Down and out with the swine flu

First, let me explain: My .mac or .me account no longer seems to be accessible to anyone using IE as a browser. You can still get to the site, but you can't get past the front pages. So I've returned to Blogger, which I left because it wasn't working well for me two years ago. I'm assuming I can link this up to my google site which I've created as well today, so hopefully I'll have somewhat functioning homepage by the end of this week.

I have time on my hands because I was diagnosed with H1N1 Type A Flu on Monday. The Swine Flu. It's all over Japan right now, and has been all over my school as well. I have the dubious honor, however, of being the first teacher to have come down with it. I checked my temperature on Monday morning before leaving from school since I wasn't feeling my best, and it was fine. By 11:30 a.m. it was not: I went to the school nurse and it was up to 39.1º C (102º F), and I was sent home.

That evening, my wife drove me to the local clinic. I waited outside in our car, top down, and soon the nurse came out with a giant Q-tip swab which she jammed up my nose. We were then told that if the test was negative, I would be able to come in to see the doctor. If it was positive, Kaoru would go in and they would explain the plan of treatment.

Ten minutes later she was back. The test was negative! So in I go, no waiting room, straight to the doctor, who examines me, explains that the test has a 40% failure rate, and declares that I do indeed have the Swine Flu. So it's back out to the car, while Kaoru gets the prescription for Tamiflu and goes to the pharmacy next door to fill it.

So here I sit, Wednesday afternoon, with Kaoru (whose school has told her to stay home for three days to ensure that she hasn't contracted the flu from me).

Now let's see if I can do anything constructive during my convalescence.