Influenza A

Ana was diagnosed with a highly contagious, resistant strain of the flu virus, influenza a. Her doctor thought they weren't going to have a flu season this year, but Ana was their first case this winter and their highest fever of the day. She was so concerned about contagion, she had us leave by the back door. By the time we got to the first pharmacy to fill all of our prescriptions (we were all prescribed an inhalant called Relenza to take), Ana's temp was 104. Craig purchased more Tylenol for her since we had to go to a different pharmacy; the one we'd originally gone to and were told to wait at didn't actually have the medication we needed. The second one took over half an hour getting things together.

We're loaded up on soup fixings, juices, popsicles and tissues. Craig currently isn't experiencing any symptoms (and gave me his medication paid for only in small part by his insurance), but I'm beginning to, and Ana's just completely out of it upstairs at the moment. I felt too lousy to make soup tonight, and Ana wasn't able to eat much anyway, so we had Taco Del Mar and sent Ana to bed as soon as she stopped eating. We've been told to stay at home all week so as not to spread the illness. I've contacted her school about the threat of contagion and all of my teachers about my guaranteed absence this week.

Just remember, according to her teacher yesterday, Ana's symptoms were all stemming from a core emotional problem, not perhaps, a resistant strain of the flu. Since when does Ana lay down and try to nap outside during recess? You should hear how livid my mother is about it all. I've sent a letter to Ana's former teacher with whom we have a rapport and who is now the school's part-time counselor. Perhaps she can help mediate this situation before Ana dies of some illness while her teacher ignores her symptoms because they're clearly just a manifestation of emotional turmoil.

Links of Interest

Before I go collapse in bed with a good book (Pull of the Earth, look it up if you like digging in the dirt with kids or care about educational reform), I wanted to make note of some links that I've had open for a while and hadn't said anything about:

This is the link to "How Humans Evolved" chapter summary of the textbook that I would have read had I already taken BIO A 201, the prereq for my current class BIO A 477. For anyone interested in a quick and well-written summary of a biological look into primates and the evolution of humans, this is quite interesting. It certainly helped me as a prep for my current class, as did the talk with my father on Christmas Eve about anisogamy (the fascinating process that lead to two genders/gametes). If you have homeschooled children, it might be nice to show them this as part of their biology work.

Juan Crisostomo Arriaga is known as the Spanish Mozart. I heard a piece of his music on 98.1 about a month ago and fell in love. I believe it was his String Quartet No. 1, but I'd have to find it and hear it again to be sure.

Sex in Ancient Civilizations. Need I say more?

Shapely Prose: "But Don't You Realize Fat is Unhealthy?"

Laura Bennett: My War Against Food Nazi Moms [To note, Ana is not allowed to have Pop Tarts or Cheetos, but can have organic toaster pastries and Trader Joe's all natural Cheese Crunchies.]

Waistlines: Maybe It is a Choice After All

Shapely Prose: Special Delivery from the Duh Truck