I never had a flu shot and didn't want one the year the major hospital chain I worked for made it mandatory we get one if we were in patient care. I was familiar with all of the potentially bad but very rare side effects and the fact that the makers were guessing on which strain of flu would hit us that year and then incorporate that in a shot but I desperately wanted to keep my job and I broke down and got one. I've got one ever since and never had the flu.
My dear father rest his soul got his flu shot regularly. His last year he asked me several times when exactly was he getting his flu shot which wasn't normal for him to be so obsessed about it. Evidently he wrote date of flu shot clinic at his doctors on his daytimer. The day came and I wasn't home that morning and he was so adamant about getting it the minute it was first available he called a friend of mine to drive him over to flu shot clinic (due to medication he was not allowed to drive at the time) and got his flu shot. A few months later on Xmas morning he didn't get up. I went to check on him, finally got him sitting upright but he couldn't talk! I called 911, was sure he must have had a stroke. All of us kids waited in the ER, stroke was ruled out, 2 days later it was confirmed he had the flu! He was so miserable, writhing in agony, we couldn't touch him without him jerking away and moaning! He hadn't spoke since Xmas eve and never regained consciousness but he made it obvious he was miserable! We made the heart breaking decision ( according to his living will) to transfer him to Hospice that night, he died peacefully early morning Dec 30, 2014. I miss him terribly but I still get a flu shot and will continue to. Even though my father was healthy and had been to the gym and yoga a several times that week of Xmas he was 90 yrs old. My point is the flu does and will kill, especially the weak, young, elderly, and those with health problems! It's nothing to mess around with or take lightly! Xoxo I did not write this to scare you! I'm so glad you took your man in and hope everyone follows your lead when they suspect the flu! If you take your loved one in and they are treated and they get worse or fail to improve do not hesitate to take them back to the ER! Xoxo did they give your man tamiflu? I don't even know if they still use it or have something newer they give to shorten the duration of the flu since I haven't worked in the field for over 10 years. Most people recover from the flu. But there are far too many that die from it every year (up to 49,000 per year in the U.S. alone ) and I hope people don't take it so lightly!
As for urgent care facilities..... personally I think they are great for middle of the night kids ear infections, simple cut (not artery, not gushing blood in spurts) that requires stiches only, and sore throats. Urgent care facilities are a booming business! They are a running joke on our neighborhood email system NextDoor as we have 4-5 within 2-3 miles of each other. They charge outrageous fees, often the patient is told the facility takes their insurance but not told the doctor and other staff caring for them do not take their insurance resulting in huge out of pocket bills and frustration! Our local news here in Denver has done many stories on the outrageous, unfair, and sometimes illegal, yes illegal billing practices of urgent care facilities. Bottom line for very simple, simple being key word medical problems and after you quiz each and every person that comes into your room if they take your insurance before they provide care they can be convenient, but if it were me I'd drive an extra 2 hours with a broken hand rather than go to one! Do NOT go to an urgent care for a heart attack (among most other things just an example) all they will do is waste precious life saving time by filling out paperwork , having you wait, only to call you an ambulance to a real hospital and charge you for the effort!!
Xoxo thank you for sharing and opening a dialog on this important topic! I hope you get some much needed rest, and your husband feels better soon. As you know hand washing, hand washing is your best preventative! I hope you don't get sick! Lots of fluids and rest!
If you're wondering how to know if it's the flu vs. a cold
A cold comes on slowly, you knew it was coming on, you feel bad but can function, no fever, no body
Flu, you go to work feeling fine, no warning you start feeling bad, within a couple/few hours you feel horrible and have to go home. Almost always have a fever, terrible body aches.
Hope I didn't upset anyone. Hope I helped in some small way.....
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