A first-hand experience with swine flu

Letter from the editor

It started with a shiver. Then my face grew hot. I had my suspicions at that point as I began double-dosing my Emergen-C vitamin packs and, sadly, those suspicions were confirmed over the following days.

Sickness has hit the Bigfork area and it hit our office last week.

I've had my share of colds and flus, but this was my first encounter with H1N1, based on my deductive reasoning that I spent time and shared food with people who were later diagnosed.

What was surprising to me were the misconceptions people had when I told them I probably had swine flu. People wouldn't jump back from me until they heard it might be H1N1.

"Are you going to die?" a friend asked.

My mother checked in on me daily with text messages: "How are you? I'm worried."

The virus is clearly contagious and has caused severe symptoms among youth and those with prior medical conditions, particularly asthma.

But for me, H1N1 was just like any other bad cold or light flu – sore throat, congestion, fever, coughing and fatigue. Nothing I hadn't experienced before or that regular vitamins, sleep, fluids and cold medicine couldn't fight.

And while I might sound froggy if you talk to me this week, I hope you can find comfort in my experience with the influenza. I'm still living and, no, the swine flu did not make me sprout a curly tail.

-Jasmine Linabary