[re: ] Em has Influenza

[Guest guest]

Arrrrrrgggghhhhh!!!!!!!! tested positive for the flu.

She had this little barky cough Wed night, no biggie. Awoke Thurs. 7am with

101 fever (it's hardly ever good to awake with high fever, not that that's

super high), verrrrrry verrrrry sore throat (but throat looked unremarkable),

bothersome cough now sounding somewhat wetter, dizzy.

Fever was going up a degree an hour, gave tylenol. Headache started, then

body aches. At noon, she was 104, blinding headache, couldn't take any light,

eyes burning. In hindsight, textbook flu. Hot, dry, flushed skin, very pink lips

and cheeks.

Advil worked much better, except didn't fix the headache. Went to doc and got

nasal swab -- testing positive for Influenza A or B (doesn't say which).

Started her on treatment dose of Tamiflu, rest of the family put on prophylaxis

Tamiflu.

I'll post separately about a prescription discount in our state because I'm

hearing many many insurances (maybe all?) are not covering Tamiflu. I'm

guessing it is because if there was a bird flu pandemic, they wouldn't want to

pay

for every man, woman and child to go on Tamiflu??? Anyway, doc warned us she was

hearing it wasn't being covered.

It wasn't. We have Cigna. The med is like $10 per pill!!! 's liquid

treatment dose was $90!!!!!! Fortunately, I had the hindsight (I am SO proud of

myself for thinking ahead on this) to sign up for this free prescription

discount card offered by our county. It may even be statewide (Illinois). It

gives

you a discount if insurance doesn't cover your med. I knew we might need it

because our prescr. benefit has gotten worse and worse, so many things

" non-formulary " , etc. So 's med was " only " $70. Kate's was $44 and Jeff's

and mine

were $50. Something like that. So it was $209 for the whole family!!!!

aaaaahhhhhhhgggg!! But it would have been $57 MORE without the discount card.

Whew.

Doc said fevers can go 7 days. I read you shed virus 2-5 days. Ped saw fluid

behind both eardrums but not infected, I'm guessing it will be infected by the

time we're done here! Plus there's the concern about secondary pneumonia.

Sigh. I spoke too soon about what a great year it's been! It has still been a

great year, but I did NOT expect flu this late! Blech.

(mom to , age 7, dairy intolerant-related GERD -- currently has

polysaccharide antibody def, previously had transient IgG, IgA, t-cell & other

defs... and also to Kate, age 3!, more dairy intolerant but very healthy!)