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First UK swine flu death with no underlying health issues

50 replies

whomovedmychocolate · 10/07/2009 22:12

On BBC 1 News....am finding link

OP posts:
squeakywheel · 11/07/2009 00:41

I think being sensible doesn't mean being confident everything will be OK, it means accepting that it might not all be OK, but then putting that thought to one side and getting on with normal life. It's hard to do though, I know. But you couldn't guarantee that all your children would be fine their whole lives before this flu, any more than you can guarantee it afterwards. You can be pretty sure that the new risk due to flu is low though. So treat it with a cautious respect - take what precautions you can - but then try just not to think about it too much. It may end up never affecting you, after all.

JudyBlume1019 · 11/07/2009 00:44

Obviously couldn't be 100% sure without test, but she looked and sounded EXACTLY the same as my neighbours dc who did test positive. I was cross because there are signs ALL OVER the surgery saying stay at home if you think you've got it etc, and I think it's pretty selfish ignoring that. I wish we'd already had it, like you expat, then wouldn't need to worry about what will happen if/when we get it!

Yes, agree squeakywheel.

TheYearOfTheCat · 11/07/2009 00:48

One of my responsibilities in work is business continuity planning - so I have to regularly contemplate the practical consequences of disaster - swine flu, flood, fire, bomb, severe public disorder - you name it.

It doesn't help the worrying.

LovelyDear · 11/07/2009 00:56

i've spent many years worrying myself literally sick about disastrous things such as pandemics, bombs, bloods etc. i've had years of counselling and drugs etc to relieve the anxiety. and right now i'm delighted to say i'm reading this thread thinking - thank goodness i'm not living through this in my former worried state. i'm kind of getting a perverse enjoyment out of not being frightened, for once.... can't explain it, other than to say that i can't be arsed to worry any more.

expatinscotland · 11/07/2009 06:59

Anxiety is my middle name. It really is. And when DD1 came down with that swine flu, it was gunning for the stratosphere on rocket boosters.

But Lovely, you have a point.

And, as WWMC pointed out, just because you've had it doesn't mean it won't mutate or combine with another strain of flu and be something you can't get again or worse.

But seriously, she's right, you're far, far more likely to get into a car accident or something else.

I think the lesson here is to cherish every day as much as possible, to try to find something joyful or redeeming in it.

Because honestly, flu or not, none of us ever knows, do we?

People still nag my dad about his smoking. He's 73, has hypertension, heart disease, but he's been smoking since 1954.

I said, 'Papa, I'm worried this is going to kill you.'

He said, 'Something no one seems willing to accept these days is that something or someone is going to kill each and every one of us, whenever God wills or the fate decides, however you want to look at it.'

It's a horrid thought when it comes to children or even ourselves when our children are young, but it's part of having children, I think, accepting all the worry - from their touching a hot cooker to marrying an abusive person to trying drugs and the like - that goes with it.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 11/07/2009 11:46

There are some things you can do to help with the worry. Well, it helps me anyway!

Do a little preparation. Make sure that you have basic meds in:
We have
paracetemol
nurofen
Same for dd
diarolyte
immodium
decongestants (for me, hate not being able to breathe through nose)

Then have made sure we have plenty of dd and dhs inhalers.

As well as that we have enough stocks so we don't have to go out for a week if needs be:

soups and easy cook food,
loo roll, tissues
soap
disinfectant wipes
bleach
pet food
cat litter.

We have our nhs numbers in my address book and gp phone number.

I've thought about each scenario and know what I would do in each case. dh knows the plan too.

So we've done all we feel we can do. No need to worry about what ifs and we can get on with our lives.

Expat says wise things

Ninkynork · 11/07/2009 11:55

Now I'm in need of this excellent calming advice. Neighbour has been spending time in said hospital and her DGD is due for a playdate any minute. It helps.

Hope you're feeling better today JudyBlume

foxinsocks · 11/07/2009 12:09

lol poor Judy

what you need to do is spend all week commuting on a packed train/tube/bus that look like they haven't been cleaned all week, crammed in with snotty/coughing folk!

you soon develop a c'est la vie attitude

expatinscotland · 11/07/2009 12:49

My landlord says what everyone needs it to come and live in Sub-Sahara Africa. He'd been following the news. I asked about panic there about swine flu. 'It's just another thing that can kill you out here.'

squeakywheel · 11/07/2009 15:53

KWYM LovelyDear, I'm in a similar position. Not worrying is a nice change. Now I've done some basic getting ready in case we're all ill (all any of us can do really), I'm not actually anxious about this flu at all. I'm wary of it (it is something to take seriously not just dismiss as hype), but I'm not really anxious.

