'Tis The Season

'Tis the season for spreading germs! I have had quite a few run ins with being sick this time of year, it's never fun. Here's a few tips for staying healthy this holiday season.

Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. I just went to orientation at a Fairview Hospital for volunteering. The general rule is any time you touch something that sick people have been in contact with you wash your hands before and you wash your hands afterwards. Their instructions for hand washing is as follows:

Turn the faucet on, rinse hands & then pump out soap. Scrub your hands at least thirty seconds or the tune of the ABC's or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Clean in between fingers, under fingernails, and all the way past the wrist. To clean off the soap place finger tips together and facing down. Start rinsing at the wrist. The idea here is to wash germs off and not back up. Use papertowel to open doors if possible. I usually wipe my hands off and then take one all the way back to my office and then dispose of it.

Cover that cough!! When my parents' generation was younger they were told to cover their coughing with their hand. When I had bronchitis in high school the doctor told me the younger, hipper generation was being taught to cover their mouths with the inside of their elbow. Rarely does one shake elbows, and it is still easily accessible. I've noticed many people who have a cough that lingers do so because in my opinion they keep the germs so close by. Instead of coughing into your hand and then touching your keyboard, phone, keys, glass, pen, etc. cough into your elbow and keep your hands clean and germ free.

Curb your oral fixation!! I have a problem with biting my nails, nervous habit. Well, even though I love to bite my nails I have a rule, no biting my nails during the cold and flu season, no chewing on pen caps or anything else that places dirty, germy objects anywhere near my mouth.

Lysol Wipes - Use 'em! Whenever I get sick at work I usually take no more than a few days before I've completely recovered. My trick? The second I detect a cold or the swine coming on I follow the above rules and a few others to help me get over the germs faster. Here's the if you do get sick guide.

1 - Drink TONS of water. Avoid alcohol, avoid soda. Drink juices, drinks with electrolytes, and water. Stay hydrated.
2 - CONSTANTLY wash your hands, even after touching regular surfaces. Our office has alcohol based waterless gel soap (aka Purell) and I use it every time I am in the copy room.
3 - Wash your pillow case EVERY night. When I had the swine flu I slept on a different pillow case every night. I washed my sheets as often as possible. When I was done being sick I made sure to change out my sheets as well.
4 - Gargle Listerine. Once in the morning, once in the evening, once before bed. If you're home sick and can do this more often I'd suggest once an hour. Kill the germs.
5 - Do NOT share beverages. No this is not an anti-mono speech, but rather something way worse. A few years ago my entire family had to be given medication for bacterial meningicoccal. What's that you say? Well it's the worst form of bacterial meningitis. How did we come in contact with it? Well, my Aunt Becki forgot to get her yearly shot for said disease because she has a weakened immune system. Not only did she put herself at danger, but she could also have been carrying the disease to the rest of us. How? Well it's Christmas, people were tasting each other's drinks, etc. The doctors decided to aire on the side of caution. The moral of the story is, eat off of your fork, drink out of your glass. Just because someone 'feels fine' doesn't mean they aren't carrying some sort of illness.

Emergency Supplies

It's officially winter & I've been thinking about what 'Emergency Supplies' I need for my car & remembered that I kind of keep the same stash at work. So here's my lists of things to keep in your car & at your office for those moments that you might need them.


Car
Sweat Pants - Sometimes I wear skirts or dresses to work. If I ever get stuck somewhere & it's -40 degrees outside these are key.


Blanket - Because sometimes sweatpants, jackets & boots still won't keep you warm enough.


Socks & Boots - Heels are not the most efficient way to go to &  from work. Most days I wear my Uggs to work & back from work. Some days I forget & thus I keep some winter boots & thick winter socks in my car.


Heavy Winter Jacket - I bought a really nice down jacket from Abercrombie & Fitch last year. It was on clearance (rare for them I know) & I keep it in the trunk of my car. I usually take a jacket to & from work anyways, but if it's super cold & I need to layer this is great.


Flashlight - Just in case your car battery dies & it's dark, you can then see.


Book - Again, if you're stuck for a long time it passes the time. Other great ideas include Sudoku books or Crossword books but remember to pack a pen or pencil!


Contact Solution & Contact Case - Even if I don't bring my glasses with me, if I have to spend a lot of time waiting & my eyes are irritating me it will feel even longer.


Snacks - Couple of granola bars (I replace these often, whenever they have a month left before going bad I put new ones in & take these to work), bag of chips, & a few bottles of water.


Baby Wipes - I keep a few sample baby wipes in my car. I also have Purell with me, however if you need to wipe something off Purell does jack crap for you. This way you don't have to wipe it on your clothes or your car.


Phone Charger - Make sure you keep on in case your phone is about to die.


Ice Scrapper - Seems natural right? Well I'm talking about a spare one. Whenever schools hand them out I grab one or five. I keep them in my car as an emergency & even more important in case someone needs one I can just give them one.


Medicine - I'm not telling you to pack a pharmacy, but it might be a good idea to keep a spare Advil or Tylonel sample or five in your glove box. Being stuck in the cold with no room & no pain meds is never fun.


Gum - How long are you stuck? Do you really want smelly breath when someone comes to help you out? Gross.


Windshield Wiper Fluid - I now carry at least 1.5 bottles of windshield wiper fluid and 0.5 bottles of Anti-freeze. My Dad wishes I would have done this last winter when he was driving.


Gas Gallon - Ever run out of gas? Well I have so I keep the thing you bring to a gas station in my trunk. Hopefully it will never happen again, but it has happened to me. Ironically I was actually on my way to get gas that very second.







Cash - My Mom & Dad always have emergency cash hidden everywhere. In their wallets, in their car, etc. They pretend they don't have it unless they've spent all their cash & they realize they forgot their credit card at home or something. They keep one underneath the visor held in place by the garage door opener. My Mom tucks fives, tens, & twenties in places in her wallet. It's a good practice to get into just in case. I keep a spare ten hidden somewhere in my car. I've emailed myself the location just in case I forget (I have a habbit of placing things and then forgettting where I put them.)


I'm sure nothing on this list comes as a surprise to anyone, they are all relatively simple. However, the workplace offers some interesting situations for which I have prepared this list for.


There have been many times when I was caught unprepared and even surprised at the items I would need. So for any first time employees this might be a good list to take note of.


Snacks - You'd be surprised how often you will get hungry between breakfast & lunch. I keep granola bars at my office if I am running late and need to eat breakfast. Fruit snacks and mini bags of microwaveable popcorn are for my snacks. I even keep an extra thing of soup or two in my cupboard in case I forgot to pack a lunch. We have a freezer in our breakroom & I usually steal the bottom drawer for whenever Lean Pockets or Lean Cuisines are on sale and just stuff them in there. Many coworkers have 'borrowed' one from me & then bought me a meal in return. Well worth the investment!


Contact Solution, contact case & Saline - You'd be surprised how many coworkers have asked me for eye drops, contact solution etc. I always come prepared. Whenever my bottle at home is on the emptier side I bring it to work. There's not a lot left in there but I rarely use enough between bottles so it's the perfect amount. If something gets in my eye I can bring my solution to the bathroom, wash my hands & rinse it off. This has saved my eyes more times than I thought.


Lysol Wipes - Someone in your office is sick. Better start dysinfecting. I dysinfect my entire phone (especially the mouthpiece & the buttons) my keyboard, my mouse, stapler, & any handles that I may touch.


Purell or Alcohol Dysinfectant - My office is a great deal away from the bathroom or kitchen sink. I can't get up and wash my hands every single time I cough or sneeze. This helps minimize my sick days.


Advil/Tylonel - There's a first aid kit with Aspirin in the kitchen that has been there since who knows when. I always like to have some handy in case of headaches, cramps, etc.


Allergy Meds - The dust in an office building is more than you think. Seasonal allergies can have me sneezing a ton. We keep a pack of Claritin 24 & I just take one in the morning when my allergies are bad.


Personal Products - I keep female products in my desk drawer in case I'm caught off guard. I keep perfume, breath mints, bronzer, chapstick, lotion, facial lotion, hairspray, hair ties, bobby pins, etc. in case I'm running late and look like a mess. Can't have clients walking in and looking like a homeless person now can we? My boss even keeps mouthwash & a toothbrush with toothpaste in his drawer.


Car Key - I always keep a spare car key in my desk drawer. We can lock our drawers so I know it's kept safely. Just in case I lock myself out my boss can drive my key over to me if need be. It's funny that I haven't had to use it yet, I think that's because I have it, if I didn't I would undoubtedly have a problem.


Heels - I keep a set of black heels at work. If I am going to wear a different color I bring them with, otherwise I can just wear flip flops, ballerina flats or Uggs back to my place. Having to walk to find my car on street parking is not as quick when in heels. To assure I won't forget them I just leave them here.


Stockings & Trouser Socks - I leave a new pair of each here in case I get a run in my stockings or forgot trouser socks when I am coming to work.


Tide To Go Stick - This is a great help for getting some stains out, other stains I wouldn't recommend it on.


So here's my list of things you may need. I hope it helps someone in some way. Besides, you never know when that cute coworker might invite you out for Happy Hour and you have no time between work & HH to freshen up.

Oh Bad Days

My day wasn't awful - but compared to the rest of my week it stuck out as the 'bad day'. To be fair I didn't get caught by the state as a carrier of this Swine Flu I am spreading around, and I still have my job, and I'm still healthy. But today, I broke a pair of my heels.

