Cold vs. Flu

I usually don't get the flu.  In fact I can't really remember the last time I got it.  Why?  Every year I get my flu shot like a good girl and escape the season unscathed.  But somehow this year I forgot to get my flu shot.  Worse than that, I forgot to get my kids flu shots!  And I forgot to harass my husband to get his flu shot!!  There we were, 4 souls in a sea of germs completely unprotected.  Walking around with big targets on our back.  It was just a matter of time.

Wednesday our grace period ended.  BAM!  We were hit with the flu and one by one we fell.  First my son (and he has pneumonia too), then I got it, about 10 seconds later Kevin got it, and our last little hold out succumbed to the virus last night.

Frankly, I had forgotten how bad the flu was. Isn't it just like a cold?  An over-hyped version of the sniffles?  Let me tell you now that the answer is no.  The CDC gives these differences:

But I don't think this truly captures it, so I have assembled some visual analogies for you:

Cold

Flu

Cold

Flu

Cold

Flu

Cold

Flu

Cold

Flu

 I think the biggest difference is you can function with a cold, while you can't with the flu.  But if you cohabitate with children, specifically small children, you have to at least somewhat function.  The doctor's advice to stay in bed, sleep a lot, and baby yourself?  Um, are you kidding me?  Those kids, who seemed like a great idea in your former non-infected life, are suddenly a very bad idea.  They are always wanting to eat, and drink, and go to the bathroom.  More than that, they want your attention, to settle arguments, to turn on stuff, etc., etc,. etc.  I am not exaggerating when I say it is never ending.  They don't understand that mommy is half delirious with fever, dizzy, and barely mobile.  They want their juice dang it!  And would it kill you to make them a peanut butter sandwich!  And don't you think about leaving that crust on!

All childless people are now thinking, but you have a husband to help don't you?  No, I had a husband.  The flu has turned the 6'3" man into this:

I only agreed to "in sickness and in healthy" because I had no idea how whiny "in sickness" was.

If you are married with children, you probably knew this already.  It is a well established fact among my mom friends that our husbands are the worst when they are sick.  Sorry if that offend all the guys who read my blog (my apologies to both of you) but you guys are beyond useless when you are sick.  I went from being married with two kids to being a single mom with three kids.  While I melodramatically said I was dying, he really thought he was.  All I wanted to say was, "Suck it up Buttercup, I'm sick too!"  In the end, I knew it would be pointless.  Plus I am collecting all kinds of bonus points for my sacrifices...and to be fair, he was/is realllllly sick.

There is  no bigger proponent of flu shots like the person who is currently suffering from the flu.  I implore you, if you haven't gotten one yet, GO GET IT!!!!  Learn from my stupidity.   I know some people are against them.  You know what I'm against?  Feeling so awful you actually pray for death.  Get the shot.

**  Update- Tricia gave me this link in her comments.  It is funny because it's true!  Thanks Tricia!



Flu Shots:  Feelings about them?  Did you get yours?  Feel free to rub it in.

Ladies: Is your guy a big baby when he is sick?  Fellas:  Did I judge you unfairly?

Moms:  Hardest thing about being sick with kids?