Surprise! You’ve got the flu

An unwelcome viral visitor…

Model of an Influenza Virus (Credit: The Centers for Disease Control Respiratory Diseases Website — free image)

We visited our grown son and family for the weekend in mid-April, and while we were on the way, our daughter-in-law texted to let us know she was quite sick. Instead of turning back, we quickly decided to take our chances. Our son had to work a long day and we were supposed to help with our 18-month-old grandson.

English is our daughter-in-law’s second language. When she had previously told me she was “under the weather,” we later learned, she thought that meant really sick, whereas to me, that meant just a little sick. You know, a little under the weather. At any rate, I hadn’t realized she was as sick as she was. Shortly after we arrived, seeing her clouded, swollen eyes and hearing her raspy voice, we encouraged her to go to directly to urgent care where she received a flu test, which was indeed positive.

We spent the rest of the day and the next doing errands and entertaining our grandson in their small 2 BR apartment while our daughter-in-law mostly slept and stayed in the bedroom. After we returned, I was fine all day Monday, but Tuesday by mid-day: Boom. I felt those old familiar body aches spreading and my throat tightening up.