Thursday, April 30, 2009

Just Kill Me Now



Seriously?! Because I don't have enough things to worry about? No, really, this is great because I had just been thinking how great life was and that I really hadn't had any anxiety issues in a while. I was totally in need of something new to keep me up at night, so this is perfect.

What's awesome is that when I started hearing about it, I wrote it off as another "pandemic alarm," you know, like the devastating avian flu and West Nile virus that wiped us all out a few years ago. I rolled my eyes and went about my day. Then as I was running errands, I saw not one, but two separate people in two different places wearing masks. I won't deny, the anxiety kicked in a bit, but I made myself feel better by laughing at them inside my head and judging them for their obvious paranoia.

But, just to be safe, I decided to come home and actually learn about this alleged pig flu. You know, not because I was genuinely worried or anything, but because I don't want to be ignorant. I like to be on the up and up of current affairs.

Yeah, so it turns out that people are like, dying and stuff. And the virus is like, spreading, at an alarming rate. And, the alarm level is at a five now, which I guess is like, high. So....yeah. I'm a wreck. All I hear is "swine flu" and the heart palpitations and accelerated breathing kick in. I tell myself it will all blow over, just like the other ones, but it's so hard when every time I get online (which, let's be honest, is about every half hour) there's a new update on how "the death toll is rising" and "the vaccines are months away" and "it's spreading like wildfire" and "there are now suspected cases in Seattle." Awesome.

Even better, my husband seems to think this is the real deal, and has reminded me more than once that "it's going to get a lot worse."

Cool. In the meantime, you can find me locked in my bedroom, curled in the fetal position, doing breathing exercises. Let me know when it's over.

*Update: I just heard there have been six cases reported in WA state, one in Spokane. It begins.

17 comments:

Amy said...

I have so been thinking of you the last couple days as my paranoia has been growing and growing. Jason just rolls his eyes and tells me to stay away from the computer, but seriously, I'm obsessed.

BUT, I really don't know how many more days I can stay holed up with my children.

I'm also waiting for them to start 'strongly recommending' masks being added to our wardrobe, because as safe as they would make me feel, I just don't have the confidence to walk around any public place with one on, unless everyone else was doing it. What a follower I am!

JenFielding said...

I think you just uncovered the perfect plot twist for your novel.

Boy: Sweetheart, i have something to tell you.
Girl: (thinking) This is it! He's going to propose!
Boy suddenly drops to his knees.
Girl: (thinking) I knew it!
Boy, gasping for air.
Girl: (thinking) Sheesh, he's getting really worked up!
Boy: (Between gasps: I think..(gasp)..I'm dying..(gasp)...of the swine flu...(final gasp).

The End

Let me know when our first royalty check comes.

Unknown said...

my biggest issue with this swine flu is not necessarily the flu (though that totally freaks me out too), it's my total lack of preparation that i've been told to procure my ENTIRE LIFE from the mouthpiece of the Lord. guilt is already taking over my every thought. what if's are driving my batty. and yet i continue on and blog and facebook instead of building up my face mask arsenal. i'm so busted.

Alicia Leppert said...

Noelle,
I didn't mention that part, but that is a great deal of my fear as well.

Amy J. said...

Not to add to the fear everybody, but do face masks even help? When Anderson's immune system was at zero they told us that hand washing is the best thing to do, that most diseases are passed on from hands not mouth. They also mentioned that masks don't help all that great because as soon as your moist air has wettened the mask your sickness is airborne anyway. BUT...then why do doctors wear them in the operating room. Anyone have any answers?

ashley said...

I just heard about 4 cases in Park City (UT), and it's freaking me out! I'm glad I'm not the only one. Just please let me make it until the New Moon release!

Brenda said...

It is pretty crazy, my sister (who is married to an ER doc) got me a little worried when she told me that he husband was a little freaked out about it, I mean ER docs dont freak out about just anything right?...anyway.....good luck.

Kati said...

Facemask helps if worn by an infected person. Doctors wear masks so they would not spread their germs on patients. Only mask that works is one that forms a seal around your skin. I was reading up on that this morning. If you really want to boost your immune system, don't eat sugar, exercise, sleep well, eat healthy and extra vitamin C. But I have to say that PRAYER works well for me. We need to be prepared but everything else is in Heavenly Fathers hands. Hopefully soon we can all take a deep, germ free breath of relief...

Busy Bee Lauren said...

It will be ok, Alicia. Just spray everything with Lysol and make sure to wash your hands for at least 30 seconds. It will be ok :)

[M] said...

You know stress is bad for the immune system, right? I'm pretty sure my brother and his wife had it. Her brother went to Mexico over spring break (a few weeks ago), and came back with a terrible flu (all the same symptoms) and they got it too. They were flat in bed for a week and couldn't move. Now they are completely fine. Most people don't die from it. Mainly babies, old people, sickly people, etc. Just wash your hands and eat lot's of fruits and veggies.

p.s. this is just another sign of the times. all we can really do is pray, have faith, and as they said in conference...be of good cheer.

Shayla said...

Thousands of people die of the plain old flu every year. For thousands of years, flu strains have come and gone and we just never had the ability to find out where they were coming from. This is just one strain that happens to come from piggies. The doctor told us today at Natalie's well-check that it isn't anything more to worry about than the normal flu. That we should continue to wash our hands like crazy and then stop worrying about it. I sure don't appreciate Ms. Doyle talking to our kids about it at school, though. Poor Kenzie comes home all freaked out that she's going to get the flu from a pig! She couldn't sleep she was so worried about it, because Ms. Doyle said people are dying and that they should be better about washing their hands. Um, freak my kid out for what reason?! Seriously, go ahead and give them a lesson on washing their hands better, but don't use scare tactics. I hope you don't lose too much sleep over it...I bet the panic will "die" down in no time. :-)

[M] said...

p.s. saw this and thought of you...

http://doihaveswineflu.org/

Alicia Leppert said...

M-A,
Thanks. I needed that. :) So funny.

hatch said...

Alicia seriously I think we are related. I have the so many of the same issues. I washed my hands so much that they are chaped.

Lisa said...

so i don't consider myself a panicky person, but my wonderful sister in law, amy informed me there were a couple schools closed in pittsburgh...which is where steve is flying home from, tonight. masks may be funny, but i totally told him to wear one, or else he couldn't kiss me anymore.

Heidi D said...

I think I might cut and paste your post to my blog. That's exactly the internal dialog in my mind...not to mention, I LIVE in Spokane.

I have priced out paper masks.

Amy said...

not loving this