Thinking About Swine Flu - Aren't You?

Tulips and Periwinkle, e.schoettler, altered digital photograph





Thinking About Swine Flu - aren't you?
My heart and prayers go out to the Texas parents who lost their child today. What about those kids in NYC, who went on vacation in Mexico and came home carrying a plague? And, we all know that no one is completely safe from this virus - - so we have to take precautions.



I heard myself saying that to my daughter yesterday after asking her how she was preparing the family for their trip from the West Coast to Chicago today. Trying to be calm. Not pushing. Not telling an adult woman what to do. In the back of my throat was the "Don't go." But knowing they had to go to attend her mother-in-law's Memorial Service and that they needed to take their children with them - I swallowed hard and talked about hand-washing instead.



We all have to be public health minded. Carry little bottles of hand-sanitizer and if you can put Lysol or Clorox wipes in a baggie for your pocket, tote, back-pack, briefcase or purse. This is not time to balk and try to tough it through. This is not wimpy; its smart. It protects you and everyone else you come near.



Use that wipe on door handles. I watched an old Dr. Gillespie movie last night and sure enough after a young good-looking Van Johnson scrubbed for surgery a nurse walked ahead of him and opened the door so that his pristine hands would not touch the knob. Would I have noticed this a month ago - yes - because we took these precautions for when Jim was in the hospital for his surgery.



Think about it - in a public bathroom - you scrub and scrub those hands, toss away the towel and THEN open the door with your clean hand on the handle.

If you can bear it - think about an airplane toilet --. Maybe don't - just Wipe the handles.


And the airplane seat arm-rests - and tv controls -

oh, my goodness, your cell phone. I read an article a few months ago that when tested your cell phone is pretty bug-infested. Just because we can't see them doesn't mean they are't there.


Public telephones. Big time wiping.

Go to http://www.cdc.gov/ and see what the public health gurus are recommending - and DO IT.



This is the time we all need to be sharp -



Is this a lecture? I hope not - I think of it more as a wake-up call - incase you had not thought to pick up your hand sanitizer, wipes and start washing your hands.