get my temp down from 102 and over 6 hours to get my contractions under control. They were coming every 3-10 mins while I was laying down and pushing fluids. Thought for a while there I was going to have to make a trip back to the hospital for IV fluids. Yesterday and today have been much better. No fever and no overwhelming need to stay in bed, just easily tired out and winded with aches well controlled on Tylenol. Evie seems to be reaching a peak in coughing, fatigue and fever today...so hopefully she's feeling better soon too! She's in good spirits through it all, though, so that's a plus.

Now my question is, do Evie and I still need the flu shot this year? Or does catching it make us immune for the rest of the season? Or, since they didn't test for the type of flu, are they going to still recommend that we get the regular flu shot and the H1N1 vaccine when it's available? I guess I'll find out at my 37 week appointment with the midwife later this week.

FULL TERM - in case you didn't get the memo dearest little one, this means you can come out at any time! Please do!