Survival tips for the flu season

 Yes, that’s an onion and garlic (and a fake white pumpkin) sitting on an old fashioned scale on my piano. That’s one of the tips I got this week for fighting the flu. Could be an old wives’ tale–but I’m trying everything! Supposedly onion and garlic absorb viruses, or somehow clear the air. Who knew?

We’ve been hit badly with the flu. I was completely shocked by how suddenly and severely it hit. We had two very sick kids, and I’m really hoping it doesn’t spread to the rest of the family. I must confess that I was caught off guard.

Here are a few things I’ve learned from the experience, and I’d really love it if you could share any wisdom and tips you have as well. These are some changes that I’ve made to try to keep the flu at bay, and to be prepared if some of the rest of us do get hit.

We are all gargling with salt water twice a day, and swabbing the inside of our noses with salt water. Eww, yes, I know that sounds gross! But the flu virus enters through the nose or mouth. The salt water makes your nose and throat an inhospitable environment. I’m all for hospitality, but not when it comes to the flu virus!

I stocked up on bottled water, which I don’t typically buy. Two reasons–it is much simpler and more sanitary to assign each sick person their own bottle, rather than constantly washing cups and glasses and increasing the risk of contagion.(I also bought paper plates, for the same reason.) Also, if the patient is using a bottle of water it is easy to track how much fluid they are consuming. Dehydration is very dangerous, and happens easily. I have been marking the bottles with the patients’ initials with a permanent marker.

I bought lots of hand sanitizer (cheap) at the dollar store. Again, I’m not a big fan of it, but trust me, when Mom is busy looking after very sick kids (or if Mom gets sick too) it’s awful handy to have around.

We’ve been using those expensive Clorox wipes (though I DID use a coupon)–again in the interest of keeping things as easy as possible, and to try to stop the virus spreading through the family. We wipe light switches, faucets, door handles – anything the sick ones touch. Now that they are getting a little better we’ll also be wiping computer keyboards, remotes, etc. SUCH a pain, but we REALLY don’t want this germ spreading.

Today I bought three cases of bottled water, just to have on hand should any more of us get sick. I bought a big bag of frozen chicken that I’m boiling, then adding to a huge batch of rice cooked in chicken stock. It will be frozen in individual serving sizes (using a muffin tin as a mold) that can be easily prepared for a sick person. The rice/chicken mixture is an easily digested source of protein and fluids, and can be tolerated by sick people fairly well.

I’ve also stocked up on jello – especially citrus flavors. I’m not sure why citrus–except that’s what my ER nurse friend suggested. And I bought some popsicles.

We put both sick kids in the family room with easy access to the main floor powder room. (trust me – that was important!) It also meant the other bathroom was easier to keep sanitized, and that’s what the rest of the family used.

I guess what I’ve learned is how unprepared I was for this H1N1 hitting our family. When kids (or parents) are very sick, that’s NOT the time to be scrambling for supplies! I’d love more tips for how to be prepared (frugally if possible) and also any preventative ideas, and suggestions for treating symptoms and keeping the patients comfortable and hydrated. Please help me out here!

Continue reading Survival tips for the flu season …

From Econobusters.