OINK OINK

One must think, according to the media blitz of information, that the H1N1 virus is upon the Perfectly household.

I am kind of a germaphobe. I microwave sponges, and change them FREQUENTLY. I obsessively wash anything that has touched chicken or other raw meats. But chicken especially. If people are vomiting, I clean all common areas with bleach.

Therefore, I am surprised at my relative lack of concern over the swine flu…….I mean not LACK of concern, but lack of my normal paranoia. I have tried to educate myself regarding this flu, and so far, it seems quite widespread (in our area), but relatively mild (miserable, but mild).

Son #1 called yesterday and announced that he was coming home for a few hours….that he wanted to spend some time with his girlfriend, that he wanted to go to dinner with her……could he have some money???? Oh, by the way……”my throat hurts, and I ache”. He is coughing, feverish, and achy. According to the tee-vee, that can mean only ONE THING……………H1N1.

Upon his arrival at home, he appeared to be in decent health…to me he felt warm, but assured me that his temp was low. 97 degrees. I had no reason to question this as we’ve always thought his ‘normal’ body temp is lower than average. He went to his girlfriend’s house. I never did determine if they went out to eat, but 4 and a half hours later he was back, burning up with fever (101.7……which if his body temp is lower than average, means his fever is higher on him than average). Yeah!! I tried to get him to just stay, but he wants his computer, and maybe some books and needed to take his roommate back to school, so he left, saying he’d return home today. We go to the Dr. this afternoon, and as any over protective mother should, I shall insist on a flu test…they are publicly announcing (and have been for some time) that nearly all type A flu positive tests are H1N1…that’s all they’ve seen. So, if he has a positive type A test, then we’ll notify his school that he’s got the swine flu. According to them, they’ve not had any reports of any flu at all on their tiny campus. OF COURSE, my kid is the one to bring it on.

I called their student services department and asked (anonymously, of course) if they’d had any known flu on campus. The answer was “NO”. I bet that will change this afternoon, once we get the Dr. Diagnosis.

I feel bad for the kid. Son #1 is my tough guy. The one who never says he’s unwell……EVER. If he says he’s sick, then he’s usually TERRIBLY sick. The last time he said he was sick was Christmas of 2006. My Grandma was terminally ill, and we knew this would be our last Christmas with her. She was in an assisted living wing at a nursing home. We spent the time with her. Son #1 kept telling me he didn’t feel well, and kept wanting me to feel his back……that he was feverish. I just kept giving him Ibuprofen and telling him to stay away from Grandma. 2 days later we got home and he had a temp of 104 and we took him to the ER……and he had Pneumonia. FABULOUS parenting, wouldn’t you say? I was so tied up in my Grandma’s well being that I sort of ignored my kid’s health. I mean, I didn’t COMPLETELY ignore it, I just didn’t think he was as sick as he was. Poor guy. I felt terrible.

Anyway, we now are having the same type of illness, but since flu season is in full swing here…..and he’s had the vaccination against pneumonia…..we’ll assume it’s the Piggy Flu.

I’ve had the seasonal flu before, and it’s the sickest I’ve ever been as an adult. I was pregnant with Son #2, and remember laying in bed..I felt him kick for the first time, and was too sick to even be excited about it. I was too sick to care for son #1, whom I caught the flu from, and Mr. P, who’d just started a new, fancy job had to take off work, while on probation to take care of both of us. Luckily he didn’t get it……

So, this should be quite the eventful week…….son #1 back home….sick, and exposing all of us…….but I’d rather he be here under my care (um…no, I’m not a control freak….why do you ask??). I worry about him.

Oh, in other pink news….I GOT MY PENIS….and it certainly is vanilla scented! It came in the mail on Friday, and son #2 didn’t understand why I received a penis in the mail. The greatest parenting moment EVER was when I put the balls up to the young athlete’s nostrils so he could smell it. All vanilla-ey and all. MMMMMM. I even got a grin from him. WOOT WOOT for MAMA!!

Toodles for now, y’all.

p.s. Don’t stop reading my blog. Despite what the media is saying, the flu is NOT contagious via computer. Really. It isn’t. Don’t worry.