Suffering From Influenza

Corona Virus

For a couple of days, I have been sufferred from heavy flu. I never thought before that my last week activities has dropped my stamina. After my aunt's funeral, two days later, I went to my cousin's wedding at Malang. On the way to Malang with my wife by motor bike, our journey was stopped due to heavy rain at Lawang, just about 20 Kms from the destination.

We stucked from a store waiting for the rain to stop. We continued our journey with small drops of rain in our head, but not for a km we stopped again due to heavier rain. Finally, the rain did stop after a long wait at a gas station. The journey that normally takes an hour and half, we took until 3 hours.

It has been a month since last rainfall in my own city of Sidoarjo, that only for 20 minutes. The hot temperature in Sidoarjo everyday is 35 °C (95 °F), so the rain in Lawang was cooled our body. That is the main reason with the flu I was getting.

What is Influenza?

Influenza, an infectious disease caused by a virus of the influenza group. Influenza epidemics have been known since ancient times. An extensive world wide outbreak occurred in 1918-19, resulting in the death of an estimated twenty million people.

There are three distinct influenza virus types, A, B, and C.

• Influenza A
  It occurs in epidemic cycles every 2 - 4 years. The pandemic of Asian flu in 1957 was caused by a variant of the A virus. The 1968 epidemic of the so called Hong Kong Flu was a new A virus. The outlook was relatively mild compared with those of 1957 and 1968.
• Influenza B
  The epidemics occur every 4 - 6 years. Influenza B develops slower than Influenza A, but faster than Influenza C.
• Influenza C
  Rarely produces disease, but can be severe and can cause local epidemics. It usually causes mild disease in children.

The continued struggle with recurring epidemics reflects the ability of the virus to change. The influenza virus probably enters the body through inhalation of droplets discharged from the mouth, or nose of infected person.

After an incubation period of one or two days, the illness appears suddenly with chills, fever, pain behind the eyes, headache, lassitude, prostration, and severe muscular pains. There may also be coughing, congestion of the eyes, sneezing, or bleeding from the nose.

A fairly high fever usually persists for two to three days. The patient ordinarily recovers within a week, but fatigue, depression, and a tendency to perspire easily may persist for one to two weeks. The influenza infection is ordinarily not fatal itself, but death may occur from complications, particularly bacterial pneumonia. The use of antibiotics has decreased deaths from such infections.

Influenza vaccines can prevent illness in about 70% of those immunized. The virus which makes up the vaccine is grown in chick embryos, and then inactivated by formalin. People suffering from heart disease, chronic lung problems, and diabetes should be immunized each winter. But for those who allergic to egg, should not receive the vaccine.

There are no drugs that can cure influenza. Amantadine hydrochloride is sometimes used, along with time honored bed rest, to relieve symptoms. Amantadine does not kill the virus or prevent other person from becoming infected, and it should not be given to children.

The Natural Way of Treatment

Despite of no drugs that can cure influenza, you may relieve the symptoms by using several ways below:

Having Good Rest
Having a good rest does not mean you have to be on a bed for days. You could still do many activities, including go to work like I did.

Ask yourself? Have you ever been hospitalized? What do you do when you are hospitalized for a few days? What difference does it make if you do this when being treated in your own home?

Sleep may activate the immune system, and having good rest will make our body more comfortable, and boost immunity against diseases. The more quality of sleeping that you have, the more stamina you wil gain. The more stamina your body has, will relieve the influenza symptoms.

Multi-Vitamins
Some doctors would not prescribe vitamins along with antibiotics. It may because your medical records, and some patients with high hypertension are not allowed on taking multi-vitamins. Multi-vitamins might improve your stamina despite all that you did not get from your foods.

Garlic
Based on my previous post about garlic, it has been used as natural stamina booster since many years ago. And garlic also has been used to treat fatigue, preventing and fighting the common cold.

Sunbathe
It is not for intention to get a suntan, but having direct sunlight will get your body more natural vitamin from the Sun. As you know, Sun is the source of vitamin D, especially the Sun light before 9 am. After the first 3 hours in the morning, the Sun light will only burn your skin.

Reference:
Encyclopedia International
Influenza by Harold Neu, M.D.,
Associate Professor of Medicine, and Head, Division of Infectious Diseases, Columbia University.

