Cold & Flu Season? Already?

A little quick algebra before I begin…

A + B + C + D = X, where A=Cube Farm; B=150 People; C= Lots of sneezing and coughing; D=Winston’s pre-disposition towards hypochondria; and X= The Office suddenly becoming a Living Hell.

It’s early this year, but it’s started nonetheless. The sneezing, coughing horror that is cold and flu season. And so begins my yearly descent into what I like to think of as full-blown germ-freakout. Shake hands? With you? After you just sneezed all over that filthy, germ-addled paw of yours?!? I should think not. A cookie on a platter in the kitchen? Not a chance. A conference in a closed, 14X14 room with poor ventilation? You’ve got to be kidding. I’ll teleconference.

This is awful. Just awful. Maybe they’ve all just got allergies. I think I’ll play it safe, though, and call in sick 'till spring.

I had my first cold of the season Labor Day Weekend. Now it’s just minor allergy sniffles, nothing too bad.

But I’m taking care with hand washing and the like already - I can’t describe the number of times I’ve been in a restaurant on campus and heard someone flush a toiled, leave the stall and the restroom without even washing their hands. It thoroughly grosses me out.

So I carry a bottle of the antibacterial hand lotion stuff. And when I use the restroom, I pull the paper towel dispenser handle, wash my hands with hot water and plenty of soap, then take the paper towel, dry my hands, use it to turn off the water and open the door, finally throwing away the paper towel after I leave.

If I get sick, it’s not because I wasn’t cautious.

everyone over here seems to have a cold.
I think it has to do with the change in seasons.
Whatever it is, lots of people in Ohio have one.

I’m sneezing a lot lately, and my nose has been a little runny. I suspect this is my body trying to keep the germs out, because I haven’t really felt ill yet.

(It never fails–I ONLY get sick in early January, with rare exceptions.)

Same here! Everybody has a cold at the office, and being a hero and coming in to work anyway. I catch it every time. Including today. I had to leave early because the flu has reduced to chewing my snot. Been using the same phone as a sick person.

People who come to work sick and get everyone else sick=selfish selfish selfish.

I have a cold right now, and it sucks on toast. My nose is sore, stuffy and I can hardly breath. I didn’t get any sleep last night and I’ve been awake since 4:30 this morning. I have a feeling I’ll be awake a long time from now as well, because I’m so stuffed. And when I’m not I’m blowing my nose every five seconds.

Fuck this.

Indeed, in Ohio in the last two weeks EVERYONE has something. I, who is the healthiest, never-got-sick-in-my-life person have had a sore throat the last 4 days. My kids have missed a few days of school. Sinus headaches/infections are prevalent in people who have never had sinus problems in their lives.

Not flu yet, but the crap is starting early.

It is because of school starting. All the kidlets get brand new germs from their classmates, bring them home to mom and dad, then they take it to their workplace.

Everyone out here seems to be sick too, but it seems like the flu, rather than colds. Everyone at my husband’s work was off sick last week, and he and I both ended up with a (fortunately short) bout of stomach flu over the weekend.

I caused it, though, because I mentioned the day before I got sick that I hadn’t been sick at all in three years. Figures.

Flu…Baaaaaaaaaaad!!! Got my shot yesterday.