For the last week, I’ve been reconciling myself with the fact that I will probably suffer swine flu within the next few months.
Firstly, the news that more and more schools in Cambridgeshire are closing following the positive diagnosis of one or more of their pupils. The schools of Cambridgeshire are where I’ll be undergoing teacher training next year, so that’s one way I could catch it. Bearing in mind that this lovely illness is predicted to be more virulent in Winter, when I begin there, I can’t see myself avoiding it for long.
Secondly, and closer in time and space, the person I sit next to at work informs me that her friend’s husband’s work-colleague’s daughter has the flu of the pigs, which I almost laugh off as it resembles a very tenuous claim to fame, albeit with disease instead of celebrity. Anyway, that is reason number two for why I’m up soon.
Thirdly though, is the news I got tonight, and this is just about going to seal the deal I should think. My girlfriend works as a teaching assistant in a school. On Friday, she was repeatedly spluttered all over by a pupil. The cause of their spluttering has now been confirmed as swine flu. Lucy, bless her, started feeling a little ill on Sunday – whilst she was visiting me for the weekend. If she has it, then there’s a good chance I’ve got it already. One of her colleagues has also been diagnosed with the virus, so it’s not impossible that a battle is taking place within myself right now, as swine flu attempts to hijack my wellbeing. Only time will tell.
To be honest though, I can’t say I’m particularly bothered. I’m not sure I’ve really had flu before, but I have always feared it. The rumour is that this flu is no worse than the usual ones, and this was confirmed by a text message from Lucy’s colleague. Only difference with this one is that people haven’t had it before. There’s a lack of immunity, so I just have that slight unease that it’s on it’s way, but I just don’t know when. Come to think of it, my joints are aching a little and I feel a tad queasy. Fingers crossed that it’s just me thinking about it…