Ripeberry · 11/07/2009 17:31

You forgot about 2012 But it was not that encouraging on the news last night when the 'medic' said that it is a rare and tragic event but some people will die.
If we are feeling all doom laden have a look at you-tube '2012 it's a disaster!!!' For some reason the music and the pictures make everything seem so trivial.

KIMItheThreadSlayer · 11/07/2009 17:52

People do die flu, the reason swine flu is such a worry is that it is a new strain and health officials did not know how it would mutate.

I am in the at risk category and we have swine flu at DS2s school I am not overly worried about it.

whomovedmychocolate · 11/07/2009 19:50

The DoH reckons 2.5% of people who contract it will die (that's not taking into account anything underlying - just as a general rule) so actually we are doing pretty good so far.

Mind you they also predict that at the peak of infections 20% of the population will have it in that one week

Tis a very bad idea to google these days.

OP posts:
squeakywheel · 12/07/2009 11:16

It is definitely something to take seriously and get (nationally, locally, to some extent individually) ready for. But so long as we're doing that (I do worry sometimes when I feel like people are just dismissing it as hype and not really thinking about it), there's no point lying awake feeling anxious about it. Maybe everything won't be OK for some of us, but focusing on the practical stuff and otherwise just enjoying each day as it comes is the thing to do.

JudyBlume1019 · 12/07/2009 12:45

good advice squeakywheel. Finding it impossible to follow though unfortunately

hazeyjane · 12/07/2009 13:09

Well we have been stuck in since last Thurs (10 days!) because dd's had suspected swine flu, then dh and now i am in bed feeling like 10 tonnes of crap.

I didn't even think about swine flu when dd1 started feeling ill, so by the time we rang nhs direct it was too late for tamiflu (she is 3.4 and has asthma). The one thing I do always do (and my friends mock me for!) is have a stock of essentials in uht milk, longlife juice, easy to make food and tins, lots of toilet rolls, medicines etc, I was very glad that I do this because it has been tricky to organise getting supplies in.

If you are worrying about it then at least you are aware of it, and you will think to call your gp/nhs direct if any of your lo's start showing symtoms.

It will make you feel better if you educate yourself (just don't overgoogle!) and prepare yourself.

misdee · 12/07/2009 13:20

dd3 has had suspected swine flu. i felt rough for one day, threw up once, slept through most of one day, been sneezing (could be hayfever) and an annoying but not OTT cough. i might have it. i might just have a good dose of hayfever and exhaustion.

we are fully stocked on paracetamol, neurofen, co-codamol(for dh) and kiddie versions of paracetamol and neurofen. we have juice and obviously plenty of water on tap.

have 'flu friends' sorted (ie my parenst and in-laws etc).

squeakywheel · 12/07/2009 13:29

Anxiety's a bugger. If it's crippling, that's probably the time to start treating it as a problem in itself (rather than treating whatever it is that's making you anxious as the problem).

JudyBlume1019 · 12/07/2009 18:35

The anxiety isn't crippling, just upsetting. It doesn't feel abnormal iykwim.

Good idea stocking up on supplies

abraid · 12/07/2009 18:41

'Judy we all think stuff like this not just you. '

Do we???

difficultdecision · 13/07/2009 09:51

I think most people think like that from time to time and go through phases of being more concerned or less concerned. It's part of the awareness of danger but ability to continue regardless that was essential for survival in less certain times.

It is only a worry if it starts taking over your life - then you need to see your GP.

JudyBlume1019 · 13/07/2009 10:39

DD1 has swine flu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Aaahhhhhh!

JudyBlume1019 · 13/07/2009 11:33

Oh god, I hope no one thinks I'm a troll or anything!

OhYouBadBadKitten · 13/07/2009 12:03

"1-3% of people who contract "normal" flu die...."
Lynette - where did you get that figure from?

If you take the figures from this leaflet it works out as range of 0.06% - 0.24% of those who contract seasonal flu.

(US has a population of 300,000,000, if 5-20% of people get flu and 36,000 die in an average year that gives the above figures)

TheYearOfTheCat · 13/07/2009 21:56

Judy,
I hope DD1 is bearing up.

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