The Vent and Rant Thread

[Patricia]

@kennyc. I'm so sorry to hear about the death of your friend's son. You and his family are in my thoughts.

[kennyc]

Thank you Patricia. I appreciate it. I did not know the young man directly, I had met his brother whom is a friend of my son's on a few occasions.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Tom, I don't know if he had the opportunity either, but it's a tragedy as he was only 25.

That is sad. So young. Too young. I feel sorry for your son's loss.

With other forms of influenza, the very young and the very old are in the highest risk group. H1N1 seems to be targeting those who are age 25 and younger. That's quite frightening.

Originally Posted by kennyc

If the issue is Overstretched, overburdened, and underfunded then something should be done about it instead of it just being considered the status quo and letting things like this happen. I think these incidents are "indicators" like canaries in coal mines.

I had a two panel cartoon on my desk at work for the longest time that showed a patriot cheering on the soldiers as they marched off to war in the first panel, and showed the same patriot cutting benefits from veteran's entitlements in the second panel. The caption read, "Support the troops ... until they need us."

We all need to make our voices heard about this. The way our government treats the troops is shameful.

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

Thanks Kaz

I hope Shannon gets better soon.

Thanks, Am. She is finally doing much better. She is still coughing a bit, but feels like doing more than just going to work now. All last week, she would go to work and then come home and go right to bed. I would have to wake her up to get dinner and then she went right back to bed. I think all that sleeping was the best thing she could have done.

Originally Posted by Verencat

Aww! Go back to bed, stay there all you like, and let the Yeti pamper you!
Get well soon!

And, well, Kaz, to mix a few threads, I suggest you push Shannon to learn how to cook only after she gets better! wish her well for me!

Duly noted and done! Thanks. For the record, when she started working and decided to live at home for a while to save money for a down payment on a townhouse or condo, we made a deal that she cook one day a week. She doesn't have to pay for anything like rent or food. I thought it would be a good way for her to contribute to the household and to give her an opportunity to learn with someone (me) around to answer questions. Although, I'm told she did cook one night while I was away at the funeral, but she has yet to cook anything while I'm there.

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Tell you what -- when you're in that situation, you find out who your friends are really quick. I was at the mercy of my fellow medics; I couldn't begin to get myself out of that thing!



I wouldn't worry too much about the Fort Hood fiasco. As horrible as it was, it appears to be an isolated act committed by a lone perpetrator.

I don't know how that "local base" you mentioned is dealing with swine flu, so I can't really say anything directly. What I do know is that a large number of people, under the guidance of such towering figures of scientific literacy as Rush Limbaugh on the right and Jim Kerry on the left, have chosen to forgo the swine flu shot. Being a member of the Armed Services, and thus considered to be government property, I don't know if your son's friend had the option to forego the shot. (I would love to get the shot, but it's not available for folks like me yet. The young and the pregnant are being given first dibs.)
In my opinion, the real problem with our military is that they are overstretched, overburdened, and underfunded. It's not a good situation.

Here in Fauquier county, all the schools are offering the H1N1 flu shot/mist to the children. They haven't started the vaccination yet because the supplies are so limited. My problem with that is that Shannon was the only one in our household to receive the basic flu shot and she was the only one that got the flu. I've never had a flu shot and rarely get sick, although all those years as an elementary teacher could have built up my resistence!!

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

That is sad. So young. Too young. I feel sorry for your son's loss.

With other forms of influenza, the very young and the very old are in the highest risk group. H1N1 seems to be targeting those who are age 25 and younger. That's quite frightening.



I had a two panel cartoon on my desk at work for the longest time that showed a patriot cheering on the soldiers as they marched off to war in the first panel, and showed the same patriot cutting benefits from veteran's entitlements in the second panel. The caption read, "Support the troops ... until they need us."

We all need to make our voices heard about this. The way our government treats the troops is shameful.

Well said and very true.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by kazbates

... Here in Fauquier county, all the schools are offering the H1N1 flu shot/mist to the children. They haven't started the vaccination yet because the supplies are so limited. My problem with that is that Shannon was the only one in our household to receive the basic flu shot and she was the only one that got the flu. ...

Kaz, was it the H1N1 inoculation that Shannon got? And did she then develop full blown swine flu? I ask because, as you're no doubt aware, the most common side effects of the shot include a low-grade fever and discomfort.

On the other hand, no one would claim that any flu shot is 100% effective. Everyone admits that it's somewhat of a crapshoot trying to forecast the exact strains of flu that are going to circulate in any given year.

Originally Posted by kazbates

... I've never had a flu shot and rarely get sick, although all those years as an elementary teacher could have built up my resistence!! ...

In my mother's later life, she once went to her doctor with a severe cold. Her doctor acted surprised and told her that at her age, she should have pretty much had every cold germ out there, and should have built resistance.

