flemmings | (no subject)

Dentist fortunately and acupuncture sadly both closed for the duration. (That last phrase dates from before I was born. Seems odd that I'd know it, except that rationing in Britain lasted until I was four, and the memory lingered to the time I began reading English books.) Last time acupuncture closed for a month I was completely crippled after, and to this we have the 'avoid anti-inflammatories' advice, which I think I won't take. Getting upright in the morning is difficult enough.

I could also do without a pandemic whose symptoms are coughing, aches, sore throat and fatigue coinciding with the allergy season whose symptoms are coughing, aches, sore throat and fatigue. Yes, and fever, but I never get fevers. Or think I don't, because whenever I take my temperature it's 96 point something F, a far cry from 'normal' 98.8.

Surprised that people are still shopping at large supermarkets like Loblaws, where I'd gone to pick up soy milk and cough drops. (Which were all gone, the familiar Vicks ones I mean, but the more effective European ones were in plentiful supply.) But cases are increasing exponentially here and my guess is the population is thinking in terms of isolation.

I'm reading the Silmarillion and must have dreamed it last night, because I had the distinct disgusted impression that I'd finished the Beren and Luthien section only to have them slip easily into Morgoth's castle and pull the silmaril off his finger. Pleased that that's not how it's working out. And of course I'd forgotten they were in his crown to begin with.

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to this we have the 'avoid anti-inflammatories' advice, which I think I won't take. Getting upright in the morning is difficult enough.

I could also do without a pandemic whose symptoms are coughing, aches, sore throat and fatigue coinciding with the allergy season whose symptoms are coughing, aches, sore throat and fatigue. Yes, and fever, but I never get fevers. Or think I don't, because whenever I take my temperature it's 96 point something F, a far cry from 'normal' 98.8.

AMEN to all that. If I don't take ibuprofen the pain in my shoulder is bad enough I can't think about anything else, and I also never get fevers! Maybe if I have a bad infection, but otherwise, usually not even when I get the flu. I also have panic disorder and some fun symptoms of that are shortness of breath, feeling like I can't "fill" my lungs, &c &c. There is still so much fear and so little information, which I guess is what always defines pandemics. Argh.

Agree on the anxiety breathlessness. A pain. I can be cheerful as long as the sun is shining and I don't remember that the highest *infected* age group in Italy were the 20-somethings ie everyone I deal with daily. I'm still only social distancing and not quite into isolation yet.

I have been self isolating for quite a while due to agoraphobia, ahahaha. However, my apt building is in a really dense urban area and absolutely filled with 20 and 30 somethings, who love to go out drinking and dancing. /o\

Well, you'll know it's allergies and not virus if your eyes and nose are running. I'm sorry about the acupuncture and agree with you on the NASIDS, you can avoid them after you know your sick. Normal temperature the old average of 98.8, it's whatever you normally run at. Also, studies show that the old average has been dropping as our environment changes. If you need to, look at online grocery shopping and doorstep delivery. I've fallen into reading trashy romances.

Alas, my allergy reactions are scratchy throat and strangling cough, not watery eyes and nose. But the sinuses do fill up so yes, allergies. It's this damnable 'contagious for days before symptoms appear' aspect that keeps my anxiety running.

Too many people are doing online groceries just now. If I do get sick, yes I'll go for it, but meanwhile I shop wearing gloves and wash everything after.

From someone who works in the testing lab: The problem with going off of just symptoms is that there are a lot of false positives in the just symptoms, specifically, Strep throat, Influenza A, Metapneumovirus (a bad head cold) and Rhinoviruses (bad head cold).

Soap and water is more effective against virus than bleach, so yes, we're washing everything, too. WT's office had finally closed down, thankfully.