Living with A(H1N1)

Hi,

For the last couple of days my wife has been has been unwell. Just a cold or a bug we thought - nothing to worry about.

My wife is 11 weeks pregnant and as a result of this can not take anything for her headaches and just soldered on.

She works in a small service station (Gas station for our Amerifriends, Garage for our UK friends) in suburban Perth and only has a couple of employees. With only a couple of employees and it a real hassle for them when someone is off sick with trying to cover shifts and working extra hours.

Yesterday, she had to come home from work early as it was getting too much for her to bear at work. Her symptoms include, cough, temperature and headaches. This as you can imagine caused pandemonium at work and she only expected to be off today or at most 2 days.

She went to the Doctors to get the obligatory sick note for her employer to prove she was, in fact, sick. Imagine my surprise today when she came home and asked my to buy her a surgical mask as she has suspected swine flu.

What this entails, as we have just found out, is a purchase of a surgical mask A quick trip to the chemist to purchase a mask (AUD$1.95) and then a trip to the hospital to be tested.

As a few pregnant women have died due to A(H1N1) in Western Australia due to their immune systems not able to cope with being able to fight the virus and keep a baby alive and she is classed as high risk. Her pregnancy is also classed as high risk too, just to compound the issue.

The test involves you taking swabs of your own throat and nose whilst being watched by a nurse who is wearing gloves, mask and a gown that are quickly disposed of in a bio-hazard bin. They were not going to take any chances.

The results will not be known until Monday (now Wednesday) and if it is found to be positive, will then involve a stay in hospital in quarantine until the symptoms subside.

That is problematic enough, but now I'm going to discuss how this impacts on our lives. My wife's boss has to cover her shifts at work, she has to stay away from our other children (Like that is going to happen). We have had to inform the parents of the other children that have been over to play to keep an eye out on their conditions. Our borders, who are due to go on holidays up north in a couple of days have also been put on notice.

As luck would have it, I am on holiday myself for a couple of weeks starting Monday but am due to do another shift at my workplace on Saturday night - I believe that I will also have to inform them at work.

A lot has been said about the A(H1N1) pandemic, but not much has really been written on how it actually impacts the lives and the lives of the people around you. So what I am going to do is give updates on her condition and anything that she has taken or procedures done in regards to it, but aslo to advise on how this impacts a very busy family unit, so others can learn from it or know what to expect should they be diagnosed with it.

[edit: changed title]

[edit on 16-9-2009 by darkmaninperth]

I am very sorry to hear about your wifes condition. Make sure to keep her extra hydrated- lots of water, lots of vitamin C from fruits (orange juice), lots of homemade soups (if you can make them) the fresher the better. Dont let her do too much housework, try to insist that she rest as much as possible. Bedrest it if neccessary. I will send out healing energy to her tonight, I am an energy worker.

Good idea for this post, thanks for keeping us updated!

[edit on 16-9-2009 by xynephadyn]

You are so right, I for one never gave a thought to those around the victims .
I've subscribed to you thread so I can check in daily for your updates.
Take care WA and take good care of your little lady, she's going to need you more then ever....

I picked my children up from at school at around 2:30 and informed them that mum may have swine flu and that is why she will be wearing a mask, do as not to freak them out too much. They were pretty cool about it.

Kids though, do say the darnedest things.

My son expressed the most displeasure at the whole incident when after informing him this morning that we will be having Tacos (a favorite) for tea tonight and then regrettably informing him that we now wont be having them but instead, a hastily knocked up sweet and sour pork stir fry. The following conversation took place:

Master 8: Can I help you cook tonight, dad?
Me: Er..sure, but we wont be having Tacos....(waiting for the enevitable volcanic explosion)
Master 8: Awww Why?
Me: Because we have been out at the doctors and the hospital and I just didn't have the time to get the things we need.
Master 8: (rather indigently) I wish mum didn't have swine flu, then we could have had Tacos!

Poor bugger, really stuffed his day up! But I did have to suppress a smile.

[edit on 16-9-2009 by darkmaninperth]

Hi, here's a related link you may find interesting...
news.bbc.co.uk...

My wife's case doesn't seem to bad (if she has it, we are still awaiting the results) and is lazing around the house just resting.

The ramifications of this is now her boss is having to cover her hours at her workplace. This has led him to be getting grief from his pregnant wife as he is spending less time at home. This is their first child and they are a little scared, but never fear, they are now experts on child rearing from all the wonderful information available on the internet. (I love watching new parents as I am now a veteran of three)

ANd it seems that the hypochondriac at her workplace will more than likely come down with a suspected case too - as she had contact with my wife - further straining her workplace's roster to straining point and mre than likely causing her boss more hassle.

She still has a terrible headache and is constantly cold, the cough appears to have subsided a little.

Our borders are still going on holiday up north next week, even though they may be infected (no symptoms as yet) and they are still going to work. This is a little worrying to me as one of them works in child care in the baby section.

