A Virus Hack

Today I am the empty shell of where just 24 hours ago a great battle for control of my body raged. I am sore, weak, and still have a persistent but productive cough. Oh what a flu it may have been but I had a flu hack.

At the first sign of confirmed flu I headed to a doctor. For me a fever is the moment of truth confirming flu, assuming I don't have infected sore elsewhere on my body. The fever hit in the night with chills.

In the morning I headed to the local clinic affiliated with my physician and hospital group. I was seeking a medical confirmation of my diagnosis and some Tamiflu. The nurse swabbed my nose and ran the test. The Tamiflu was prescribed.

It seems that researchers have found a way to hack the flu virus and control it's growth in the host body. The Tamiflu is a drug that slows the spread of influenza (flu) virus between cells in the body by stopping the new virus from chemically cutting ties with its host cell.

So my body recovers more quickly than I expected.

They key is to get this drug at the onset or it does no good.

The day continued as usual with fever, chills, fever, chills and lots of sleep. Then the second night I had the sweats. I sweat and sweat with indicates in the 1956 model that I am coming out of a fever.

I wake up day three and feel much better but pee basketball orange. I text a nurse in Canada and he said that it should be orange.

So I'm still taking Tamiflu. I still have flu in me I suppose but I feel much better. What would have been a week event is over in days.

Now I can take Gigi to the doctor this morning because she is sick as hell.

5 comments:

Ken said...

They won't even give me a flu shot, I'm over 49.
Glad your better and thanks for the details. If any hint of the flu hits me(haven't had one in over 6yrs.)with fever...I'm going in.
Hope Gigi gets over it as well as you did.

Reggie Hunnicutt said...

Truly amazing how fast it helped me. I still feel poor but nothing like I did. I'll work a bit on that dog cart today.

terri said...

I was amazed to see you had written already. I didn't expect to hear from you so soon! I'm glad the worst of it is over, but sorry to hear Gigi didn't escape the virus.

TerryC said...

Dangerous living in a "civilized" country. I don't know anyone here who's gotten sick.....

Hope you're feeling better. And Gigi too!

Reggie Hunnicutt said...

Might have something to do with moving inside from the cold and pushing the same elevator button hundreds of other have push in a single day or any number of things we do to get exposed in a complex industrial society. That is what I want to believe anyway. Don't tell me it is a democrat plot to pass healthcare!