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Kaz, was it the H1N1 inoculation that Shannon got? And did she then develop full blown swine flu? I ask because, as you're no doubt aware, the most common side effects of the shot include a low-grade fever and discomfort.

On the other hand, no one would claim that any flu shot is 100% effective. Everyone admits that it's somewhat of a crapshoot trying to forecast the exact strains of flu that are going to circulate in any given year.



In my mother's later life, she once went to her doctor with a severe cold. Her doctor acted surprised and told her that at her age, she should have pretty much had every cold germ out there, and should have built resistance.

She did not get the H1N1 vaccine. Only the generic flu shot and she did feel generally yucky for a day or so after receiving it. The hit-or-miss quality of the shot is the reason I've never gotten one. Since we are all in good health with no extenuating health issues and considering what just happened to Shannon, I figure it's just as well to take our chances in the great FLU Roulette of life.

On a side note: It looks like Ryleigh might be coming down with it now. She's got a bit of a cough and running a low grade fever. It looks like we'll be heading to the pediatrician's tomorrow.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Certainly ZCD could help:

http://www.zencenterofdenver.org/AboutZCD/

not sure I want you to take it away though.

Well "Danan Henry Roshi" is anagram of "Shh Adrian nor yen" and "Robert Aitken Roshi" is an anagram of "Bear-shrine rootkit" and "Zen Center of Denver is an anagram of "Fenced Vent Err Zone"...

Coincidence?

Yes.

[Slite]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

Well "Danan Henry Roshi" is anagram of "Shh Adrian nor yen" and "Robert Aitken Roshi" is an anagram of "Bear-shrine rootkit" and "Zen Center of Denver is an anagram of "Fenced Vent Err Zone"...

Coincidence?

Yes.

Oh thank you Marc, what a wonderful way to start a monday morning....

My brain hurts.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Slite

Oh thank you Marc, what a wonderful way to start a monday morning....

My brain hurts.

Just breathe, just breathe.

[kazbates]

I'm not venting or ranting but wanted to give an update that Ryleigh does not have the Swine (or any type of) flu. She has a case of croup which is easily treatable and will be back to school tomorrow. Yeah!!

[kennyc]

That sounds like a good thing Kaz. Not that she's sick, but that it's not the flu!

and news on the chocolate front:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8349832.stm

[Verencat]

Long story short:

A month ago, boyfriend started his first job in the field he studied in, pharmaceuticals. It's a clerk position, but ever since he started, the air smells odd and he feels bad when he gets back home. Two weeks ago, he was sent from work to the hospital with an intoxication to the unidentified chemicals in the air; cough, fever, nausea. Went from doctor to doctor, passed dozens of tests, he was finally told he could go back to work, but in a new room this time. Goes back to work last Thursday, in the new office: same smell, same secondary effects, he went back to the hospital. They told him he was fine, sent him home with a two days rest period. He spent the weekend here, with nausea, a cough, and quite a high fever, that we brought down with cold showers and Tylenol. Only yesterday did he started to feel a little better.

He went to his doctor this morning, and she says: swine flu! no testing, no correlation with the problems he had with work, no nothing, just a week of rest!

I feel like throwing something at someone.



Thank you for listening (plus, I feel like I owe you guys an explanation for the disappearing and cold attitude... oh, and the whining too )

[desertgrandma]

Vcat, that sounds like something is wrong in the ventilation system at his place of work.

Now, when he goes to these docs, is he being specific about the smells, nausea, etc, and about how the symptoms go away after he's been away for a while?

And no apologies are necessary.

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by Verencat

Long story short:

A month ago, boyfriend started his first job in the field he studied in, pharmaceuticals. It's a clerk position, but ever since he started, the air smells odd and he feels bad when he gets back home. Two weeks ago, he was sent from work to the hospital with an intoxication to the unidentified chemicals in the air; cough, fever, nausea. Went from doctor to doctor, passed dozens of tests, he was finally told he could go back to work, but in a new room this time. Goes back to work last Thursday, in the new office: same smell, same secondary effects, he went back to the hospital. They told him he was fine, sent him home with a two days rest period. He spent the weekend here, with nausea, a cough, and quite a high fever, that we brought down with cold showers and Tylenol. Only yesterday did he started to feel a little better.

He went to his doctor this morning, and she says: swine flu! no testing, no correlation with the problems he had with work, no nothing, just a week of rest!

I feel like throwing something at someone.



Thank you for listening (plus, I feel like I owe you guys an explanation for the disappearing and cold attitude... oh, and the whining too )

Damn that's a blow! Wishing your b'friend a punk-style recovery (this involves mental pogoing and only a little gobbing three times a day after meals )

[Patricia]

It does sound like sick building syndrome.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sick_building_syndrome

But perhaps he has flu as well, poor man?