Seasonal Sick

Just a bit sick the past two weeks and just can't seem to shake this cold.  It started about December 31.  She went to see the doctor on January 2 and was put on antiviral medication for 5 days.  We also continued to give her albuterol and the normal Tylenol/Motrin for fever and aches.  Her cough was so croup-like and painful to listen to so I continued to give her the Motrin because I couldn't imagine how her little stomach muscles were from all that coughing.  There was a point were we sat on the couch and she started coughing.  I just grabbed her stomach and put pressure on her abs and she looked at me with these eyes of relief.  That was the point when I could hear even my own mother's words come out of my mouth as I said "I wish I could just take that all away and be sick instead".  Today, it read 36* on the thermometer and she really wanted to "play no, momma pleez play no?" (snow) I bundled her up and off we went.  She loved ever minute, until I had to bring her inside.  Not one drop came out of her nose nor a cough from her mouth.  I think we all just needed some fresh air. Cabin fever can be so damaging...

Ironically, there was a table in the USA Today section from today's paper that compared the common cold to the flu.  Here were the facts:

A Cold VS. the Flu: What's the Difference?
Because colds and the flu share the same symptoms, it can be hard to tell the difference between the two.  Generally flu is worse than the common cold.  How to determine which is which:

SYMPTOMS                   COMMON COLD                             FLU
Fever                              Rare                                                  Usual; can range from
                                                                                                 100*-102*, can last 3-4 days
Headache                      Rare                                                    Common
Aches,pains                   light                                                   Usual; often severe
Fatigue, weakness        Sometimes                                           Usual; can last 2-3 weeks
Extreme exhaustion      Never                                                    Usual; at beginning of illness
Stuffy nose, sneezing     Common                                              Sometimes
Sore Throat                   Common                                               Sometimes
Cough                           Mild to moderate,                                 Common, can
                                       hacking cough                                       become severe

TREATMENT               Antihistamines &                                  See Health care provider
                                      Decongestants                                       for antiviral medicines
PREVENTIONS            wash your hands and avoid                 Get annual flu 
                                      touching your face                                 vaccaination 

Sources: FluView: Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Network, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention