I'm not saying things are out of hand or anything, but why do people panic when you put some animal name in front of the otherwise innocuous word flu?
Yes, I'm talking swine-flu. The pandemic that has killed one person in the U.S.
Today my daughter stayed home sick. She's in kindergarten. It's not the first time. They share pencils, crayons, markers, scissors, snacks. It's inevitable they'll share their germs.
This time she has a cold. Just a yucky, clogged up sinus cold with lots of mucus. But when I called the school to let them know I knew she wasn't there (hooky is a real problem with kindergarteners, apparently), they asked for her symptoms.
I swear, I have three elementary school kids and I have made my share of sick calls, but this is the only time they've asked what was wrong.
So my answer? "Snot. But she doesn't have a fever or aches or nausea or chills or cough or sore throat. In other words, it's not the swine flu. Is that what you're asking?"
I was nice when I said this... I know these people so I don't want to be too snotty (ha ha!). And she laughed but said, "Yes. We're being required by the health department to ask what the symptoms are of kids who get sick."
I want to know why no one cared when there really was a pandemic in the school of strep throat or scarlet fever, or the good old regular stomach flu.
I'm not a fan of germs of any kind, and I really have had my fill of throwing up and runny noses and fevers. I don't care what you call it, I don't want it. I'm going to wash my hands a million times a day and carry Germ X around in my purse no matter what the current pandemic is. But it's going to have to be a whole lot worse for me to wear a mask and rearrange my life.
It seems to me some people need something to worry about. It's always one thing or another. Most of it never happens. And when it does happen, all that worry did nothing to prevent it.
It makes me think of how common sense God can be. With all the things in the Bible that are deep and beyond understanding, maybe the hardest ones for people to grasp are the simple ones.
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
Luke 12:25-26 (New International Version)
I have to admit my daughter's primary teacher went to Mexico and I'm a little nervous about sending her to class next week. Other than that I'm fine.
ReplyDeletePatti - hmmm... Mexico. I might be nervous about that too! I'm surprised they let her back in the country!
ReplyDeleteI'm a culprit in this madness. Jerry was supposed to go to Chicago last Friday and I almost talked him out of it. He had to get on a plane and you know all the germs that circulate on planes...
ReplyDeleteHe did go; all the men went. It was a fraternity reunion. All these guys are in their 70's. Maybe there won't be a next time for some of them.
Only the women bailed.
I got the same questions...and I was only calling in to tell them thatmy daughter had a dentist appointment!
ReplyDeleteMy husband had to go to NY this week and was worried that he'd be the only one w/o the protective facial gear because of all of the images he'd seen on the news. He called me after he landed to tell me that he hadn't seen one person wearing a face mask. The city streets are business as usual.
I think we'll be A-okay. I agree, I think it's the addition of the word "swine". So, what if it had been "peacock" or something equally lovely?