To any girl, they surely know how invaluable a heel is in a shoe. A good heel is one that supports and gives us a little lift in how we stand, correcting our posture and slimming our figure. And now I will forever remember that a good heel is also one that doesn't just fall off.

This is not the first time a pair of shoes have broken on me. And granted this time was way less embarrassing than the time my heel broke while I was in church as an alter server and coming down the stairs. I fell on my *ss and made a big kaboom and the entire congregation turne and saw me. This time it was just my dumb *ss that leaned my weight on my heel at the wrong angle and pop! Off it came.

So now my favorite pair of brown, suede, Stuart Weitzman's have to go visit the shoe repair man. It was only my third time wearing them and now I'm stuck limping around because I have no heel. The worst part is, it was my own fault and not Stuart's. FML.

Anyways, I'm off to Minnetonka to hang out with the girls and go see if we can spread this Swine Flu to unsuspecting people, we typically aim for those in surgical masks - especially those who do not cover their nose. We feel like these people, and people who get pink eye on a regular basis, are more likely to contract said Swine Flu. It's the dirty stinkin' animals that spread it in the first place by not washing their hands!

Swine Flu

I recently traveled to San Antonio. Apparently those in San Antonio have come into contact with the Swine Flu. I have little knowledge of what this disease is, however, I do know I have had flu like symptoms and have enjoyed spending time with the elderly and the young, often coughing and sneezing on them while we hang out. I have even prepared large amounts of food for sleep deprived college students everywhere.

In all seriousness, I did travel to San Antonio. I heard about this swine flu today, and noticed San Diego was on the list of possible contaminated cities. I have to state the obvious, Shamu is obviously a carrier of said disease. Next thing you know Orlando is going to have cases of the swine flu as well. The common factor? Sea World. I know that others are going to believe that Mexico is the common link, but get serious people. All those dolphins giving rides to tourists in Mexico are Shamu's cousins. It's a world wide Shamu & Flipper conspiracy.

I just hope that the hype over the Swine Flu is not too big and not too little. I don't want to hear about Swine Flu if it's just going to be like the bird flu and disappoint. But I also don't want a sneak attack from the Swine Flu and end up dead because I didn't know enough about it.

Swine Influenza A (H1N1)
On April 17, 2009 the CDC and the California Department of Health identified two human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus in San Diego county California. Since then four new cases have been identified in San Diego and Imperial counties and an additional two cases in San Antonio Texas, for a total of eight cases of swine influenza in the US. None of the cases have recent contact with swine and there has been no link established between the cases except for one father and daughter. In addition, the same strain of swine influenza A (H1N1) has been identified by CDC from patients who are part of an ongoing outbreak of acute respiratory illness in central Mexico. A number of deaths have been reported from this outbreak.
Genetic characterization of these viruses shows that this is a novel virus not previously seen in swine or humans in the United States. A large proportion of the population might be susceptible to infection with these viruses, and the seasonal influenza vaccine H1N1 strain is thought to be unlikely to provide protection.
Reporting and Testing Guidelines
Testing for swine infuenza A (H1N1) is recommended for a patient who:

hhas febrile respiratory illness AND
htraveled in the 7 days preceding their illness to:
· San Diego area, OR
· San Antonio area, Texas, OR
· Mexico, OR
hwere in contact with persons with febrile respiratory illness who were in these locations
When suspected cases of swine influenza A H1N1 are identified, the following actions should be taken:
Patients should be placed in single room (if available) and wear a mask if moved to another part of the facility.
Patients should promptly be reported to the state (303-692-2700 / after-hours: 303-370-9395) or local health department.
Specimens should be collected for influenza PCR testing at the state laboratory (regardless of influenza test results obtained by the hospital or clinical facility).
Guidance on Specimen Collection:
obtain a nasopharyngeal swab or nasal wash from the patient
place the swab in a viral transport medium; place the nasal wash in a sterile container
refrigerate the specimen until transport to the state laboratory
Infection Control (for hospitalized patients with suspected swine influenza)
Standard, Droplet and Contact precautions for 7 days after illness onset (or symptoms resolved)
Wear N95 respirators when entering the patient room
Use an airborne infection isolation room with negative pressure, if available, otherwise use a single patient room with the door kept closed
For suctioning, bronchoscopy, or intubation, use a procedure room with negative pressure air handling
Recommended PPE for personnel providing direct patient care include: disposable gown, gloves, goggles, N95 respirator

Antivral Treatment
Antiviral treatment for confirmed or suspected ill cases of swine influenza virus infection may include either oseltamivir or zanamivir. Treatment should be initiated as soon as possible after onset of symptoms.

More Information About Swine Influenza
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/swine/investigation.htm

NOTE: this information will be updated as more guidance becomes available from CDC.