I have been feeling a little under the weather too, but I feel it is just tiredness and maybe I am feeling symptoms that are not really there due to me being tired. I have a feeling of weakness and the sniffles, but that could be the onset of hayfever that I succumb to every bloody year. My three monthly period as my wife calls it. I am normally a night shift worker and am not really used to being awake during the day, my body clock has been thrown out.

Thanks everyone for the support and that BBC link was a little scarey - imagine waking up in a country where you couldn't speak the language!!!

[edit: Oh, and we are having Tacos tonight - another crisis avoided]

[edit on 17-9-2009 by darkmaninperth]

reply to post by darkmaninperth


It's good to hear your wife is doing better. My nephew had swine flu a few months back and said it was nothing compared the seasonal flu. The funny thing is, is that I told him last Christmas that a virus would be realest this year except I was thinking bird flu, but at least I've made a believer out of him, I just wish I could do the same with my brother.

Finally had tacos hay, that would have put a smile on the young fellas face, I can't eat em along with a lot of other things,,,I've got IBS, if you ask a specialist what it is they'll tell you it's a head thing caused by stress, but as far as I'm concerned it's a food thing caused by preservatives, try telling a doctor that ,hell I can't even drink.
Take it easy man and keep us up to date

[edit on 19/9/2009 by Illuminottie]

reply to post by darkmaninperth


Hows your wife doing? Did you guys get the results back yet? Crossing fingers!

The results will be in on Monday.

The wife says she is feeling better, but I know when she's no, I can see it in her facet. just have to wait and see I suppose.

We have a house full of people here at


the moment, my wifes brother and has partner and their respective children. This has been planned for some time, also not too concerned that they may contract it. So that's pretty cool, at least they are cheering the wife up.

I advised my voss of what is going on today and she basically said to me, 'Thank gos you are on holiday next week, because I don't know how I woiuld have had your shifts filled in because you would have to look after your kids'

Ii's very rare to get anything positive from her mouth. At least I think it was positive. If I was to take the week off, then it would have made it very difficult for everyone else.

She'll be right though.

[edit: things always seem to just work out for me and the wife, no worries!!]

[edit on 19-9-2009 by darkmaninperth]

Originally posted by darkmaninperth
My son expressed the most displeasure at the whole incident when after informing him this morning that we will be having Tacos (a favorite) for tea tonight and then regrettably informing him that we now wont be having them but instead, a hastily knocked up sweet and sour pork stir fry.

Poor bugger, really stuffed his day up!

Terribly sorry to hear about your wife, but I am sure she will pull through and as everyone says, do your best to keep her in good help, keep her all doctored up.

And it sounds like someone makes some really good tacos at your house, is it you?

Now about this pork stir fry...

Just checked in to see how things are,,,was it confirmed?

Been a little while since I updated, so here is what has happened so far...

On Monday, my wife went to the doctor and was told that the results weren't in as yet. By then she was feeling fine and decided to go back to work and everything was turning back to normal. She is not going to bother to get it confirmed.

Her boss became more sympathetic as his wife is also pregnant and began to think what we went through in his own way. His wife is also pregnant, this made him realise the potential seriousness of her condition.

Everything was getting back to normal, I was getting work done around the house and the front garden was beginning to take shape and we had got most of the limestone wall up. Then I stated to get a sore throat.

By last night, I was very crook and started to display the same symptoms that my wife had. Sore throat, runny nose, temprature and achy joints - great!

I am not going to bother with the doctor as he has told me in the past that they WILL NOT test me as I am a strong and heathy person who is not at any risk. They WILL NOT give me Tamiflu and that all I am to do is go home and rest. So I'll just have to live with what ever lurgi I have contracted.

Just for your information, this is what I am taking for it. I am not a fan of big medicine and prefer natural remedies - after all, we have used these things for thousands of years.

I am taking Ki to help fight off the virus and Cod Liver Oil to help ease my respitory tract. When I woke up this morning I has very congested as if I was having a sever hay fever attack and it was giving me headaches. Within an hour of the cod liver oil, the congestion has subsided and so had the headache. Taking both products, I feel stronger and actually feel as though I am fighting the infection, I have aslo been getting plenty of sleep to give my body time to repair its self.

I'll keep you posted.

Originally posted by BaronVonGodzilla
And it sounds like someone makes some really good tacos at your house, is it you?

Yeah, you got me. I'm the budding amateur chef in my house.

Now about this pork stir fry...

Cut up pork into small slivers and cut up vegetables into small sizes. Fresh vegetables, not those crappy frozen varieties.

Fry the pork with a small amount of olive oil in a wok until just starting to turn brown. Add vegetables, tablespoon of minced garlic, soy sauce to taste and maybe a tablespoon of honey and stir fry for a few minutes until vegies are cooked to taste. (I prefer mine crispy and hardly cooked, but I have to cook for others, so I keep them in a bit longer)

20 minutes work then you can feed an army... Sheesh, you could wait 20 minutes in a que in a fast food store these days.

[edit on 24-9-2009 by darkmaninperth]