Swine Flu Massachusetts

by D. Pereira
(Fitchburg, MA)

I'm so scared about this swine flu (Massachusetts) epidemic that is coming in the winter season. I am hopefully going to get the vacccine.

I work in a group home and worry enough about the regular flu and get that vaccine as well every winter.


One year I had the flu twice in a matter of 2 months and was in and out of the hospital. I had lost 5 pounds in a week and really felt that I was going to die. This was right after I quit smoking.


After that horrible and terrifying experience I will ALWAYS try to get the vaccine for whatever epidemic the news is saying.


People might think it's not as bad as it seems but, I'm not willing to take that chance!

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Hi D,

Thanks for sharing your concerns about the swine flu. Massachusetts gets cold winters and I'm sure residents have to deal with the flu bug going around every year.


I'm sorry to hear you had such a scary experience with the flu virus in the past. I suspect most of us have had some bad days over the years.


I'm guessing that your immune system must have been pretty weak at the time you 'caught the flu' twice in one winter. The weaker your immune system is, the more susceptible you are going to be to passing germs.


Did you get the vaccine the year that happened to you? I'm just curious. Many people who get the flu vaccine end up with the flu regardless.


Even if you are determined to get the swine flu vaccine, you should still consider strengthening your immune system with Vitamin D, Vitamin C, antioxidants, and probiotics.


Because you work in a group home, you definitely want to keep your own body as strong as possible as well as reduce the risk of passing any influenza virus to the residents.


I hope you have a very healthy winter. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.
~Angie