Random thought about the flu

[SabsP]

Remained healthy throughout the long horrid winter and now when spring finally arrived here in Belgium I'm home on sickleave with the flu and high fever.
Makes me wonder , without the comfort of my significant oher, my couch, blanket and a herbal tea, how I would handle such an illness on the camino? Even more because this is the Holy Week and I intend to start the camino next year on Palm Sunday. Ah well, mental note to oneself : let it go...and there will be a solution...

 

[lynnejohn]

After leaving Mansilla de las Mulas this past spring, I became very ill while walking. Got about 10 km and took a taxi to Leon - checked into a very nice hotel where I spent 4 days with the swine flu. I doubt I would have stayed in the hotel alone because I was so sick, but my husband tended to me throughout the worst of it. It's seldom necessary to access the health care system for flu symptoms, but it's an entirely different story if you're alone/scared/really sick and don't know what's going to happen.

Alone, I would have gone to the clinic. So long story short, when faced with significant/scary symptoms, take a taxi to the next large-ish centre. Then check into a hotel and see how you do for a bit and decide whether you need to see a health care professional.

Does this sound reasonable? I often find what seems reasonable to me is pretty stupid to others, so if you disagree, no worries!

lynne

 

[Anniesantiago]

The worst flu I had was on my first Camino when another pilgrim who had the flu did not go to a private hotel and instead, stayed in the alburgue. She had a high fever all night, chills, vomiting, and ended up exposing most of us to her terrible bug. There was no way to escape her germs in that tiny room. Her irresponsible choice caused at least 10 people that I knew of personally to come down with the flu.

She had the money and the means to go elsewhere. Her family convinced her "it would be ok" to stay in the alburgue, despite several of us suggesting otherwise.

I was not happy.
It was NOT ok.
I got SO sick.
I rented a private room for 3 days to get through the contagious stage.

The way you get the flu is by being exposed to the flu.

If you have the flu on the Camino, PLEASE get private lodging. Not only will being in a private room be more comfortable for you, it will keep you from spreading the bug.

 

[SabsP]

Thanks for the replies! Ofcourse i would stay in a private hotel if I would get ill. I know how annoyed I am already with myself if I'm coughing and then it is only my OH who suffers from the noise and the germs.
And I already got the vocabulary for illnesses and all things pharmaceutical in my second year of spanish eveningclasses :lol:

 

[Deleted member 3000]

At Carrion, a French woman was coughing, sneezing, and blowing her nose all night long in the dormitory. I knew I should move to another albergue or hostal, but was too lazy and/or cheap to do so. As a result, I spent three days in Leon in a room in the Hostal Guzman El Bueno recovering. DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH SICK PERSONS!

 

[renegadepilgrim]

It's really simple to prevent the spread of the flu (and many other diseases for that matter)

1) Cover your cough! (not with your hands, but using your arm, or shoulder)
2) If you do cough in your hand or use your hands to blow your nose, then WASH YOUR HANDS! Or use hand sanitizer. You don't have to use fancy anti-bacterial soap either, just plain soap and water is fin.

I work in an Emergency Department. We segregate patients in our waiting room based on whether or not they have flu symptoms. If you have a fever, chills or any of the other signs of the flu, it's nice to not expose people to it. Working in the ER, I've seen it all, and unfortunately, many people lack the decency to be considerate of others. It's something I expect to see along the Camino just as much as I would at home. Let's hope this flu season is over now.....