Because Mercedes caught the flu.
This is influenza, not stomach flu. I have been:
Coughing up lung, to the point that at one point I thought I had torn diaphragm muscles. They're still sore and it hurts to laugh, cough, and breathe.
Exhausted merely by taking a shower to the point I have to lie down.
Sleeping about 12 hours (or more) at a stretch.
Pushed to the limit to get my paying work done.
I'm guessing it's going to be at least another week before I'm over this, so please be patient.
Uhg I just got over my winter cold. May the chicken soup be with you.
Uff, take care of yourself, please. Sacrificing yourself for the cause is how the movie will go, but this is reality. We need you well, not busy! Take all the time you need!
But you are doing awesome things... you're surviving the flu. LIKE A BOSS. 8)
Heh, get well soon girlie.
And go lie down. You're sick for Pete's sake.
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on January 25, 2013, 05:19:30 AM
Because Mercedes caught the flu.
This is influenza, not stomach flu. I have been:
Coughing up lung, to the point that at one point I thought I had torn diaphragm muscles. They're still sore and it hurts to laugh, cough, and breathe.
Exhausted merely by taking a shower to the point I have to lie down.
Sleeping about 12 hours (or more) at a stretch.
Pushed to the limit to get my paying work done.
I'm guessing it's going to be at least another week before I'm over this, so please be patient.
Get well as soon as possible. The flu is never a fun thing to have. But in the mean time take it easy, make sure to eat well balanced meals aka good nutrition/hydration and get plenty of rest, which at 12 hours or more, it seems you are already doing that. Get well soon sorry to hear you have the flu. It is the flu season. So everyone be careful out there.
The thread title is misleading.
You're doing awesome things this very minute by virtue of existing. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
I hope you feel better soon, being sick sucks! =/
And no worries, I'm currently working my way through previous awesome things you've done!
get well soon, Mercedes!
Sorry to hear you've been so ill. Hope you recover soon.
You, and others, have been doing AWESOME things all along! This Titan isn't at all dissappointed!
Never Give Up! Never Surrender!
Get well soon.
I remember you mentioning you were sick even before so I figured you still were. So far we've had the vomiting flu and then strep hit the area here in MA, so we feel your pain!
Take it easy, embrace the echinacea, vitamin C and chicken soup, and try to get extra sleep. And get well soon!
Get well soon Ms. Lackey! BTW I'm reading Invasion currently. :)
Unfortunately you have the flying butt-monkey strain of the flu.
Not a pretty sight.
We just figured you were somewhere else being awesome.
Quote from: Reiraku on January 25, 2013, 08:13:43 AM
The thread title is misleading.
You're doing awesome things this very minute by virtue of existing. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
This.
Hang in there and get better soon! You've been doing quite enough for the cause anyway; maybe it's time you had a well-deserved rest.
Sending you some hot tea and OZ sunshine to help you get better. Relax, we've got this. (You are working on another book umm does it have fancy chickens in it?) ;)
People annoying Mercedes Lackey- LEAVE HER ALONE AND LET HER REST AND GET BETTER!!
Mercedes Lackey- Myself and Suzy the Elf, my radio sidekick, wish you a speedy recovery.
I finished 'Invasion' last week...Must...Find...Book...Two...
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on January 25, 2013, 05:19:30 AM
Because Mercedes caught the flu.
This is influenza, not stomach flu. I have been:
Coughing up lung, to the point that at one point I thought I had torn diaphragm muscles. They're still sore and it hurts to laugh, cough, and breathe.
Exhausted merely by taking a shower to the point I have to lie down.
Sleeping about 12 hours (or more) at a stretch.
Pushed to the limit to get my paying work done.
I'm guessing it's going to be at least another week before I'm over this, so please be patient.
No excuses lady! You're a superhero! Suck it up and drive on! >:(
*Gets run over by a heavily shielded red Mustang* :o
Kidding! Get better soon.
...Publicity photos just don't work very well with a lung sticking out of your mouth...or so I'm told. ;)
<<<Sigh>>> I guess we can... if we must... do without you for the afternoon while you get better. But this just means you'll have to show up at work all that much earlier tomorrow young lady!
