My personal wake up call (bird flu)

[resq'd]

Hi guys-
Been a very long time lurker, and finally "bellied up to the bar" and got registered. I want to share an experience I had at work about six weeks ago.
I work at a pet supplies store in the Northwest; it's a small community store, and we get alot of folks who just come in to visit and we know many of our customers on a pretty personal level. On this particular day, one of our regulars came in looking distressed and really "under it". We asked her what we could do to help, and she explained that her father-in-law had just passed away, and his daughter was in critical condition in the hospital. They had just returned from an extensive visit TO CHINA. They came home with a severe respiritory condition and infection that doctors could not get a handle on.........My heart stopped, and I watched as my coworkers comforted her. Not one person had a clue at that moment what this news could possibly mean. It was hardly the time to jump in and scream "OMG- BIRD FLU!", so we encouraged her, and I camly got as much info as possible without being freaky about it. Her father-in-law had passed away in a large well known hospital in San Francisco, and his daughter was in Seattle. I took my coworkers aside after she left, and explained calmly that we had just all had a huge wake up call. Have heard nothing since from that woman, but my coworkers no longer look at me with that exasperated expression when I share what I think about prepping for the future. My boss has begun prepping the store for disaster so that if we get stuck, we're good for two weeks. My other coworkers are prepping at home and asking me questions about what they can do. I made a major purchase for my pets last week, and everyone just kinda got quiet- I just said "Hey- I'm not going to be in a position to not be able to provide for them in any situation." I noticed this week the others doing the same. Just want to say thanks to all who share info here- I've learned alot, and so have others, thanks to you......

 

[brokenwings]

Thanks for sharing that Resq'd and welcome to our board.

That is quite worriesome. I am wondering if you are worried that you might have been exposed to the bird flu thru that woman? I would be.

I wish our governemnt would be honest with us, but it is up to us to help each other out with info like this.

 

[mzkitty]

Hi Resq'd. Sorry to hear this. So it exposed all the people on the plane, and people in SF and in Seattle. It's here. And if the doctors couldn't guess what it was, I wonder how many people in those cities are now exposed. Grim. I wonder how many other people are visiting back and forth with China and also are dying and we don't hear about it.

 

[macten_1]

That's amazing that you actually got someone to prep. Talking with people in my AO, they see no problems what so ever. What happened in N.O. is just a 'speed bump'. Things will be back to normal soon. You'll see.

By trying to help them, I've actually told them where they can get food, water and where they can get warm. So now they have no reason to prep. The way I see it they have to learn the hard way. Then maybe they'll prep. When they come around, I will have a bad case of the flue. It's for their own good.

Almost forgot....I was at the local Shell station. I mentioned that I was amazed that gas is still at $2.69/gal. They looked at me with stunned faces. According to them there is plenty of gas. No refineries are shut down. There are no problems. I walked out of there in a daze!!!!!

 

[Gayla]

Good for you, resq'd, for getting them to prep.

My first thought wasn't bird flu, it was SARS. I'm wondering if it's popping up again?

 

[Liquis]

Yep! had a small incident like that myself this past weekend. No one sick...yet but this shows you the smallness of this world:

Old neigbors (back yard ones who recently moved away)came and visited the area. The stayed at our next door neigbors (side yard neighbors).

We all have kids and they wanted to play together this past Saturday so at 10am on my door step were the father and the sons. The father, Mick, traveled alot for work..... typically to Germany.... I casually asked if he was still traveling. He said yes but not to Europe. His new turf is the East he said. I asked him how the birds were in a joking manner...(I typically like to scoff to hide my prepper nature). He told me that he had just come back from Indonisia!!!!! Just three days previous. My spouse sat up!(The spouse razzes me alot for my doomer attitude..but not me prepping).
Mick said when you come back into the country, that they ask you where you have been...his travel destination was definitely on the hot list. He told us that they pull him aside to question him and did a check-up on him. He then dropped the subject with a casual laugh.

Not casual in my book!

I guess you read about how it would spread through transportation...But I do not travel so I stupidly thought my risks were slightly lower. This was a real wake-up call as I entertained a persomn I know In my sunroom who has just returned from Indonisia of all efffing places!

 

[Sharon]

Please, if you hear any thing from the woman who came in, since she's a regular, please keep up posted.

Oh, an glad you're posting now!!!

 

[BB]

Welcome R and thanks for the story. I am going to forward your story to Dr. Nimans and see if he responds.

Dr. Nimans already reported that the bird flu was a raging pandemic in China, so I believe this was the bird flu. Can you contact the hospital to find out if it was H5N1?

 

[bobfall2005]

That opens the eyes.

Thank you
resq'd


I'm not sure what this means.
Time to check in with the CDC.

MMWR is a nice start.
IF this is something to worry about, the CDC might
let some info by.

Depends on who is running things.
The non-PC CDC types will want to inform health pros
around the country.

The politcal hacks at the CDC will want to keep a lid on it.

Again, this might be nothing.

Hopefully, any medical folks of tb2k, will hit the red button.
If they know something.

