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candylandFirst things first.
Well, after a week of rumor-milling, speculating, panicking, and waiting, it looks like action is being taken. The official record is still at two cases, though from what I understand the third case is pretty for sure. They say there's only one other suspected case that thus far has tested negative, but I know that's not quite true because I happen to know another person who was diagnosed, but caught really early, so they gave him horse-pills to try and combat it (he also had the beginning stages of mono--poor kid...) I know that several of my friends have been directly exposed, so I've had a good deal of secondary exposure, but thus far, I'm still standing *thumbs up*
I did a little research on the meningitis that's going around on campus. The illness is an inflammation of membranes in the brain, resulting in flu-like symptoms...and then death, if not treated quickly. There are two types of meningitis: bacterial and viral. Viral meningitis is almost nothing, most recover from it with no medical attention. What we've got is bacterial, which is uber-contagious and potentially deadly. It has an incubation period of two to ten days. The type we've got flying around is actually the only type that can manifest as an epidemic--which is so comforting. Bacterial meningitis can be treated, though, as long as it's caught--if you wake up and find giant purple blotches all over your skin, MAYDAY. Get thee to a hospital as fast as the ambulance will drive.
[/medical babble]
The campus emailed out last night with their Grand Master Plan: vaccinate. Vaccinate the whole campus, tonight from two to ten PM. There's a shot involved (that battles two of the possible strands) and a pill (that battles the other two). The thing is that I was vaccinated four years ago. The vaccine is good for three years-ish...but I read in a couple different places that getting a booster shot or getting re-vaccinated can actually decrease anitbodies. So I need to ask about that, because I do not wish to get sick and die.
And now I'm currently trying to figure out what the hell my director's doing--she just emailed out and said that we're splitting men and women today. But when we talked about it on Monday, she said that was happening on Thursday. WTF?? Please to be emailing me back, PK, I'd really like to know what's going on--especially because we haven't finalized a women's piece yet. We were supposed to be doing that today. Raaaaaaaar...
Two days 'till RENT!! *Happy Dances of Evil* Twelve days 'till my birthday! *floats* AND I'LL HAVE MY CONAN MOVIE TODAY!! *happy happy backflip*
And finally...
It's snowing.
WHY IS IT SNOWING??
Oh well, at least it isn't sticking...yet...thirty-six degrees is still a little too warm for the snow to be sticking and piling up--but there's a seventy percent chance of snow on Saturday. When I'm stuck here on campus for fall break. Whoopie *hides head in the sand*
Well, after a week of rumor-milling, speculating, panicking, and waiting, it looks like action is being taken. The official record is still at two cases, though from what I understand the third case is pretty for sure. They say there's only one other suspected case that thus far has tested negative, but I know that's not quite true because I happen to know another person who was diagnosed, but caught really early, so they gave him horse-pills to try and combat it (he also had the beginning stages of mono--poor kid...) I know that several of my friends have been directly exposed, so I've had a good deal of secondary exposure, but thus far, I'm still standing *thumbs up*
I did a little research on the meningitis that's going around on campus. The illness is an inflammation of membranes in the brain, resulting in flu-like symptoms...and then death, if not treated quickly. There are two types of meningitis: bacterial and viral. Viral meningitis is almost nothing, most recover from it with no medical attention. What we've got is bacterial, which is uber-contagious and potentially deadly. It has an incubation period of two to ten days. The type we've got flying around is actually the only type that can manifest as an epidemic--which is so comforting. Bacterial meningitis can be treated, though, as long as it's caught--if you wake up and find giant purple blotches all over your skin, MAYDAY. Get thee to a hospital as fast as the ambulance will drive.
[/medical babble]
The campus emailed out last night with their Grand Master Plan: vaccinate. Vaccinate the whole campus, tonight from two to ten PM. There's a shot involved (that battles two of the possible strands) and a pill (that battles the other two). The thing is that I was vaccinated four years ago. The vaccine is good for three years-ish...but I read in a couple different places that getting a booster shot or getting re-vaccinated can actually decrease anitbodies. So I need to ask about that, because I do not wish to get sick and die.
And now I'm currently trying to figure out what the hell my director's doing--she just emailed out and said that we're splitting men and women today. But when we talked about it on Monday, she said that was happening on Thursday. WTF?? Please to be emailing me back, PK, I'd really like to know what's going on--especially because we haven't finalized a women's piece yet. We were supposed to be doing that today. Raaaaaaaar...
Two days 'till RENT!! *Happy Dances of Evil* Twelve days 'till my birthday! *floats* AND I'LL HAVE MY CONAN MOVIE TODAY!! *happy happy backflip*
And finally...
It's snowing.
WHY IS IT SNOWING??
Oh well, at least it isn't sticking...yet...thirty-six degrees is still a little too warm for the snow to be sticking and piling up--but there's a seventy percent chance of snow on Saturday. When I'm stuck here on campus for fall break. Whoopie *hides head in the sand*
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-18 03:52 pm (UTC)As for vaccinations, usually boosters are good ideas... If anything, within the time you haven't had a booster, your antibodies decrease. If they're not used, cells have a tendency to kill themselves/each other off. Some vaccinations require boosters (like tetanus every 10 years) so maybe meningitis is no different? Either way, you should really ask someone about that, on whether or not it will weaken it or not. It may also depend on the type of vacination itself, whether they use the toxins of the bacteria or the weakened forms themselves.
And... I think I should stop now. This proves I've been in science classes too long.
I NEED SOMETHING NEW!! NURSING PRE-REQS ARE SUCH A TEASE!!!(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-18 04:42 pm (UTC)*trades horrid humidity and heat for snow*
I'm literally sweating over here >>
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-18 04:53 pm (UTC)To be honest, with all these vaccinations about...eh...I've never had a flu shot before and the ONE TIME I got the flu (along with the rest of my family), I was only sick for FOUR DAYS. Meanwhile, my family was sick for a whole TWO WEEKS. D: Having a good immune system can bite sometimes, especially when your mom tells you while she's sick, "Go to school." D:
Ah well...yeah, it would be a good idea to ask about the vaccination and see if you're having already gotten it wouldn't lower the potency of it. But really, the purpose of a vaccine is to use a dead version of the bacteria or virus to have your antibodies see them, know that they are bad, and build an immunity to it. So...yeah. O_o;;;
(no subject)
Date: 2006-10-18 07:37 pm (UTC)It's snowing because nature hates the midwest.