Day 36

"Stomach flu" is a misnomer -- influenza, or flu, is an infection of the respiratory system and has nothing to do with the discomfort in your gut that occurs when one of the previously mentioned viruses produce inflammation in your stomach and intestines. The results are usually nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramps. You also might get a headache, chills, muscle aches, and fatigue.

Stomach flu viruses are transmitted through direct contact as well as indirect contact (touching something that's carrying the germs of an infected person, such as a countertop, a toy, or a toilet, and then touching your mouth). Noroviruses can also be spread through food (commonly shellfish, vegetables, and salad greens) and through contaminated water.

I've got stomach flu for 1 week and passed it on to Leng who's having her exams. I've got it twice already in 4 months. *Sigh* My condition was more severe than Leng, but it was good to have her company. Lol. Cos she'll copy whatever remedy I try. We ate po chai pills, charcoal pills, even applied the medicated oil that I hate so much. (reason 1: it has a smell that reminds me of old women, reason 2: putting it is like announcing to the whole wide world that you have diahrrea.) The only thing we didn't do the same was that she drank salt wated. Yeewww....

Anyway I just wanted to bring up some home care tips. We had this disagreement with our Dad whether we should drink Vitagen. He said that it was a milk products and milk products are a "no-no" when you've got diarrhea. However, the Vitagen ads have sold us on the idea that it contains good bacteria that can fight harmful bacterial like e.coli blah blah blah...

This is what howstuffworks.com said:

"Active cultures of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) make diarrhea less severe and shorten its duration. Probiotics can be found in yogurt with active or live cultures and in supplements."

So......we won! Even though the label says "Cultured Milk Drink", it's safe to drink. Yay! ^_^y

Other tips i didn't know:

1) You shld not take caffeinated beverages.
2) Eat stuff like rice, dry toast, and bananas. I don't know abt rice and toast, but I think bananas help because they replenish the sodium lost.

I also went to the ENT specialist and dentist this week.

Outcome:
1) I found out that the clinical dignosis for having a problematic tap-like nose is Rhinitis. I've to be on nasal spray for 2 months. I think it could have been avoided if I had faithfully stuck to it a few years back. At that time I didn't perserve because I didn't like spraying things into my nose. But I found out on Monday what could be worse......having the doctor put a scope down your nostrils. I really need to get my nose cured so that I don't have to go for so many examinations whereby they put foreign objects into your nose. $64 for something so mentally and physically discomforting.

2) I came out of the dentist feeling so smug that I wondered whether it showed on my face and if my brother would punch me because....well I looked so smug. Haha. The dentist said my teeth was well-maintained, no need for fillings whatsoever. I was feeling smug because it was my first dental checkup in like some 6, 7 years and he said it was well-maintained. But it was a real neighbourhoody kind of neighbourhood clinic, I did feel like getting a second opinion when I came out of the clinic, but it was easier and cheaper to let smugness take over.