Take care of you. I've had enough brushes with the Flu to know how un-fun it is.
Take it very easy, VV. This year's flu is a baaaaaad mamajama. There are little kids around my neck of the woods with 103+ fevers for days. Not good.
Also, the stomach virus going around in the south is very catchy and not pleasant. It is just a 24 (ish) hr. thing, but still no good. Lost a day of work from that one. Well, they lost it from me. So, don't catch that as well or you'll be hospitalized. Not kidding.
Take care VV and DONT rush it. I had the flu, went back to work 3 days later (cause teachers cant be sick or so we are told) then it became bronchitis. Two weeks of that and then I got the stomach bug, probably because I didn't use common sense and rest from the flu in the first place.
So hugs, hugs, hugs and lots of chamomile tea.
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on January 25, 2013, 05:19:30 AM
Because Mercedes caught the flu.
This is influenza, not stomach flu. I have been:
Coughing up lung, to the point that at one point I thought I had torn diaphragm muscles. They're still sore and it hurts to laugh, cough, and breathe.
Exhausted merely by taking a shower to the point I have to lie down.
Sleeping about 12 hours (or more) at a stretch.
Pushed to the limit to get my paying work done.
I'm guessing it's going to be at least another week before I'm over this, so please be patient.
Take some Antioxidants and drink plenty of Orange Juice.
How dare you take personal time off to get better! Blasphemy! WORK!
(Disclaimer: Sarcasm. Take your time, and get better soon VV!)
As with everything else you do, I am sure it is an absolutely awesome flu. Get awesomer soon.
*asks his BOLO to shoot at anyone annoyed with Mercedes*
Get well soon!
This thread is just another example of how wonderful this community is!
Get well soon, VV!
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on January 25, 2013, 05:19:30 AM
Because Mercedes caught the flu.
This is influenza, not stomach flu. I have been:
Coughing up lung, to the point that at one point I thought I had torn diaphragm muscles. They're still sore and it hurts to laugh, cough, and breathe.
Exhausted merely by taking a shower to the point I have to lie down.
Sleeping about 12 hours (or more) at a stretch.
Pushed to the limit to get my paying work done.
I'm guessing it's going to be at least another week before I'm over this, so please be patient.
Get well soon!
I'd like to send best wishes to the OP, but I'd also like to remember everybody here that hugging should not be done IRL with flu clinging on somebody involved in the hug. That's how it becomes an epidemic ;)
Quote from: Mister Bison on January 26, 2013, 10:59:58 PM
I'd like to send best wishes to the OP, but I'd also like to remember everybody here that hugging should not be done IRL with flu clinging on somebody involved in the hug. That's how it becomes an epidemic ;)
Virtual hugs only please.
Hydration, check. Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice Tea FTW.
Sleep, check.
Vitamins, minerals, yada, check. Cold Snap (herbal thing) and lotsa EmergenC.
NOT doing Tamiflu (possible side effects I don't like), or Day/Nyquil (side effects of fuzzy brain I don't like).
Warm, check.
Tempted to apply Ye Old Scottish Cure.
Hang yer hat on th' bedpost. Get inta bed. Drink gud whiskey until ye see twa hats.
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on January 27, 2013, 02:20:52 AM
Virtual hugs only please.
Hydration, check. Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice Tea FTW.
Sleep, check.
Vitamins, minerals, yada, check. Cold Snap (herbal thing) and lotsa EmergenC.
NOT doing Tamiflu (possible side effects I don't like), or Day/Nyquil (side effects of fuzzy brain I don't like).
Warm, check.
Tempted to apply Ye Old Scottish Cure. Hang yer hat on th' bedpost. Get inta bed. Drink gud whiskey until ye see twa hats.
Scottish is good. I prefer ye ol'e irish. (Me being 50% irish does NOT sway my opinion!)
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on January 27, 2013, 02:20:52 AM
Tempted to apply Ye Old Scottish Cure. Hang yer hat on th' bedpost. Get inta bed. Drink gud whiskey until ye see twa hats.
