Norovirus

Norovirus--now there's a word you don't want to hear at this time of year, or anytime of year!  But it's been doing the rounds at the Edmonton General.  Not all units have it but those that do have gone through quarantines.  The virus also keeps coming back too.  My dad had it 2 weeks ago, and I couldn't visit for 4 days.  Then he seemed to be all better.  But he had another bout of it this week on Sunday.  I was there on Sunday and Monday.  Guess what I have???!!  Despite endless hand washings everywhere, I succumbed.  I was sicker than a dog yesterday and although I don't have the active symptoms today--you know the ones, that make you want to drag your bed into the bathroom, just so you won't have so far to go!! But I still have the headache, stomach still hurts, feel like crap--no pun intended--lethargy, no appetite. 

I was so well organized this year too!! I had done lots of baking, have all the gifts wrapped, including gifts for 5 residents that fulfilled their Second Wind Dreams wish, and was going to attend the candle light Christmas Eve service at McDougall United Church. I was going to cook the turkey tomorrow, so that we could spend part of Sunday with my dad and not worry about the turkey needing basting.  Today I was going to make the holupche and maybe even some perogies.  Guess that's not going to happen eh?  I still had a few small prezzies to get--maybe tomorrow morning, I can manage that. You should be quarantined for 48 hours after your last active symptoms.

Norovirus is an extremely virulent one--symptoms appear 24-48 hours after exposure.  It is over between 24-60 hours after that.  But people shed it for weeks long after they have recovered.  That's why it's so bad in enclosed facilties, like nursing homes, cruise ships, etc. And it spreads most often through contaminated food.  It can take only one person who has it and handles food, to create an epidemic. 

We might be celebrating Christmas later next week--I sure don't want Dave to get sick, so he's staying in Olds.  We sure have some kind of luck don't we???

In the meantime, here are some pictures of Duffy for Christmas--we wanted to take him for a picture with Santa, but Petsmart only does that on Sunday's and Dave wasn't here on a Sunday.  So we brushed and trimmed him and took our own!

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and may you all have the love and joy of family and friends to help you celebrate this special season.  God bless.