Fun With Swine Flu

Where has Walter been this week? I hear you ask.

I've been in the mountains above Taos with a bunch of friends, eating well, hanging out, and trying to get the hot tub to work. (Stuck valve now fixed.)

All was well until yesterday, when one of our number came down with flu-like symptoms and confined himself to his room. This morning, one more friend began to feel badly, and it had to be admitted that I didn't feel all that great myself. (Dry cough, lethargy.)

Despite the letharegy, it was time to take action!

Fortunately we had an MD among our number, as well as a public health official. A relatively junior public health official, but one who could sound on the phone like a big, important public health official, possibly one with a medical degree herself.

Thus we were able to inform the state health authorities that our victim had been seen by a doctor, that he was exhibiting flu-like symptoms, and that he needed a test to see if he was suffering from influenza. So Patient Zero was carried down the mountain to Taos, where he had his test in the emergency room of the local hospital.

The test showed that he had Type A influenza, among which we may include the current species of Swine Flu. Since 99% of the cases of flu in this country are now of the swinish variety, it was wise to assume that we had all been exposed.

So we all had to troop down to the local Taos pharmacy for prescriptions for TamiFlu, which we are now diligently taking. I'm not feeling better yet, but I have confidence that I will improve.

At lease I won't need a flu shot, when they finally produce one.