I didn't find it that bad and I have several preexisting health conditions to make it as such.
swine flu--is anyone concerned?
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I didn't find it that bad and I have several preexisting health conditions to make it as such.
It is sad to see some gettting such pleasure out of a flu that is killing children. Look at this year's stats already and compare to previous years. Maybe some should take a field trip to a children's ICU and watch a child with H1N1 struggle for life while hooked up to some serious technology. Then, you can do you laughing in the parents' faces.
How many who thought they had the H1N1 got a confirmation from a reliable lab? Is it possible you had the seasonal flu instead? How many live or work with children? What if you gave it to one of them and they got very ill or died? Would you still think this is bullcrap and hype from the media? Hopefully that will not be the case and you won't see this first hand. But, for those of us that do see what this flu is capable of in children and young adults we will take our precautions seriously. If you believe you are part of the medical system, you should also read some medical journals and stay informed. Those that rely only on getting their medical education from the newspapers and TV shows like Trauma fail to understand much of anything going on around them in medicine.
And yes, next season it may be replaced by something else. But then most of the bacterial infections have mutated to become very resistant to treatment and can have many complications. Part of the reason for the spread of many diseases is from some poorly educated heath care providers and the public about how diseases can spread. That definitely includes EMT(P)s. The media at least has been attempting to educate people with whatever data they get from the CDC. If you don't believe it, the CDC has a great website for you to confirm whatever you are hearing.
Maybe instead of laughing at something that can turn out to be extremely serious if not this season but the next, some should be more proactive in their own education and that of others.
Sasha
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Whoa whoa whoa! There is nothing wrong with getting a little humor out of something that doesn't mean you're getting pleasure from the flu killing children. Jeez, how did you make that jump? It was sarcasm, my dear! I understand that the swine flu is serious, but I also understand that it has been seriously sensationalized while the media works people up bordering on hysteria!
Do you never get any humor from your job???
I find it kind of funny that you specifically use children to make your poiint, are the elderly not being hit hard and dying from it too? Wasn't there a couple young adults as well?
Do you never get any humor from your job???
I find it kind of funny that you specifically use children to make your poiint, are the elderly not being hit hard and dying from it too? Wasn't there a couple young adults as well?
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Your statements are fueling the swine flu to be one big joke for some here to believe that the media is doing their articles for no reason.
The thing is most posting on this forum do not understand the extent of the situation and coming off very cocky. Their failure to realize the serious of the situation may not "hurt them" but it may cause great harm to their patients or family.
Not when I am working at the bedside of a child dying from H1N1. This thread is not about work place humor. It is about the swine flu.
How many here have seen a dead child and found it to be humorous? Even in a situation where the MVC might be kinda funny, a dead child still does not bring out the laughter in me. But, most here will never see a dead child or for that matter see much death. Few will last very long as an EMT because they will eventually discover it is about patient care which isn't what some thought the job was about.
The only humor here is from ignorance of those who do not know much about what they are talking about and don't care to seek out more information.
And I am NOT your dear. If you were trying to present a valid argument you lost it with your obvious disrespectful use of those words.
What makes this flu so different from others seasons is that those who normally would not be affected the hardest are the ones dying.
Young adults should not die from the flu.
Pregnant women and their babies shouldn't be hit this hard to where we lose both.
There have been a lot more than just a "couple" of flu deaths among the young.
The statistics are there. Check them out for yourself.
I had h1n1. It was confirmed by the CDC. And yes, I do have 3 young children at home. Youngest is only 14 months. I get scared in general for my kids to get sick. I was even more concerned for my 3 year old who has seizures. And all three of my kids went in to be seen as soon as I heard a cough. The doctors were more freaked out at my having it in combination with my problems then the my kids.
Yes there were, as well as a pregnant woman in Texas I believe. I was under the impression that h1n1 was having more casualties in the young adult population.
Sasha
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The media does their articles mostly for shock value. I saw an article about ONE person in the tons of people who've gotten it, experiencing a certain adverse side effect to the vaccine, yet their whole headline was "Is the swine flu vaccine safe?" You don't think that the media is going for the shock value or fear value? Perhaps I'm a little bitter, bad media experience when I was younger, but they don't care to accurately report anything if by skewing it, it will boost their ratings.
I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that we were at the bedside of a dying child.
Actually, I wasn't trying to use 'dear' as disrespectful, and I'm very sorry if it offended you. It's often a form of endearment and a word (along with sweetie, sweetheart and hun.. I'm Southern
), I use very often. You're a very smart lady, I like you and generally agree with your posts, but I found you jumping to very outlandish accusations to be a bit ridiculous.
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Is everyone here in belief that there have only be "a couple" of deaths due to H1N1?
Last week alone 11 children died of the flu with 9 of those confirmed to be H1N1. There have been close to 100 so far within in the past few months. That may not seem like a lot but the season is just starting. These are also children that may not have died from just the seasonal flu.
There have been almost 30 pregnant women that have died from confirmed cases of H1N1. Again, they may not have died from the seasonal flu.
Read last week's stats.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
Last week alone 11 children died of the flu with 9 of those confirmed to be H1N1. There have been close to 100 so far within in the past few months. That may not seem like a lot but the season is just starting. These are also children that may not have died from just the seasonal flu.
There have been almost 30 pregnant women that have died from confirmed cases of H1N1. Again, they may not have died from the seasonal flu.
