It’s Flu Season in Texas! And Boy do I know it!

by Sonja Harris on January 19, 2015 at 2:18 PM

Sleeping most of the day for the better part of the last 13 days with the ‘flu’ is not something I was looking forward to or planning for 2015, but that is what I have been doing: sleeping. The last time I had the ‘flu’ was over twenty years ago. And by the way, I have never had a flu shot.

Why am I writing about this….because we are having a ‘flu’ situation in Texas. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, the 2014 – 2015 influenza season began September 28, 2014. There have been six Texas children who have died from the flu and 993 reported cases who have tested positive for the flu. But it seems that everyone I know has the flu, or knows someone with the flu. The map below indicates Influenza-like illness (ILI) for the week ending January 10, 2015.

Sleeping is just a part of the whole flu process. Severe chills, fever of 102, headache, ear ache, coughing, sneezing, congestion, nasal drip, no appetite, and finally total exhaustion. The doctor diagnosed me with the ‘flu’ but not the ‘bad’ kind by sticking a thin probe into my left nostril which hurt. He prescribed Tamiflu, and because the flu thrived in my cold/hot body for way too long, I’m not sure Tamiflu helped.

Reports are that St. Peter and St. Paul Catholic School in New Braunfels, Texas closed its doors temporality because of the flu. The Texas Department of State Health Services is calling this a ‘particularly bad flu season’. Followed by this statement on their website:

Most flu cases in the 2014-2015 flu season have been caused by the H3N2 strain, often associated with more severe illness and more hospitalizations and deaths. DSHS tracks the number of pediatric deaths due to the influenza. So far this season, six Texas children have died from the flu.

Research has shown that many of the flu viruses circulating this year are different than those contained in the vaccine, so the vaccine may provide limited protection. However, while the vaccine is not perfect, it offers the best defense we have against the flu and will protect against some cases, hospitalizations and deaths from influenza.

My personal advice is get plenty of rest so you don’t wear yourself down, making the flu easier to find a home in your body, and avoid being around too many children because, in my opinion, they carry all kinds of ‘contagious’ illnesses. Remember to wash your hands often. If you do happen to ‘catch’ the flu, follow your doctor’s orders.

Stay well my friends.

Red Sonja2015©