LIFE- "Flu" Interrupted!

Can you ever say that one again! LIFE! Surely comes to a complete and quick halt if you become emerged in this latest "flu bug". I cannot remember in the past decade of my life, other than having double pneumonia when something like an illness knocked me on my butt for 10 days or more, but this one certainly has. I am still reeling from the damned thing, honestly NOT feeling normal" at all even yet. Today, after fighting with extreme fatigue, total lethargy, no appetite (well more like everything tastes like cardboard), and the worst aches and pains other than my RA, and chronic pains than I have dealt with in my life. I vaguely remember having a bad case of the flu about 15 or so years ago that sent me to the ER directly from my job, of which I was ill for 3 weeks. I actually lost that job because of it being a "retail women's clothing store", it was right after Christmas when the Huge New Years Sale was going on and I, the manager was out almost all of the big sale sick as a dog.
I believe this one may have topped it. I had some nausea, and I really never ran much of a fever, but I did for a couple of days have chills, where I just could not get warm. But, it is (and I am yes still is) the severely painful almost like leg cramps, lower back pains that I thought maybe kidney stones they have hurt so badly, and my neck, shoulders, back, even the bottoms of my feet hurt, much like when you have a flare with Lupus or RA.
Of course it could be that I do have a mixed situation here, and do have a flare of Lupus to top it off. That might explain the lingering severe bone aches, and the type of tiredness that will not even allow you to drag yourself to the shower, bathroom, or kitchen for a drink, barely. I am NOT one to ask for help, unless I have had a surgery that incapacitates me, but this certainly did that. It is crazy.

My daughter called and her two youngest have had it, but they ran fever, and hardly had no other symptoms but it was the flu. Her husband who is NEVER ill, it put him to bed, like me, for 7 or more days, and he was still not at his best even after that. I really never had any "cold like" symptoms, no cough, no other signs or symptoms, mainly pain and fatigue. I did have severe headaches several times, but I had so much aspirin flowing through me for the body aches that the headaches never lasted very long. I am most sure that I picked up the "bug" from my Uncle Joe's funeral. Of course here it is the middle of flu season, and you are hugging on people you have not seen in a while, and most assuredly being a funeral people do come sick or not at times. So, even if they have no symptoms, they could still be carrying the germs around, and passing them on to you. I was also shocked to find out that some of the flu virus can stay alive something lie 8 HOURS after leaving the body! That means if a phone, a desk, a cabinet, a sink, a doorknob, just about any and everything we touch inside or outside of our homes, can be a potential "carrier" if someone ill has touched it! Also, and I have witnessed this, when someone's sneezes, it goes it looks like for yards and yards! I watched as my dog sneezed in the sunlight one day, and it spread for what looked like the size of a sofa or larger right away. So, if someone fairly close either coughs or sneezes droplets are in the air for a long way from you. W do not realize things like that, yet then when we get ill, and really do not think we were around anyone that was ill, how we got the germs. Well, even if it takes a few days to show symptoms, yet you are already contagious, think about people you see rarely in the store, shake their hands and not see them again for months. They could be ill, or possibly you are carrying it, and one of you does not know that in a few days one or both of you may be ill. So, that explains why thing spread so quickly. Especially an illness that can spread like this so easily just by being in the air, or on things you use daily. OF course getting immunized annually, getting immunized every 5 years for pneumonia, and taking any other immunizations that your health provider may suggest if your best protection from either getting ill, or having it as badly as you could have. A very mild two or three day "version" is much better than a version that puts your butt on the sofa and in the bed for 2 weeks or more. As I said, I still honestly do not even feel like sitting here for very long at a time. The aches and pains are still coming and going some, although not nearly as intense as 10 days ago, and the fatigue is also still with me, and it is not quite as earth shatteringly tiring as at first. That is another thing and maybe it is just me. When I get this type of fatigue, I am not necessarily "sleepy", when I say fatigued or tired. I am severely bodily fatigued, like I feel as if my legs weigh a ton, but generally I am NOT really sleepy! So, then you get even for me sick of watching movies that you have seen, and to hell with regular daytime television, IT all sucks! So, I shall close for now, with a couple of things. First of all, try to STAY AWAY from this FLU mess!!!! it is one heck of a not nice illness! Secondly, if you or someone you love does get this crap, be PATIENT with them! IF they are still sick in 4 or 5 days, believe me, they are probably still feeling like hell. And even after they are up and about after 10 days, they still feel like warmed over crap. So, give yourself, or those close to you a break. Go get the flu shots!!! It is NOT too Late!!!!!