Dear Noah.......you have group A influenza..........

* Influenza Type A is the most common and also the scariest of the three influenzas, causing the most serious epidemics in history.

* Influenza Type B flu outbreaks also can cause epidemics, but the disease it produces generally is milder than that caused by type A.

* Influenza Type C flu viruses, on the other hand, have never been connected with a large epidemic, usually just causing mild respiratory infections similar to the common cold.

I took you to the doctor yesterday as you were still feeling awful. He diagnosed you with what I thought you had....the flu.......group A. He said he had only had about 10 cases of that this entire flu season and he thought he was not going to see any more cases, but then you stopped into his office. Unfortunately, he did not give you anything for treatment...telling me to continue treating your symptoms as I had been doing. I was just wishing to avoid you getting pneumonia or anything worse by letting this settle in your chest or something like that. I was surprised he did not give you an antiviral of some sort. He did tell me to keep you away from anyone we like....as you are highly contagious.

So back home we came.....really no better off than before......as I had already diagnosed you correctly and was treating you appropriately.....and we got nothing more to help you feel better. BUT better safe than sorry. However...if you get worse....which I am afraid you might....I will take you down to the hospital and not back to the doctor.....and then we may just find another doctor as I am not all that keen on driving so far away just to get to the doctor.....and I am not always thrilled with the fact that he sends you home with no treatment because of an improper diagnosis only to have you get worse to the point you have to go to the ER anyway to be treated and get medicines.

Since you won't let me spray nasal saline up your nose to help your nasal symptoms.....your poor little nose looks pretty red on the end now. You are coughing some and your fever comes on every night like clockwork. Your voice sounds funny but thankfully your throat is not that sore this time round. You definitely have the upper respiratory symptoms though. You blow nothing out of your nose ...and are congested at least on one side more than not. I feel bad for you.

We have been spraying Lysol everywhere...you have been sucking on a lot of popsicles and not eating too much. Yesterday on the way home from the doctor you wanted Burger King but then cried when you said the fries were old and cold. SO I drove back to get fresh ones...and we got home.....and they were again not that fresh. I told you maybe it was your taste buds off since you were feeling badly. You told me "Mom, I did not enjoy this Burger King lunch very much at all," with big tears rolling down your cheeks.

I am hoping and praying you feel much better today, but the doctor said this usually takes about 7 days to clear. Today will be day #4.

I love you Noah.

Mommy
XOXOX