Had a bad case of viral pneumonia in my early 20's. Most of the symptoms that mimic flu, but doctors could not determine what was wrong with me. Fever, body aches, congestion, and extremely tired and ill. Tested me for everything under the sun from HIV, to syphilis, mono, and other common causes. I lost upwards of 20+lbs in a matter of two weeks because I wasn't eating. I remember wanting to die.
In 2005 I caught influenza A, H2N3 I believe the weekend before SuperBowl. I was dating a girl at the time and helped she and her mother shovel their driveway. Started coming down with a sore throat that night and general fatigue. Thought nothing of it until later when my temperature went over 102. Spent the next several days in bed with my fever going over 103-103.5 and I sweat so badly from the fever, the dye on my bed sheets faded on the mattress. I decided to go to the ER on day 4 or 5 because my chest was tight and rattling but overall I felt generally better albeit weak. Got diagnosed with the flu and also a secondary bacterial infection that turned into bronchitis, most likely from bad sinuses that I chronically have. I recall having a fever of 100 or better for over 10 days even though I was on antibiotics for the bacterial bronchitis.
I'll never forget how sick I was. I tell my wife about it often but she's never had the flu or anything bad enough to keep her in bed, so she has a difficult time understanding how bad it is.
So now I use ethyl alcohol hand gel anytime I am in public and try to avoid places that get overly crowded during peak flu season. Just isn't worth it.
In 2005 I caught influenza A, H2N3 I believe the weekend before SuperBowl. I was dating a girl at the time and helped she and her mother shovel their driveway. Started coming down with a sore throat that night and general fatigue. Thought nothing of it until later when my temperature went over 102. Spent the next several days in bed with my fever going over 103-103.5 and I sweat so badly from the fever, the dye on my bed sheets faded on the mattress. I decided to go to the ER on day 4 or 5 because my chest was tight and rattling but overall I felt generally better albeit weak. Got diagnosed with the flu and also a secondary bacterial infection that turned into bronchitis, most likely from bad sinuses that I chronically have. I recall having a fever of 100 or better for over 10 days even though I was on antibiotics for the bacterial bronchitis.
I'll never forget how sick I was. I tell my wife about it often but she's never had the flu or anything bad enough to keep her in bed, so she has a difficult time understanding how bad it is.
So now I use ethyl alcohol hand gel anytime I am in public and try to avoid places that get overly crowded during peak flu season. Just isn't worth it.