Bob

 

[Splicer205]

Welcome, Resq'd. Scary story you relayed, and it's appreciated.

 

[resq'd]

Thanks for the encouragement- Honestly, I don't know it was bird flu, but my suspicion is that when it does come, we won't likely have much warning. Travel is too open and for those of us who work with the public, it is definately a heads up. I'm not all about panic; but I darn sure keep my eyes open. Had a woman come in last week wanting a small bag of her regular dog food. I didn't have it, and suggested she might want to get the larger one. She whined that the small one fits just "perfectly" in her cupboard- I looked at her right in the eyes and said "Ma'am, there are gas stations in the South and East without gas right now- everything you have comes by truck- I can't guarantee you in the next few months that I can have ANY size bag of your food. You might reconsider that larger bag." Her eyes got wide, and she said "Oh my gosh! Thank you for making me think! I can't believe with all the news on that I didn't think of it myself!" No problem, Ma'am- it's my job....
BB, thanks- keep me posted about what Niman thinks- I didn't get the hospital name, and they won't give info on critical patients unless you are immediate family- I know, my Dad had major heart surgery last week, and they limited info to two family members, and I wasn't one of them. Fortunately, Mom is with me, so I get the info from her directly. Off to work- again thnks for the encouragement- Y'all rock!

 

[garnetgirl]

yep, it is a small world

Our personal avian flu "plan" is to shelter in place - isolation as soon as we make the call (probably will be determined from advice from this board and other flu-specific boards). We homeschool, so that's an easy call for us - husband's job is altogether another decision that we will have to make when the time comes. At least we are thinking about it now.

My wake-up call came this summer when I found out that my aunt and uncle here in our small WNC town went to Thailand for vacation a few weeks ago. Sure enough, my aunt came back with a strange respiratory illness. Thankfully, she's fine, but it showed me that even as isolated as we are in my small town and in my sheltered life, how easily we come in contact with the entire world.

This avian flu pandemic is at the top of my list as being the most likely and also the most devastating situation within the next few years.

And, I watched the movie, The Stand, last night - now, I can't get the song, "Don't Fear the Reaper" out of my head!

garnetgirl

 

[BB]

R: Dr. Niman emailed me back. I will send you what he said in a pm. Basically, we need a relative to be willing to release the results as you stated. Check your pm.

 

[nharrold]

Resq'd, have you considered mentioning this to the health officials in your county? It's quite possible that the hospital staff never thought to do that, although the lady's test results may have shown no trace of any serious infectious disease. On the other hand, the county may still be interested enough to follow-up on this particular case.

 

[Gayla]

Honestly, I don't know it was bird flu, but my suspicion is that when it does come, we won't likely have much warning. Travel is too open

Bird flu is not easily transmitted between humans, yet, although that is changing. Shakey just started a great new thread on it here. That's certainly not to say it DOESN'T happen because it most certainly does.

SARS on the other hand is easily passed from one person to another.

Regardless of what the man had, you have made some excellent points and it's a great reminder for all of us. I travel a lot and will be going to Japan in 2006. Travel is VERY open.

Thank you for making me think!

Again, excellent job of teaching/reaching those around you.

 

[Annie]

I wish I knew where they had travelled. My sis and BIL and young kids are going to NW China next week to pick up an orphaned adoptee toddler. According to Dr Niman's map, there were 3 outbreaks near the town in June. I told them not to eat chicken or pork and not to drink the water or breathe. I'll be very careful to avoid them for at least two weeks when they get back.

 

[resq'd]

Am at work now, but will pop on to say that unfortunately, I haven't seen this customer since- not surprising, as it's difficult to deal with serious illness in the family and maintain a regular schedule-
Gayla made a very important point- I was not concerned about exposure as it had not proven to be human to human at that point. My point is that we must keep our eyes open, and share what we observe. I will certainly pass on any further info as it comes. Maintaining calm, and thinking clearly are two of the most important preps there are. Thanks for the input- will check Shakeys thread at lunch........

 

[Relic]

Annie!

It probably won't do any good- but at least TRY to get them to leave their kids home!!! I don't like the comments on the progression of ANY of the Asian viri in kids! AND I don't mean goats....
RELIC.
Who works in a hospital where 1/3 of the patients by actual count do NOT come from our "region" (NE Ohio/PA/NY) and where we have enough foreigners to support a LARGE full-time International dept!

 

[Deena in GA]

Welcome, resq'd! Thanks to you and the others for sharing the stories. It is amazing how quickly something could get spread throughout the world. We all have to be watching carefully, but it can still sneak up on us.

 

[Mrs. Peavey]

Welcome Resq'd!

Thanks for sharing your personal experience and observations. Be sure to read Shakey's thread, and you might want to consider printing out the thread and taking it in to work to share with your co-workers.

 

[Brubert]

Wow, it is a small world!! I found out today that my dentist just left to go to Hong Kong for two weeks!! At least I won't have to see him for another six months

 

[bluemoon]

Welcome to the board resq'd. Thanks for sharing your information.

Bluemoon