How to manage if I get this flu?

[Redonionsalad]

I’m a single parent, no support nearby.
I keep reading with this new flu strain people can’t get out of bed for a week or more.

I’m in panic mode as how on earth will I look after my DC (5 and 7) if I do catch it?!

This.

When i had covid very badly, some other school mums agreed to collect DC from house& take to school. I try wherever I can to offer favours and I find people tend to rally round and offer help when you need one back.

I had a medicine cupboard well stocked, literally everything - paracetamol, ibuprofen, cocodamol, aspirin, sudafed, loads of lemsips.

Don't panic until it happens either, some groups tend to be more vulnerable than others, older people, those with chronic conditions like asthma & diabetes.

As a pp said, what tends to make a lot of viruses tricky to avoid is the number of people walking around carrying them who are barely affected

Stock up on medicines and fill the freezer. Buy paper plates and cups. 5 and 7 is thankfully much more manageable than toddlers and babies. TV on, whatever it takes to entertain them. If they have to miss school because you can't take them, so be it. It's not forever and you are only likely to be very incapacitated for a few days. I have it at the moment, it's horrible. I'd be worried if I had babies and toddlers on my own but kids would be just about manageable.

It's not just "what if I get the flu" - you could equally catch norovorus. Or fall down the stairs and break both your ankles and have to go to hospital for surgery to pin them. It is worth thinking these sorts of worse case scenarios through and thinking, right if I'm being loaded into the back of an ambulance, is there anyone I could call. Or will the police be getting an emergency foster placement for a weekend situation.

It's hit our house.
Older dd was at ooh dr on Sunday.
Dd2 last night.
Very high temps, body pains, rigors, dd2 had hallucinations.
It seems that 24/48 hours are awful then it becomes like a urti - cough, sore throat, snotty
Horrid.
I've stocked up on every otc painkiller, difflam, honey etc
Just waiting for it to get me now...😬☹️😷

And dd1 had her jab, dd2 didnt qualify for one.
They seem to have had the same symptoms tbh

Don't worry too much, when my dd were little, I was seriously ill (I didn't know at the time and wasn't rushed to hospital for a few days) I managed even though I was very ill, the children helped me out by bringing things from the fridge etc, they lived on sandwiches for a few days, but never starved. You'll get by because you'd have to. ❤️x

Stock up on easy child friendly foods. There was a bad flu season in the 60s, my parents were very ill and my strongest memory is of my brother and I sitting on the kitchen floor and crying because there was no food.

We did not have a phone but somehow a neighbour realised and brought us food.

When my DC were small I took a child from DS's class to and from school for a week when his mum was injured. People are usually happy to help.

Thankfully it’s not usually deadly and some people manage to do the bare minimum if they really have to.

I’ve never seen so many people panic over the yearly flu.

Your kids are old enough that they don’t need constant supervision.

I always had a credit card for emergencies.

Save up money so you can get takeaway and food delivery if needed.
Perhaps write a list of things you’ll need to buy if you get ill but can’t think straight - bread, milk, ready meals, cereal, paracetamol, toilet roll etc

Buy some bread and freeze it and a couple of tins of beans.

Worst comes to worst your kids will live off sandwiches and cereal for a couple of days, the house will be a mess and they’ll have loads of screen time but they won’t mind any of it.

You can just lie on the sofa and doze all day.
Just remember to keep your fluids up and have paracetamol and ibuprofen every 2 hours.

You’ll get through it op, just have things that make life easier, medecines, food prepared, antibacterial cleaning wipes and aerosol sprays, colouring stuff and play dough and be ready for them to watch over average screen time. It’s all anyone can do x

they did before Covid, but now we're forgetting about Covid, the flu threat is back 😂

My must have in house at all times when I get ill.

Lemons.
Limes.
Jar of honey.
Vics.
Oxo and black pepper.
Cup a soups.
Cough sweets.
Sleep.

As soon as I'm feeling some what ok sweat it out with house work then back to bed.

Tell myself keep moving get better or die.
So far got through 3 extremely bad flu virus.
And few colds over the past nearly 40 years.

I have to agree with you.
The flu as been around for centuries.
Its how we deal with it that have changed.
I may get quoted for saying this but society has become soft.
And can't cope with things that have been happening for decades.

I can confirm this - had the flu jab weeks ago and am in bed most of the time.

It feels like they’re pushing for a lockdown again.

Yeah I heard.
Absolutely ridiculous tbh.
The world's gone mad.
Know one seems to cope anymore with normal things.
Im starting to be embarrassed to be British.

I’ve had the flu jab several times with no side-effects, but all my Covid jabs made me feel dreadful. I’d rather have a mild version from the vaccine than full-on flu or Covid.

Flu activity in the UK is unusually high just now, and hospital cases are at record-high levels for this time of year. I haven’t heard anything about lockdowns.

People used to die of flu - in clinically vulnerable groups they still do.

The vaccine is £15 in Asda.

OP, stock up on Beechams for yourself and ibuprofen for the children, easy meals, let school know if you do get the flu.

Set your kids up for some age appropriate independence. Getting breakfast or making a basic sandwich themselves, brushing their teeth getting dressed etc.

Get a support network, presumably your kids are in school and you live somewhere with neighbours. Support goes both ways so be willing to help others and store favours.

dont empty your food cupboards unless you’re genuinely living hand to mouth… have food in at all times.

why panic about flu. You could fall over and break your leg etc. don’t give in to unreasonable hype but generally be prepared with some basic measures.

Absolutely agree. It’s easier than ever now as you can order anything to be delivered. Then make do.

I think it is a particulary nasty strain this year. It is a mutated strain and so not as much immunity to it. Whole schools have been closed because of it.

Who is "they"?