And deep breaths

After a little password weirdness, I was able to access both Blogger and my e-mail at work.

Here's hoping this is the last time I have to deal with this stuff. (I can't see my third .gmail account on the Google dashboard, but as that one's just a backup account, I decided "don't mess with it because it might break something else" is the way to go)

I give an exam today, which means Invigiliating Knitting. I started (just barely, two rows of ribbing) the front of the vest because the gift-mitts were at a point that required more concentration (dealing with the thumb gusset). This is just simple knitting I don't have to look at, which is an operational necessity when invigilating.

I also get my flu jab today - they're doing an on campus clinic for faculty. I always get a flu shot anyway - the last time I got the flu, 20 or so years ago, it hung on and on and turned into asthmatic bronchitis and I wound up having to go on a theophylline inhaler for a while and I don't want to repeat that. (Theophylline makes me shake like a chihuahua that's had a venti latte, and it also makes me cranky).

And I got to thinking: with all the Ebola fears, and the fact that the early symptoms of the flu and Ebola look similar - well, unless these two cases turn out to be monumentally isolated and no one else flies in who turns out to have it, there may well be some panic and some unnecessary isolation of people during flu season. And frankly, that's a mess I'd rather miss.

I remember when H1N1 was the "WAGD" issue, we were all quietly asked to write "action plans" of how we would finish our classes (online, mostly) if the campus had to shut down because of mass infection. I wonder if we're going to be asked to do that again this year. (If I can still find my plan in my computer files, I can just dust it off).

I also remember the "flu or flu like illness" waiting area at Campus Health (this was back when I was getting allergy shots weekly) and how it seemed very close to the "non flu like illness" waiting area....some systems aren't set up for dealing with something very contagious (or, not unusually contagious but dire if you caught it)

I don't know. I read "The Hot Zone" and I know a bit of epidemiology, so I admit I'm not happy with the fact that someone flew in here, was infected, showed up at the hospital telling them "I've been to Liberia" and got sent back home for two days and that now they're figuring out the circle of people this individual may have had contact with. ("And they tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on, and so on" as the old shampoo ad went).

(I will say I think the enterovirus, that may or may not be causing polio-like symptoms in some kids and severe respiratory issues in others, is more of a concern, because we seem to know less about how it's spread and how to deal with it. Not that I'd be likely to get that - but you never know, at one time they were saying asthmatic adults should be cautious).

I will say from what I've read, handwashing is still a good idea in this case. Not sure how long the virus lives outside of humans but I'm sure that's been researched. (Update: CDC says "up to six days" on a surface under "ideal" conditions. Wow. That's longer than I thought. Okay then)

I mean, if I had some kind of elective surgery scheduled at Texas Pres., I'd be canceling it out of an excess of concern, but I'm thinking there's no need to curtail grocery runs to Sherman. (Some might disagree with me, I don't know). But still, I'm not happy the disease made it here, and especially not happy that the guy was essentially telegraphing I THINK I MIGHT HAVE EBOLA and they still sent him home, where maybe his family got exposed.