Heh. Meh wud hav done dat until aye seein' twa hats witt an eye closed, heh !
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on January 27, 2013, 02:20:52 AM
Tempted to apply Ye Old Scottish Cure. Hang yer hat on th' bedpost. Get inta bed. Drink gud whiskey until ye see twa hats.
I'm partial to the Pictish cure. Stare down the virus until it surrenders.
Quote from: Mister Bison on January 26, 2013, 10:59:58 PM
I'd like to send best wishes to the OP, but I'd also like to remember everybody here that hugging should not be done IRL with flu clinging on somebody involved in the hug. That's how it becomes an epidemic ;)
Until Madagascar gets wind of it...
/shut.
//Down.
///EVERYTHING.
Okay, I got it now, congrats guys and gals, flu can get caught online :P
Thats what comes of being careless on the internet - it gets you viruses!
Obviously your Anti-Virus didn't have the latest updates.
Does Team Wildcard give paid sick days? :P Get better soon! Virtual hugs in a hazmat suit.
Thank god I'm immune to the Flu...
(Seriously. Been alive 21 years, still haven't caught it. Last year, when I thought I had it, I went to the doctor and he specifically told me I had caught an odd virus. NOT the flu.)
Pedialyte popsicles for whenever you are sick.
Nothing else is close.
Quote from: Kriiden on January 29, 2013, 11:15:27 AM
Thank god I'm immune to the Flu...
(Seriously. Been alive 21 years, still haven't caught it. Last year, when I thought I had it, I went to the doctor and he specifically told me I had caught an odd virus. NOT the flu.)
I get a flu shot every year. Well, one it's required for any gov. employee that work as part of the health organization, although I really dont deal with patients directly, it probably easier to implement "everyone in this organization, which by definition is a hospital, to get a flu shot" instead of trying to figure out how often each employee come into contact with patients. By definition I only deal with patients there is a food borne illness outbreak and chemical/biological/viral/radiation incident, but usually that mean something of the excrement type has hit the fans. And with the second one, (chem/bio/rad/virus "like smallpox,anthrax,ebola etc attack"), the flu is the least of the worries.
Quote from: Kriiden on January 29, 2013, 11:15:27 AM
Thank god I'm immune to the Flu...
(Seriously. Been alive 21 years, still haven't caught it. Last year, when I thought I had it, I went to the doctor and he specifically told me I had caught an odd virus. NOT the flu.)
Hmmm... can you catch
immunity to the flu from hugging someone, too?
<.<
>.>
*sidles closer, whistling nonchalantly*
*hack cough*
Well I had intended to get a flu shot. I always wait to find out if the manufacturers actually manage to hit the flu lottery and get the RIGHT mix of viruses into their shot (they only manage this about 1 time out of every 3).
The heavy irony is I am pretty sure I know exactly how we caught it. We were picking up scrips at the pickup window. The local Walgreens uses a rock to hold down your change in the drawer, and as Larry picked up said rock, he said "You know, I bet this rock is the vector for most of the illnesses in Claremore. Everybody comes here to get their scrips and touches that rock."
Turned out he was right. Three days later (standard incubation period) he had it. Three days after that, I did.
You writers are always so zany and eccentric, doing things the hard way. "I helped save Paragon City..." is no less impressive a statement even lacking "...with the g.d. FLU!" tacked on the end. I'm just sayin'.
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on January 30, 2013, 03:16:19 AM
*hack cough*
Well I had intended to get a flu shot. I always wait to find out if the manufacturers actually manage to hit the flu lottery and get the RIGHT mix of viruses into their shot (they only manage this about 1 time out of every 3).
The heavy irony is I am pretty sure I know exactly how we caught it. We were picking up scrips at the pickup window. The local Walgreens uses a rock to hold down your change in the drawer, and as Larry picked up said rock, he said "You know, I bet this rock is the vector for most of the illnesses in Claremore. Everybody comes here to get their scrips and touches that rock."