How To Establish Good Relations with Your Mother in Law

My Wife with My Mother (left) at Surabaya Zoo

All my neighbours are always jealous with the relationship that my wife and my mother had. They thought that I was the one who became my mother son in law, because my wife is like my mom's own daughter.

Just like oil and water, so are your relationship with your mother in law. There are many ways to establish harmonious relationship, if you want to be prudent. Relationships with in laws are not easy, especially if you have different pattern of life and perspectives.

As our own parents, son and daughter in law are considered to have less life experience. Lifestyle differences may also be due to generational differences. Do not think that your lifestyles are the most correct. Try to observe your mother in law lifestyles! You may find many positive things that you can learn from.

Establishing good relationship with in laws are not as difficult as we might think. Try the following tips :

Do not compete with your mother in law.
However, your mother in law is your husband's mother. You and your mother in law are having different roles and positions. Respect your mother in law as if she is your own mother.

Make your mother in law as a model.
As the last person comes into your husband's family, you have much to learn how to interact with your husband's family. Marriage is not only to unite you with your husband, but also to unite your family with husband's family. You can learn from your mother in law, how to adapt with other husband's family members.

Try to live apart.
Having your own home after marriage is every young couple's dream. By living together with your husband, you will learn how to become a wife. Minor conflict with your mother in law can be avoided, and vice versa conflict between husband with your mother.

Note your mother in law's favorite food.
Whether you cook for yourself, or buy her favorite foods, it will give a positive effect on your relationship. She will regard your attention to her. This action will directly touch of her feelings. Especially if the food is made on your own. Although the taste is awful, but it will not be a problem. It has shown an attention.

Do not tell bad conduct about your husband.
Your husband is her biological son. There is no mother would able to receive bad note about her son. If you are in trouble with your husband, and wanted to tell her. State the issues by using words as smooth as possible. Despite it all, you and your husband alone that should be completed your problems without any intervention from others.

Do not expect your mother in law to change.
She is not your biological parents. You cannot force her to conform with you. If your mother in law is a widow, come to live with you in your own house, you are the one that supposed to adjust. You should take care and pay attention to her needs. As if you treat your own mother.

Your marriage with your husband has united two families. Good relations must be maintained. Even if you did not managed to establish good relations with your mother in law, teach your children to honor and cherish your in laws.

You should not to discriminate the love between your mother and your mother in law. Children should learn to respect and love the elders, your in laws, although they do not get the love in return. That is to proof our devotion to our parents.

You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving

Note: Above post is an edited repost from my inactive blog.

Hodgkin's Disease

Hodgkin's disease, disease of unknown origin characterized by enlargement of the lymph glands. Many authorities, including American Cancer Society, consider it to be a form of cancer while others argue that an infection is responsible.

Hodgkin's disease which also known as Hodgkin lymphoma, was named after Thomas Hodgkin, an English physician, in 1832. Thomas Hodgkin was considered to be one of the most prominent pathologists of his time, and a pioneer in preventive medicine.

Manifestations of The Hodgkin's Disease

The disease attacks males more frequently than females, and may appear at any age, young adults are often affected. The lymph glands of the neck are usually involved first, undergoing a painless enlargement.

Later the lymph glands under the arms, in the groin, in the chest, and abdomen enlarge. General symptoms include loss of appetite and weight, fatigue, night sweats, intermittent fever, and anemia.

Enlargement of the lymph nodes in the chest with pressure on the surrounding tissues may produce cough, difficulty in breathing, and chest pain.

Expansion of the lymph nodes which lie on the rear wall of the abdomen may compress the contents of the abdomen, displacing one or both kidneys. Other manifestations of the disease may be found in the lungs, bones, nervous system, and skin.

The spleen and liver are often enlarged. In some patients, itching may be the major complaint. A curious unexplained phenomenon in Hodgkin's disease is the appearance of pain, in the involved areas following consumption of alcohol.

The Treatment

The disease may be treated with radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The choice of treatment depending on the age and sex of the patient, the stage, and histological subtype of the disease.

X-ray (radiation) therapy is the preferred treatment, and may relieve symptoms for weeks, months, or years. Nitrogen mustard has also proved useful. Although these and other methods of treatment may temporarily improve the patient's condition, they do not cure the disease. Despite this, some patients with Hodgkin's disease may survive for as long as twenty years.

References :

Encyclopedia International
Hodgkin's Disease by Irving Solomon, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai Medicine School, New York.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodgkin's_disease