<p>S had just gotten me hooked on texting, then went to school in NYC so now international texts will be 25 cents a pop so won’t be doing that too much. We rely on email and have a video chat date tonight! Yay, hope to get some of my many many questions answered!</p>
<p>D reported to H yesterday that H1N1 has hit the campus, we just told her to be careful, wash her hands often, and to remember the big can of Lysol is in the closet. </p>
<p>Has anyone heard about their schools’ plans for vaccinations once it is available?</p>
<p>Yesterday was a bad day for me. I was having a little cry in the dark kitchen last night and hubby walked in. He tried to comfort me. I miss her so much that it hurts. And the evenings are so long.</p>
<p>Rachacha regarding the H1N1 Bates recommended that all the students get the regular flu shot in September and that they planned on having the vacine on campus in October (hopefully) and that they have requested enough for almost all of the students to recieve shots if they want it. Again is was recommended. School has asked that any student whose parents live with in 300 miles come and get their student if the student has a confirmed case until they are well again. For those outside of the 300 miles they have set aside some “extra” isolation beds for the students. That was the scoop from D’s school.</p>
<p>eddie–Like all things, it does get easier with some time, but hugs to you. It’s only been a couple of weeks here, but it is getting easier. Still at times I wonder what she is doing. </p>
<p>Maybe it’s easy for me to say that as I just finished a little facebook message exchange with DD. I find she responds better if I send a message to her inbox rather than her wall and it feels more like a conversation. She’s keeping up with her workload and doing well. </p>
<p>No word on recommendations from the college regarding H1N1. I do recall back in my day at the same college they set up a clinic for immunizations for one type of measles as there was a upswing in cases at the time. I hope they do something similar for the flu. If not, she is close to the health center.</p>
<p>Do the large schools still have infirmaries with beds for overnight stays? I remember a friend of mine in college having to stay a few nights at our school infirmary, but that might be the type of thing that isn’t done anymore.</p>
<p>Don’t know about campus infirmaries. D reports one case of H1N1 on her floor and a total of 5 cases on campus. The girl on her floor is quarantined, but still I am nervous. </p>
<p>Out of the blue yesterday I got the following text from D: You know that black and pink shirt you have? There is a girl here wearing it and she is too skinny. It looks much better on you.</p>
<p>I love texting! That made my day :)</p>
<p>eddie – I hear you. I was at my cardio/dance class the other night; D and I used to do this together in the summers; we were doing the slow, almost sad, cool down routine, and I thought, if I don’t get out of here, I am seriously going to lose it.</p>
<p>The sharpness of the pain does ease, but it’s never the same as it was; and even while we celebrate their maturation, their absence is still poignant. Virtual hugs to one and all!</p>
<p>eddie–touching…</p>
<p>zetesis–my kids and I used to work out at the same gym over the summer, and my s especially was instrumental in getting me back into exercising, so each time I’ve gone this week, (4x yay) I’ve had to fight back tears…really made me feel silly as I pushed tears back telling myself, “you can do this–you will not cry now”. It also made me so grateful that all I was sad about was that my kids were away at college. a normal life transition…how fortunate to have those kind of tears…</p>
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<p>Cute story, prj.</p>
<p>I love texting too, D taught me how a year ago and it is the best way to get in touch with both of my kids.</p>
<p>Ah, the great drought in central Texas must be over. Son texted that he was soaked to the skin and was asking where his umbrella is. Isn’t that funny? Their entire storage space is three drawers, a small closet and a desk, and they can’t find stuff.</p>
<p>We got an email from the admin giving fairly specific info on H1N1 flu. They will quarantine any kid with fever, sore throat, etc. by sending the roommate to an open dorm room or even a hotel room close by. They want the infected kid to stay in his/her room, wear a mask, and stay out of classes until 24 hours after fever breaks. Teachers have be requested to allow for a student to miss up to five days of classes without penalty; but of course they still have to make up the missed work. The key that they are looking for is containment so as to keep it from spreading TOO much.</p>
<p>Oh, they also said not to bother going to the health center unless fever is over 101 or other more severe symptoms occur, as the schools are no longer testing or reporting cases, it’s just assumed the student has it if he/she has the symptoms. That’s directly from the NIH or whatever government arm is handling this pandemic. So far most cases have been pretty standard, a big pain but not life threatening in any way.</p>
<p>I’ve been pretty relaxed about H1N1 - okay, very relaxed. Only today I got an email that a church member’s 23 year old nephew is in ICU with a very severe respiratory illness that started out as H1N1.</p>
<p>I have been wondering what the colleges plan to do with students who come down with swine flu. I haven’t heard from D’s school yet.
As for the quarantine, just curious, if the roommate is relocated, does anyone check up on the sick student? Also, do they bring meals up? Seriously, I wonder.</p>
<p>From Son’s school’s web site:</p>
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<p>OMG, pity the poor sick student. While having the flu, he has to:</p>
<ol>
<li> Move from the dorm into an apartment</li>
<li> Visit health services for testing</li>
<li> If he needs tamiflu, go to an off-campus pharmacy to get it</li>
<li> Notify all professors</li>
<li> Notify the Dir of Ac Success and Dean of Students</li>
</ol>
<p>That’s a lot to put on the plate of someone who is ill! (No mention of food getting to them…are they in apartments so they can cook for themselves?)</p>
<p>Missypie, I hope your friends’ boy is okay, that is so frightening.</p>
<p>At S’s school, they’re asking that students who are ill stay in their dorm room and have their roommate bring food in from the cafeteria for them. My son has been really healthy and is rarely sick, so he won’t know WHAT to do with a fever. Hopefully “call mom” will be his first thought.</p>
<p>There is at least one confirmed case on campus, but over 3,000 confirmed cases in the city…it’s inevitable.</p>
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<p>It sure is. And some of these kids are freshman, away from home for the first time (as we parents all know).</p>
<p>A few years ago a friend of mine had a S who was too sick to get out of bed and had a roomate who was basically oblivious…they had to go get him and bring him home. They didn’t even know he was sick. Not good.</p>
<p>I know the campuses need to keep sick kids away from healthy ones, but yeah, once a kid is isolated in an apartment, does anyone check on him? If the flu did turn into a severe resp. illness, would the kid be well enough to call a friend, mom, or 911? I guess it’s most troubling with freshman and transfer students, who don’t yet have a network of concerned friends.</p>
<p>Thinking about this makes me happy son is in a triple in a busy dorm.</p>
<p>Very sad news - D just called to say that a soph at her school passed away from complications of H1N1. She’s OK though - still has her cough. School had previously announced a ban on frat parties this weekend…</p>