Swine Flu Pandemic - Preparation

[The Grey Badger]

Dear Pat,

> John. I can't speak for men, but have been told that when a woman
> - and especially one with risk factors for heart disease - has a
> feeling of impending doom, it is time to go get her heart checked.
> That even doctors are accepting that feeling as a real symptom
> nowadays. I know your predictions and projections have led you to
> certain conclusions, but the jump between those rational
> conclusions and your feeling that you are going to die this year
> -- please. Go get your heart checked.

Thanks for your concern, but not only do I have a very good doctor,
whom I see regularly, but I'm also part of the "world famous"
Framingham heart study. So as far as any doctor can tell, my heart
is in great shape.

Should I now make some sniggling remark about the differences between
men and women?

Sincerely,

John

Why? Oh. No, the first sentence wasn't a sniggling remark, it was based on the studies I've read that in women, a sense of impending doom has been shown to be an indicator of heart trouble, but no such study has been done on men to my knowledge. That's all. (studies of heart attack indicators in women, which seem to be different from those in men, are in their infancy but moving rapidly ahead. Medical science marches on. I'm grateful.) And at my age and with my mother and most of my paternal ancestors dying of heart failure, this is something I (and my doctor) keep an eye on. But I'm very glad your heart is being looked after well.

[Witchiepoo]

Thanks for posting this. I had mentioned this as a possibly in my
first weblog article on swine flu a month ago, but I didn't mention it
again because it seemed too alarmist.

I mentioned it also, when talking about how it might be a good idea to catch this virus before it mutates into something worse.

So now is the time to put our affairs in order - while we still have
money, and while we're still in good health.

I don't have a problem with that, but for a different reason. I always thought it was weird when people would ask the question "what would you do if you only had six months to live," because if there is something you always wanted to do before you die, then why aren't you out there doing it already? So I'm not really talking about preparing to die, just making sure that you LIVE life so you don't have any regrets if you do happen to die.

[Samir]

US swine flu death toll up to five

The death toll first went up from three to four with the news that someone in Arizona had succumbed to the A(H1N1) virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

And authorities in the state of Texas said a young man in his thirties had died last week in Corpus Christi from complications from the disease due to existing health conditions.

So far it seems like all of our victims have been in that usually resistant age group, but they've all had "existing health conditions". Seems to me like people are getting panic fatigued and/or have accepted these things as common place. It'll take something big to shake us up again (Bigger market crash, Higher H1N1 Death rates, etc.)

[Amon]

So far it seems like all of our victims have been in that usually resistant age group, but they've all had "existing health conditions". Seems to me like people are getting panic fatigued and/or have accepted these things as common place. It'll take something big to shake us up again (Bigger market crash, Higher H1N1 Death rates, etc.)

And that "something big" already seems to be prepared for us just as soon as the summer begins, except it shouldn't be merely one "something". In any case, I don't like how this news is playing out. It sounds like the death warrant has already been signed against at least one of my loved ones - I don't know how to tell them, or even if I can, though.

[John]

There's so much sadness in the world today, resulting in contrasts:
On the one hand, you have one group of people who ignore the sadness,
and put their blind faith in the media or in some politician. And on
the other hand, you have a second group of people who force themselves
to push through the sadness, so that, when the inevitable happens,
they will be able to help the ones who will have nothing to protect
them but blind faith.

Perhaps this is a conceit on my part, but I tend to view this forum
as a haven for the people in the second group. I and many others
have expressed their feelings, how we've been saddened and sickened
by what we see unfolding, whether in the financial world, or in
geopolitics, or in preparing for a swine flu pandemic.

There are many people on this forum, as well as many who have written
to me privately, who are pushing through the sadness, keeping their
heads about them, making sober judgments and plans about what's
coming. My only hope and wish is that the Generational Dynamics web
site and forum play a role in helping those people help others.

Sincerely,

John

[The Grey Badger]

I was lucky enough to be given a preview back in the winter of 2006/7. Not swine flu, but a snowfall on my way back from a local bookstore combined with an oncoming cold that both kept on and on and on for two weeks straight, and increasing in severity until I had it driven through my head that I must prepare for such things to happen and what I had to do.

I need to do inventory in my pantry right now, having let it slide during the end-of-semester rush, but I am keeping not only canned goods and frozen goods, but such things as dried single-cup servings of ramen noodles, just for example. Because even a seasonal flu can be devastating if you're not prepared. And the two-week snowstorm drove some things into my head about natural disasters and extreme weather as well. (Frex, why dirt and gravel driveways may be funky and paving expensive, but if you're in it for the long haul and expect extremely wet weather, PAVE. Which I have not done yet. It's a desert.)

So - oh, yes. And reconnecting with the family is high on my agenda as well. I think the entire clan is nesting, which is a relief to see.

[Witchiepoo]

Nations urge WHO to change swine flu assessment

Some member nations are anxious to avoid having the agency declare a swine flu pandemic, because the ramifications of that scientific decision could be very costly and politically charged.

Science and politics do not mix.

[Samir]

Influenza A(H1N1) - update 32
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm

Mexico has 3,103 confirmed cases and 68 confirmed deaths. Which is a kill rate of about 2.19% (2.19 deaths per 100 cases).
The United States has 5,123 confirmed cases and 5 confirmed cases deaths. Which is a kill rate of about 0.098% (0.098 deaths per 100 cases).

Not sure what to make of the huge difference. The viruses seem to be acting totally different in the two nations.

[John]

Dear Samir,

> Influenza A(H1N1) - update 32
> http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_05_18/en/index.html
> http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm

> Mexico has 3,103 confirmed cases and 68 confirmed deaths. Which is
> a kill rate of about 2.19% (2.19 deaths per 100 cases). The United
> States has 5,123 confirmed cases and 5 confirmed cases deaths.
> Which is a kill rate of about 0.098% (0.098 deaths per 100
> cases).

> Not sure what to make of the huge difference. The viruses seem to
> be acting totally different in the two nations.

The most likely reason is thought to be that the virus started in
Mexico in January or February, long before they were testing for it,
and that there have been 200,000 cases in Mexico.

** Rapid worldwide H1N1 swine flu spread is raising big concerns for the Fall.
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/cgi-bin/D.PL?xct=gd.e090502#e090502

According to Henry Niman, we should now be at pandemic level 6, the
highest level.
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/05180 ... pan_6.html

Sincerely,

John

[John]

In the men's room today, someone I knew was using a paper towel to
turn the sink faucet on and off. I said, "Wow, you're very careful."
He started telling me about how all the swine flu germs were on the
faucets and door handles.

I told him (with Witchipoo's posting in mind) that I've decided it's
better to get sick now, since the fall version of the virus is going
to be a lot worse.

He looked at me like I was crazy.

Sincerely,

John