Committed To You - Since 1956

No sneeze, please – don’t spread that disease!

On Behalf of | Aug 23, 2017 | General |

I felt so sorry for the lady on the mat beside me in yoga class. I could tell she was really sick from her hacking cough – and then I felt it hacking at me! As I glanced over, she coughed my way half a dozen times without covering her mouth.

After several minutes into the class, she laid out flat on her mat. Our instructor asked her if she was okay, and she said that she was tired. The instructor told her, “You need to go home.” Her husband was there, and he also said that she should go to their car, but she refused to leave. She continued coughing steadily and stayed until the class ended.

I started to develop symptoms the next day – a sore throat and coughing. Now, so far, I have been to the doctor twice and have been prescribed a Z-Pak and steroids. I still have the cough. My chest X-ray showed that I have a low grade of pneumonia, often known as “walking pneumonia.” It also showed swollen lymph nodes and a spot on my lung. The doctor wants me to get blood work and to schedule a cat scan.

Hey, when you work hard to stay in shape, you never want to break your routine. I get that. But when you’re sick, you have a responsibility to consider the health of others. Nobody wants the discomfort of sickness. And while you yourself might be able to push through being sick, people around you might be more susceptible to pulmonary ailments. A bad cold for some people can easily develop into something more serious, such as bronchitis or pneumonia, for others.

The bottom line is that we all need to work together to prevent unnecessary exposure to sickness. If I think I might be contagious, I take precautions, and I avoid gym classes, the workplace, or any other group gatherings. Do your part to protect others; you’ll be back in the game soon enough.

                                                                                 — Linda Egerton