My PSA

It's scary, but I've done the research and I'm 99% sure my parents and Scott have the flu.

Just a little recap on this bug - which is known in the biz as a respiratory disease:

• The incubation period is woefully short. 1 - 3 days after exposure to a symptomatic or non-symptomatic but infectious person may cause infection.
  
• But, don't feel so lucky if you've made it 3 days. Because it can incubate for 5, or even 7 days before you become symptomatic.
• This year's model comes with a mind-numbing headache and a non-productive cough.
• It also comes with a terrible fever (even though you can't sweat it out) and insane exhaustion. Getting up to pee can do you in.
  
• But you HAVE TO DRINK A LOT. It will help this potentially very serious disease to leave your system.
  
• It's the cough that spreads the virus. For up to 7 days! So go to bed and don't breathe on anyone.
  
• It can take 3 weeks for the cough to go away and for the flu-d out person to recover energy.
  
• The older you are, the more serious it is. And if you are diabetic or asthmatic it's also pretty serious.
  
• Complications (such as bacterial pneumonia) aren't common but they are insidious, so you need to pay attention to how you're doing day to day.

Yes, I am a hideous hypochondriac but I've also been sick with some freakin' nasty things in my time and, still, this one is scary. I mean, I've had pneumonia 2x and flu a couple of times and I thought I was going to perish. Mercifully, it's been a while and I'd really prefer not to go there again.

Or see any of you go there either.

So listen to me. I'm somebody's mother:

Take care of yourselves. Drink lots of water. Sleep. Take some Emergen-C (this stuff rocks!). Get some oscillococinum and keep it in your cabinet. Just in case you need it. It really cuts down the symptoms and duration IMO. Eat well. Sugar lowers your immunity dramatically for up to 4 hours after you eat it.

Dress warmly in the cold. Keep your neck covered. Even when you sleep. OK, wear cashmere scarves to bed.

See, when it's all said and done, you just can't take the fashion out of this blog :-)