Should I get ds2 tested for swine flu? And how/where?

[Greensleeves]

he's been sent home from school today feeling sick and has since vomited twice

he has a temperature and says his legs "won't let him walk" and his throat hurts

there is swine flu in other local schools although I haven't heard of it at his school yet (he's 4)

should I try and get him tested, or is it pointless?

not that I mean anyone who does like fish and chips is a lard and carb type (takes foot out of mouth).

it's just an ongoing thing DP and I have about fish and chips. we can never go anywhere without him suggesting we pick up fish and chips on the way home. about 5 times a week, he suggests it.

fish and chips are dh's answer to everything too

I have got used to the msn message at 5.30 saying "shall I pick up fish and chips on the way home"

he has a special spidey sense that tells him when I am eyeing the kitchen cupboards thinking "I can't be arsed to cook"

I am using illness as an excuse to have a 'picnic' tonight which will involve being sprawled across a blanket on the living room floor with any old food I can find in the fridge. Dd thinks it's a great treat, as did I when I was too young to realise it was mum's get-out-of-cooking-free card

Wel this is quickly becoming the Westcountry Flu Watch I am afraid I am the latest statistic. I was convinced I was a bit better this afternoon but have spent the evening glued to the lav, head in the sink. I have also started sneezing like a mad person, have rung out of hours doctor and they are coming tomorrow (supposedly) to give me the official diagnosis. The most surprising thing, especially in the last couple of hours, is just how drunk I feel. I have no coordination at all, I walked right into a chair and now have a nice big bruise on my leg to show for it. The stupid part of me is hurrying about tidying up, trying to get as much washing done as possible so I can do absolutely f all as little as possible for the next few days. At least the dc seem fine so far, touch wood

god good luck all afflicted ones

what's the news in the greeny residence?

I can't belive you've both got it . And where's pageturner, the other attendee at the swine flu party, she's oddly silent? Has she collapsed in a ditch somewhere?

Greeny are any of your lot coming to the beach this evening? Are you still too ill?

I feel the need to compare symptoms. No doctor has shown up yet, the surgery is just around the corner but I don't want to actually go in there iyswim. I am really short of breath. Like the feeling you get after running (it's been a while but I vaguely remember it ), that you can't take a deep breath in. I'm lucky that a friend has taken the dc out for the day so I can just lie in bed, but I hate not doing anything. Dc still seem fine so far. Fennel, maybe pageturner really did fall down a ditch

Oh blimey! Have just glanced at this thread (thank you for the link, fennel - we've been away for the weekend). Feeling fine here so far, but will read the thread back to check symptoms!

evening all

I am still feeling utterly pathetic, horrible inflamed chest and annoying cough and lumpy throat

I am wondering whether it would be taking the piss to take another day off work tomorrow and thinking it probably would

how are you feeling littlelamb?

From our experience and various bits I've read I reckon the distinguishing features of swine flu (as opposed to other flu) are sticky crusty eyes, legs that don't work, interminable hacking cough, gastric splurge and really horrible vivid nightmares

Well Greeny, the offer of all day babysitting turned into two hours so I had to drag my sorry arse out of bed, but the funny thing was I felt much better for doing so. I had to go shopping as we have no food in, and it was a very short trip on the bus so I felt alright. On the way home I reached the top of my road and I just had to sit down. It was that sudden, I sat on a bench and broke out into a sweat again. Once I finally got home I started feelign ill again, and have spent most of the afternoon in the toilet. I rang the doctor before I went out and they said they won't be doing house calls, so I don't know really. I suspect it is a horrible virus more than anything, especially as for about 2 or 3 hours today I felt fine. The hardest thing right now is that I still feel very uncoordinated, and now have a nice collection of bruises to show for it, and the lack of breath. Not to mention the tummy horrors that had me convinced last night that I was going to be one of those women who give birth without even knowing they were pregnant

greeny why the fuck would you consider going back to work and giving this to other people?

I can't still be infectious surely? I've had it for quite a while and have only still got the cough/throat

I thought these things were only infectious for a short time?

i don't think so greeny
i wouldn't be too pleased to see you if i worked with you tbh

We've been told 7 day exclusion from school.

LOL at being in a ditch! No, actually I was in a hotel in Mullion doing nice things for my birthday. Not getting swine flu. I'm shocked that you got so ill so quickly Greeny, and gave it to littlelamb too! And you'd only just met!

Oh greeny and littelamb . Sorry, x-post. So sorry you're both feeling so shit.

And Greeny, don't even THINK about going to work tomorrow !

you know how I worry about my job though

I let them all down on Friday when we were meant to be doing music for the open day

and arranging cover for an inclusion worker is really difficult at short notice

what if the cough etc doesn't go away all week? I can't just stay at home

maybe I should ring NHS Direct and ask about infectiousness etc

ds2 is still coughing too, he wanted to go to school this morning and dh agreed with him, but I put my foot down and made him stay on the sofa, and he slept most of the afternoon

I don't want to send him tomorrow either but I will have mutiny on my hands if I say so

apologies for self-indulgent soliloquy

greeny, fab as you are, you are not irreplaceable

no, not irreplaceable - but a lot of time and work goes into building up a close relationship and trust with a SN child which enables him to enjoy being at nursery

I make written reports of each session and liaise with the rest of his care team

and it isn't like working on a checkout and someone having to swap shifts to cover you

but I see your point

have started MN Jury thread to see if anyone will say "oh, it's ok, go back" but so far nobody has

nono i wasn;t trying to belittle any of that
but really, you CAN be covered for, and they will have to
you're ill

LOL avi
there you go greeny
if you say that and they say "yes please come in we need you" THEN you are allowed to go in

no, we weren't offered any tamiflu or anything else

in fact the doc on the phone was proposing that I put my vomiting feverish childin a taxi in the pissing rain and take him to the walk-in centre

needless to say I quickly disabused her of this notion

I won't go to work, I'll ring my boss in the morning and apologise profusely but say that I will aim to return to work on Thursday - having read everything people have said on here of course I can't go in and risk children getting ill, especially not the little boy I look after who is very frail anyway.

I just hate letting people down, that's all.

and I know you weren't belittling me or my job Franny, sometimes it's hard to hear the truth, but real friends tell you anyway [more slop]