Turned out he was right. Three days later (standard incubation period) he had it. Three days after that, I did.
And thus was the villain "Flu Rock" born! A Stone Armor/Poison petless tankermind!
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on January 30, 2013, 03:16:19 AM
The heavy irony is I am pretty sure I know exactly how we caught it. We were picking up scrips at the pickup window. The local Walgreens uses a rock to hold down your change in the drawer, and as Larry picked up said rock, he said "You know, I bet this rock is the vector for most of the illnesses in Claremore. Everybody comes here to get their scrips and touches that rock."
I guess the old adage is right: Some stones are better left unturned.
ba-dum-tsssh!
My wife usually gets the flu around this time of year, while I am blissfully immune.
This year, the flu decided to end that bliss. It did, however, at least wait until my wife was almost fine before starting in on me. ("Almost" because we both still have lingering coughs)
So I know how awful it is. Feel better soon.
Illness has been particularly bad this year. Hubby got hit pretty hard himself.
He picked up what I strongly suspect was the norovirus/stomach bug, probably during a visit to his PCP's office. A visit, I hasten to add, I would not have taken him to, except that his insurer, Medicare, would not continue payments on his bipap without visits to the prescriber of said machine every three months. Neglecting to tell us this until nine months had passed since we got the bugger, and through a third party to boot.
Anyway, started in with the usual symptoms described for the bug, won't go into them here. He also has multiple sclerosis, and is what they call a 'secondary progressive' status there. Once the symptoms started, I immediately called EMS, because I knew this could be the beginning of something bad.
Unfortunately, it was.
Within 24 hours of him reaching the hospital, he spiked a fever and was taken to ICU. They started taking samples of various and sundry things to determine what was going on. I was pretty sure I already knew. Aspiration pneumonia. He'd inhaled... um. One of his symptoms. Into his left lung. And since he's basically nonmobile, due to having secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, it sat in there and festered.
They put him on an NG tube and through it, fed him lots of fun stuff like Zofran to keep him from having more severe symptoms and hopefully pull him through this quicker, as well as removing any troublesome stomach contents without having them make a pit stop in his lungs. He also received daily shots of a blood thinner (Lasix, I think they said?) into his stomach to prevent clots.
About two days later, his oxygenation levels crashed into the low 70s. This, as they say, was double plus ungood. One of the ICU nurses kept him on one of those manual respiration thingies while they called the crit care doctor in to intubate him. I was asked to remove myself from the room while they did this. This was very probably a good idea.
He remained in ICU for about a week, on a respirator and receiving a cocktail of various antibiotics including Vancomycin, which is some pretty serious stuff. After they figured out what the specific culprit was (can't remember the exact name, but gram-positive something), he was knocked down to having just Levaquin. The respirator tube was removed (thank goodness), but he still had an oxygen cannula and the NG tube for feeding, which he finally started getting after they figured the initial bug that precipitated this whole scenario had passed.
Spent another week in just a regular room, and eventually his oxygenation recovered enough to have the cannula removed, but the NG remained. A swallow study was done, and determined that he would need to be on honey-thick liquids and pureed foods until his swallowing could be rehabbed. He continued getting the belly shots as well.
After a week, it was recommended that he be moved to a LTACH (long term acute care hospital) to recover. So far, he's been there a week, still on honey-thick liquids and pureed foods. It took a bit of convincing for us to get the NG tube taken out of him, but I managed to explain to the overseeing doctor's nurse-practitioner that at that point, the NG tube was more of a detriment to his recovery than an asset, making it more difficult for him to swallow. As it was one of the thicker and more rigid NG tubes available, and he had had sufficient caloric intake, through plentiful Boost shakes and ice-cream-like nutrition supplements hubby calls 'calorie bombs', the NP agreed that it would be taken out, cautioning us that if his nutrition suffered, it'd go back in.
I've seen what a honey-thick, pureed food diet looks like, as I have been feeding it to him in the hospital; he can't feed himself. He's a braver being than I am, Gunga Din.
