Halibutguy,

Good to hear from you. I'm holding you to that offer to do some fishing. Glad you didn't croak over dead.


RR,

"Then, when I felt like I was about to black out the Disney nurses showed up"

Anyone who is alone, driving, and feeling like that are going to black out shouldn't feel like a puss for calling 911. Think about it, the nurses who take care of Dumbo gave you attitude. Not exactly a plethora of previous coronary care experience is my guess. Does a person go from working on a heart transplant team to working the first aid station at an amusement park? Did they show up in mouse ears?

I"ve worked as an EMT at St Bernadines ER in San Berdoo for several years, trained as a 91-A with the NG, worked as a critical care nurse with St Lukes for a couple of years, worked ER's in Boise, Meridian, and Olympia for a total of 8 years. I've got my Certification in Emergency Nursing, Trauma Nurse Core Course, Advanced cardiac life support, and Advanced Pediatric Life Support certifications. The only freakin thing I'm missing is the Disneyland Parking Lot Nursing Badge.

The job requirements listed on their employment website are: Calif RN license, basic CPR card...and a drivers license. Extra credit if the clown shoes fit.

Click here for RN job

You did the right thing...

One other point, your symptoms are not those of influenza. Common symptoms of real flu infection are fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort. Influenza also can lead to pneumonia. Influenza is a much more severe disease than the common cold and is caused by a different type of virus.

The real FLU kills. I mention this because I don't want people to assume that if they had stomach cramps and the craps, that they had the flu...and so they don't need their vaccination. If you had a cough, shortness of breath, and a high fever, with a headache that brought you to tears, ok well then you might have really had the flu. On the misery index, the flu falls just barely below a kidney stone, or having a baby stuck in your vagina.

Although nausea and vomiting can be produced,these symptoms are more typical of gastroenteritis. Severe gastroenteritis can lead to dehydration and produce the symptoms you described, including loss of consciousness. It can be serious if left untreated. It is the leading cause of death for children in third world countries.

A good rule of thumb is that if your not able to drink water because of the nausea, you should seek some medical attention.


VHawk