[Dejibo]

Is this an MS thing? I have never seen anything like it. I got a minor cold about 4 weeks ago, and it rolled into this major full blown feverish mess about 10 days later. I have been slowly recovering, but wow this is taking forever! I normally kick a cold in 3 to 5 days, I have never had one hang on to me for weeks on end without mercy.

Is this an MS thing? or am I just getting older? or is this a really vicious strain this year? anyone else? The fever really threw my MS into high gear, and the whole sinus thing..UGH I cant breathe!

[Kitty]

Sounds like it might have progressed into Bronchitis or even Walking Pneumonia. Have you been to the doctor?

It very well could be an MS thing, too. Back in April 2005 - right after my parents died (January & March) - I got a terrible case of Bronchitis. And no sooner had I finished my antibiotics and got to feeling a little stronger I got it again! Back to back bouts of it. I've never been so sick in my life. It took several months to regain my strength and get back to somewhat normal. October of 2005 was when I was dx with MS. I believe the Bronchitis infection brought it out of it's remission.

Are you taking anything prescribed for this or just OTC things? I hope you feel better soon. Seems like you've had this cold forever.

[SallyC]

End of the summer colds are like that..

An anti biotic probably wouldn't hurt now, since it could have gone into a secondary infection.

[karousel]

Whenever I have a cold hang on for weeks and weeks it has always stayed about the same, not getting much worse but takes forever to get out of my system. Maybe your doctor can prescribe something to help you out. I hope you start to feel better soon.

[Dejibo]

I actually see light at the end of the tunnel today. its been weeks of this! I am tired of it. I feel like I turned some kind of a corner, and I am catching my breath easier, I am able to blow my nose and clear it without bone rattling. my fever has all but gone away, and I actually slept last night (medicated) and feel like I just may survive this thing.

I think it needed me to come rat it out in public. Had it not been dramatically better by Monday I had plans on seeing the MD, but it looks like its clearing out. What a monster this was! I now make my son wash his hands when he comes home. He works in an apple orchard and has to hand hold the kids and teachers as they climb in and out of the apple wagon to be dropped off to pick apples. So, all that hand holding leaves his strong immune system hands covered in germs. So, first order of business when he gets home is wash! I think I had two or three of them strung together instead of just one virus. UGH how horrible was that??

[Kitty]

Glad you're feeling a little better, Dej. Things like this really zap the energy right out of you. Don't overdo it or you'll risk a relapse.

Maybe DS could carry a small container of hand sanitizer with him while he's working. It might save him from getting anything the kids might bring in. Schools are literally a germ casserole.

[Dejibo]

I had NO idea that he has such close interaction with school kids. he starts talking about some teacher he took out on a date, and how her class came to the orchard, and how cute they were, and how he had to lift one on the wagon, because she was so afraid to climb the stair...OMG! YOU (i scream with my finger in the air) are the source of my infections! UGH! all this time I have been scratching my head trying to find the source, and it lives with me! So, I sat him down and had the immune system talk with him. Now he washes his hands BEFORE he leaves work, he washes them the minute he comes in the house, and he carries hand sanitizer in his pocket which he forgets to use until he sees a really drippy kid.

At least we found patient zero. its MY KID! To be fair I have always said things like "oh, its not a big deal." or "dont worry about me, im fine" well yesterday we had the "im not fine, and YOU are the guard at the door" speach. So, I hope this ends the train of little kids colds/virus'/bugs that have been marching in the door.

[Kitty]

Does he change clothes as soon as he gets home? It might be a good idea to wash what he's worn that day as soon as possible after he gets home. This includes socks.....shoes should be left outside or in the garage. Whenever my kids were in school I made them take off their shoes and leave them in the garage before they came in the house.
Well, we all left our shoes in the garage.....we just didn't wear shoes in the house. And if they were sick or had a URI I changed their pillowcase every night. If I had the energy I'd change the sheets, too. Might have been a little too much but they always seemed to recover quickly and the colds didn't get passed around too much. Oh, and all used Kleenex were flushed!

[karousel]

Glad you are feeling better. Washing hands as soon as my DD gets home is huge. Anything to eliminate some of those nasty germs!

[Dejibo]

Shoes are removed at the back door. HIs old boots stink like cat pee from the old g/fs house, so I wont let them inside. They are still great boots and steel toe, so we cant throw them away, and even tho we have really cleaned them, the cats still hover around them. So, no shoes in the house. He gets fresh socks at least 2x a day. his sheets are washed at least 1x a week, and we throw kleenex away, we dont lay them on tables, or put them back in our pockets. It has helped greatly to just get him into the habit of washing his hands before he does a single thing past taking off his boots.

I dont think I could do another run of this for a long time.

Thanks for the great tips.