At this point, he's been in one hospital or another for three weeks, with no prospect of going home any time soon, although the speech therapist that's been working on him with his swallowing says he may be cleared for nectar-thick liquids and a slightly more substantial diet as soon as tomorrow. He's still not a very happy camper, but I'm just glad he survived.
.....dear Deity.
Sending what energy I can muster in your hubby's direction, darlin'. You are both ever so much braver and stronger than I am.
Sending some good vibes your way, Charcoalgrin.
Holy crap I too am sending good vibes. That's just awful; my best to you both!
VV,
I haven't spoken up, yet, under the assumption that you had a pretty good idea we all echo the sentiments already expressed. One more voice would be appreciated, but probably not missed.
Then, my 90 year old grandfather went into the hospital. It's not anything that would be serious to someone thirty, or even twenty, years younger, but there's a general, unspoken feeling in the family, right now, that this is probably it. We're all OK with it, even he and my grandmother. No one is saying good bye, because that's not "how we roll." He's had a good life, raised wonderful children, and seen them go on to do the same. It's never easy for anyone on any side of this sort of thing, but none of us can say it wasn't expected.
So, because you just never know when you won't have the chance, I want to say that I also hope for a full and speedy recovery for both of you. I've passed the word to a couple of friends who are fans of yours, and you're in their prayers.
Gosh, VV... hasn't this been going on for almost a month now? At least, the start of the year was around the time I first remember you mentioning feeling crummy.
And... wow. What a lovely season for illness. My wife got hit with something right around New Years and it kept her down until around the 15th. Nasty nausea and stomach pain. Mysteriously disappeared just as fast. No idea what it was, but it sure wasn't the flu or food poisoning.
Anyone remember the joke about hiring a shaman to curse NCsoft? Maybe they beat us to the punch. :P
Sorry to hear about the sickness that so many have been dealing with this season. I did not get my shot last year and paid heavily for it not once, not twice, but three times. This year I had my shot way before the season started. So I get to make chicken noodle soup for others this year.
For those who are ill - I do hope you start feeling better soon. For those who are not - keep ducking the nasty stuff.
E'r'ybody needs to quit gettin' sick 'round here.
Seriously, all you having issues, or are having someone have issues... please do get better, y'all.
All the best towards yas.. and while I love you people, stay the heck away from me. Y'all understand, right? Right. :)
This year's influenza is particularly bad, and just...lingers.
The stomach virus on the rounds is Norovirus, or "cruise ship flu". I've had that. I hope I never do again.
DW, I hope that this is a false alarm for your grandfather, and that he lives to see a (healthy) century.
My best wishes go out to all those with illness in any form.
Yep, DW, my 91-year-old mother-in-law just passed away of colon cancer two weeks ago; I barely got past that wake and funeral and my Dad is in the hospital and has been put on morphine. He's going back home to his apartment but will have hospice care from now on starting today, with a special hospital bed being delivered, and my sister and I are helping my Mom as best we can (I only live a mile away from my parents). My kids are taking it hard, especially my little one (he's only 8 years old).
So I hear you.
My Dad isn't one to take anything too seriously, though. He's ready to meet God and the others in his family who have passed. I put my hand over his in the hospital last night and said,
"You know, we'll meet again. Someday I'll be up there with you." To which my former-locksmith father replied,
"Well, don't forget to bring my lock picks with you....so I can get you in." ;)
I told him I'd work on leveling my stealth skills until then. (Ten of us in my family have MMO'd in various games from Aion to Everquest 2 to CoH together, three-generations' worth of my family including my 75-year-old parents. In fact, our 8 1/2 year old Virtue supergroup was called "Relative Danger." We called it that because we were all relatives and usually in danger. :P )
Quote from: Surelle on February 01, 2013, 12:44:07 PM
My best wishes go out to all those with illness in any form.
Yep, DW, my 91-year-old mother-in-law just passed away of colon cancer two weeks ago; I barely got past that wake and funeral and my Dad is in the hospital and has been put on morphine. He's going back home to his apartment but will have hospice care from now on starting today, with a special hospital bed being delivered, and my sister and I are helping my Mom as best we can (I only live a mile away from my parents). My kids are taking it hard, especially my little one (he's only 8 years old).
