Indeed I tested positive for Flu A, the umbrella organization under which N1H1 resides. My sample was rushed off to the Centers for Disease Control, and I won’t know the results for about a week. But, I want to assure a nervous nation that if my experience is typical, though this flu definitely sucks, it’s nothing to fear more than fear itself. It started on the flight home with a runny nose, and soon after I had a fever (around 101) and some aches. Since I’d had a headache 3 out of 4 BEA days anyway, and because I always ache after 2 hours of bowling followed by 5 hours on a plane, it was hard to pick all the symptoms apart.

Anyway, as soon as the fever entered the picture, I made a doctor’s appointment. When you have diabetes*, infections can be harder to shake, so you want to get on treatment ASAP. Started Tamiflu yesterday and already I feel 100 times better. The timeline once again: Sunday night runny nose, Monday morning more cold/flu-like symptoms and fever (treated symptoms with OTC stuff), Tuesday really felt like crap and was diagnosed. Started Tamiflu. Wednesday, fever broke and I have enough energy to unpack, do some laundry, and sit upright for whole hours at a time. I’m still a little congested and have a cough, but all in all recovering quickly.

Judging by Twitter and Facebook, a lot of BEAers came home with something…colds, sinus infections, and symptoms like mine. I would like to know how to be in a giant convention center for three days and not get sick. Is it possible? Do any of you swear by vitamin C and eccinachea dosing? Any Airborne believers? Apparently OCD hand-washing and Purelling is not sufficient for me, because I came home with a horrible cold after TLA, too. My doctor said that the adrenaline and cortisol that come with the kind of “being on” that I have to do on these trips also compromise immunity.

*Most of the people who have died from N1H1 have underlying conditions, including diabetes. But, that is uncontrolled diabetes. When you’re in good control and otherwise healthy, as I am, it shouldn’t be an issue (though like I said, you don’t want to wait around before getting treatment). All the more reason to take good care of yourself.