flu.

Have flu. Am sick. Hoping it's swine flu, that way the baby will get my immunity and I won't have to worry about the baby getting it this winter.

Dr. Google says that if you have these symptoms

Fever (usually high)
Headache
Extreme tiredness
Dry cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Muscle aches
Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, also can occur but are more common in children than adults

then you have the flu. Dr. Google also says you should get on some antivial medication within 24 to 48 hours of your first symptom. Well, I thumb my nose at Dr. Google, because it's already been well over 48 hours since I started feeling sick. (Plus, I don't have a real doctor, so even if it hadn't been this long, I wouldn't get antiviral medication.)

I feel like crap, of course, but I'm also a tiny bit worried. They say pregnant women are more at risk for complications, but how do I know if I'm having complications? The complications are, according to Dr. Google, and his associate, WebMD

viral or bacterial pneumonia, muscle inflammation (myositis), and infections of the central nervous system or the sac around the heart (pericarditis).
Other flu complications may include ear infections, sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes.
Those at highest risk for flu complications include adults over 50, children ages 6 months to 4 years, nursing home residents, adults and children with heart or lung disease, people with compromised immune systems (including people with HIV/AIDS), and pregnant women.

Okay. Nice. But how do you know you have pneumonia or myositis or pericarditis? How do you know?

And also - do I keep my kids home from school, even though they don't have symptoms? Cause you know they're just big walking germ factories, and I'm sure they're carrying whatever this is I've got.

For all the hype, the media sure doesn't tell you anything you really need to know about the flu. (Or anything, really. But that's another post.)