So I hear you.
My Dad isn't one to take anything too seriously, though. He's ready to meet God and the others in his family who have passed. I put my hand over his in the hospital last night and said,
"You know, we'll meet again. Someday I'll be up there with you." To which my former-locksmith father replied,
"Well, don't forget to bring my lock picks with you....so I can get you in." ;)
I told him I'd work on leveling my stealth skills until then. (Ten of us in my family have MMO'd in various games from Aion to Everquest 2 to CoH together, three-generations' worth of my family including my 75-year-old parents. In fact, our 8 1/2 year old Virtue supergroup was called "Relative Danger." We called it that because we were all relatives and usually in danger. :P )
Concurred and subscribed to: Best Wishes to all battling illness, but especially Mercedes and Charcoalgrin's hubby (since i know of them here on Titan.)
Surelle, I'd like to extend to you my deepest condolences upon your recent loss. Your grandmother, you and your family and those battling illness will be in my thoughts and prayers tonight.
Best wishes
If prayers and good thoughts sent your way help, your healing will speed up!!!!
(https://i.imgur.com/4U2MOBp.gif)
Oh good grief! Influenza is serious, Mercedes! Be careful of your health and feel well, even if it does mean constantly sleeping, drinking & at least eating something nutritious. Just take care of YOU. You're irreplaceable and valuable just for being yourself. Everything else is way down on the scale of necessary. If you need help, I hope you have insurance that will pay for it. If not, call on close friends and family. Just be well. I know all too well how everything else seems more important, but you have to be present to experience it, so continue your presence :) The influenza will recede under patient care and attention, especially with help from other people. Let someone else do that laundry, bring that meal, keep you company. Watch cartoons, read books, sleep like a bear!
Actually got OUT today, ran a few errands until I ran out of steam and baked in summer-like heat and sun like a lizard on a rock. Emailed my contact at Google. I feel like a stone tank with rooted on, but I'll build momentum!
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on February 05, 2013, 02:37:16 AM
Actually got OUT today, ran a few errands until I ran out of steam and baked in summer-like heat and sun like a lizard on a rock. Emailed my contact at Google. I feel like a stone tank with rooted on, but I'll build momentum!
Damn! Who forgot to invite a kin for V.V.?!?!
Quote from: Victoria Victrix on February 05, 2013, 02:37:16 AM
Actually got OUT today, ran a few errands until I ran out of steam and baked in summer-like heat and sun like a lizard on a rock. Emailed my contact at Google. I feel like a stone tank with rooted on, but I'll build momentum!
Just rooted? Or are you in full on Granite mode too?
If so, who are you about to tank? ;D
Yeesh. Sympathies!
I had flu earlier this season and it hit me harder than anything in a decade -- ten days off from work, for starters, and of course I didn't start staying home until it really kicked in. Counting weekends, the thing lasted 16-17 days, and at one point (well into the illness) I happened to measure my temperature. I had a fever from that point on for 66 unbroken hours (and who knows how long I had it before I thought to measure?) and eventually developed a secondary infection of bacterial bronchitis.
It took me weeks to get caught up at work.
But now I'm brimming with antibodies! :)
Request: Let's rename this the "Let's talk about flu" thread.
One flu over the cuckoo's nest....
I glad I'm not the only one wishing he could bring in a healer to buff everyone. :)
(Did that come out wrong? :o)
Said it in another thread before I saw this one: get well, VV!
(https://i.imgur.com/l1lZzZn.jpg)
Wish I'd pay attention. I could have prayed earlier.
Glad you're getting better, VV!
(By the way, awesome picture healix. XD)
The flu is never fun. Every time I get it, my cough just seems to run on and on and on forEVer.
One time, a year or so ago, when I had the flu, I was coughing so hard I swear it felt like I had cracked a rib AND given myself an abdominal hernia. Fortunately, I healed up from that. This winter, I had the flu again, but the consequences weren't quite so painful (thank God).
TargetOne