Read last week's stats.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
Read the CDC weekly publications before you jump to conclusions. The hospitals are right now also caught in the middle with trying to answer the "Is the flu vaccine safe?" before making it mandatory for all employees. This is not hype. Most of it is based on very real reality.
The thread is about swine flu. Children are affected and some are dying.
Actually, I wasn't trying to use 'dear' as disrespectful, and I'm very sorry if it offended you. It's often a form of endearment and a word (along with sweetie, sweetheart and hun.. I'm Southern
I'm Southern also which is why I find that very offensive and especially since you are about 30 years younger than me. Have your parents never taught you manners about calling your elders honey, sweetie and dearie. That is one of the first lessons of respect Southern children do learn.
Again, if you work in a hospital around the EDs and critical care units you will see patient very ill and dying from the flu of whatever type. You may take it as a joke when on the ambulance and find it ridiculous that someone would even call you for a "ride to the hospital". However, for some, if you follow up a few hours later you may find that patient is on a ventilator.
I don't have to accuse as your posts and others speak for themselves.
I guess the biggest mistake some hospital staff and patients have made is "assuming" that EMT(P)s have enough understanding of the flu to protect themselves and the patients but I believe now that is a very incorrect assumption.
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Sasha
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But the comments are not being made at the beside of a dying child, nor even on the clock. It's on a lesiure EMS forum.
I don't take your age into consideration while posting, I don't see you as "Vent the Elder", just Vent.
Never have I taken it as a joke, and neither I have underestimated that things that may not affect me can affect my patients. I am very agressive with disinfection and using BSI percautions for that reason, not for my protection but for my patients. It's also why I'm getting both flu vaccines this year.
I'm referring to your accusation that we are laughing in the face of dying patients by finding a little humor in it. You have got to find humor a little humor in your job, or it will drive you crazy.
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I reread the thread and found absolutely nothing funny about it either in or out of the work place.
If some here actually knew the consequences and reality of the disease, the tone might be a little different but most here have yet to even see a dead person or even one that is intubated. Thus, they have no idea about what they are laughing about either on duty or off.
We do not even know the full extent of what this flu season will be like because we are just starting. The H1N1 started way ahead of the regular flu season.
I can find humor in many other things and don't feel compelled to laugh about the swine flu which I have seen for myself what it can do.
It is in the BLS section and for those to believe that the swine flu is a leisure activity also shows a great need for more education.
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Sasha
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Swine Flu, of course, is not a leisure activity, I'm sorry if my post came off that I was calling it such, however we are discussing it ON a leisure EMS forum. Something that many people access during their spare time.
I've transported a couple swine flu patients myself, I understand that it is a serious illness. But so is cancer, HIV/AIDS and many STDs. Have jokes been made about 'oh I'm going to go smoke my cancer sticks, I'll get cancer anyway' 'gotta die somehow' 'Getting herpes means you get to go white water rafting, and mountain climbing!' or 'he's got the hiv' or the like? Yes! Does it downplay the seriousness of it all? No. I doubt anyone would call those illnesses a joke, even though you may talk about it in a light manner.
There's a running poll at my place of employment over which animal next year's flu strain will come from. We've already had avian and now swine flu. Does that mean we laugh when we transport swine flu patients? No. Does that mean we don't understand swine flu is very serious? No. Does that mean we are all ignorant morons who don't understand the need to protect ourselves and our patients from it? No.
Like I said, I understand it's serious and can be very deadly. I'm getting both flu shots this year, not only for my patient's protection but so I don't bring it home to my adorable little nephew who has seen enough of the NICUs and PICUs for his lifetime. I sincerely apologize that you've found any comments of mine offensive, I will keep that in mind next time I post. I seriously meant no disrespect to you or to anyone suffering from the swine flu.
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HIV/AIDS and STDs can be avoided with protection.
Smoking cigarettes is your choice and you should know what risks you take. It is only a joke until you are dragging at oxygen tank around at the age of 35.
However, many of these will be lengthing illness if you do contract one as most can be managed for awhile.
But with the H1N1 flu, you may feel a little sick one day and be on a ventilator the next. One of the following days could bring death. You will not be given a chance to joke about your disease and neither with your family.
Fearful? No. It is respect for what some diseases can do. Being fearful could make one an ineffective health care provider. But, having an understanding of the diseases and how to protect yourself and the patients can overcome whatever fears you might have.
Of course there are some days you do go home and give your family an extra hug...after you have thoroughly showered.
Sasha
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And HIV/AIDS isn't necessarily avoidable in children who got it from their parents at birth.
I think you missed the point. My point was, they are all serious illnesses, a little humor about the origin does not debase the fact that they are serious illnesses. I don't feel that a little sarcasm about the source of a future strain of influenza disrespects the fact that swine flu is a serious illness.
Unfortunately, after the CDC named the flu for its source they realized that it was a distractor and some would see it as a joke. For that reason it is now referred to as H1N1. Of course, they thought the jokes would be coming from the lay persons and not health care providers who should have some education about the significance of the strains. I guess the CDC has never read this forum.
Which is why we now test pregnant women and measures can be taken to reduce the risk of that baby converting to positive.
Sasha
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I guess a little humor is inexcuseable, and that educated people are above it. Again, my apologies.
Sometimes just a reality check is needed.
There is a time and place for humor but only if one fully understands the source of their laughter. As well, this goes for the reason some are laughing as it pertains to their own personal feelings and securities or insecurities.