Contracting the Flu or a Cold is triple the agony for us. Avoiding sickness as a crash survivor is not always possible and once you contract the flu or a cold, it’s especially tough when you are already dealing with chronic pain, lack of sleep, financial strain and numerous medical appointments. There is never a good time to get sick but when you add sickness to the mix, you may be asking yourself Do I cancel my plans? …. Yes Please!
Please Cancel if You are Sick
Tis the Season for contracting the flu or a cold and most of us may be sitting at home right now wishing that they had been given “heads up” that someone they recently visited was sick. When you are faced with the flu or a cold, please make your visitors aware of your sickness so you can leave it completely up to them if they still want to visit and if you are sick please stay home! A few years ago, we were invited to spend an afternoon with family members and when we arrived, we immediately noticed that they were both sick with terrible colds and when I brought attention to it, their response was “well we didn’t want to tell you because we knew you would cancel”. Ughhhhhh! Yes of course we would have cancelled if you had left it up to us as we could have easily re-scheduled.
Several days later… you guessed it! We got terribly sick which we could have done without and it was triple the agony for me as I already suffer from chronic-nerve-pain and contracting any type of sickness intensifies my pain. So far it hasn’t happened to me this season (fingers crossed) but since it’s that dreaded time of year again, I thought I would share some tips with you for coping with cold & flu symptoms.
- Constantly wash your hands and dispose of any used kleenex immediately to prevent further germs to accumulate. If possible, open up your bedroom window to let fresh air in to circulate. Drink plenty of fluids. It doesn’t have to be all water as fruit juices, sports drinks and chicken noodle soup also count. These drinks keep your respiratory system hydrated as some crash survivors may be immobile and if it builds up in your lungs, it could lead to infection.
- Treat aches and fever. Although it may be difficult to determine if the aches are from your chronic pain or the flu, experience does show that motor vehicle crash survivors suffer worse than the average person as contracting the flu or a cold is triple the agony for us. Got a fever? Your body has turned up the heat to fight off the flu virus. Follow up with your doctor if you do not seem to be getting any better.
- Take care of your cough. Gargling with salt water helps get rid of the thick mucus that can collect at the back of the throat, especially after you’ve been lying down. Try a lozenge. Sucking on a lozenge will moisten and coat a scratchy throat and it may quiet your cough too. Over the counter treatments can calm your hack but if your cough persists after a few days, always follow up with a medical professional.
- Breathe in steam. Fill the bathroom sink with hot water. Add 1 teaspoon of an over the counter menthol rub and breathe in the steam for several minutes until you feel better or you can sit in a steamy bathroom. Sit in the bathroom with the door closed, let the shower run hot until the room fills up with moist steam.
- Run the humidifier if you have one! If the air in your residence is dry, a humidifier can moisten the air to ease congestion and coughs. Also make sure to keep the device clean to prevent mold development.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick as contracting the flu or a cold is triple the agony for crash survivors that are recovering.
- Practice other good health habits. Avoiding the flu as a crash survivor means that you will need to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Like other communal surfaces, blankets and pillows particularly in shared beds can also host the virus. Try to frequently wash your bedding to deter germs from lingering. If you are out in a public place and find yourself having to touch a light switch, grocery cart, phone charger, fridge handles or any commonly touched surfaces, wash your hands as soon as possible using soap and water. Lather up for at least 20 seconds then rinse under water. In the absence of a sink, a hand sanitizer is your next best bet.
- Maintain your immune system. When our bodies are in tip-top shape and functioning properly, the immune system launches an attack on threats — such as flu viruses but most crash survivor’s immune systems are already compromised due to our injuries. It is so important to keep your immune system healthy.
- Mind your Flu Manners. Stay home, get plenty of rest and cancel any appointments you may have regarding your motor vehicle crash. You are already trying your best to recover and now that you may be feeling under the weather, you definitely need to rest. It’s time to double down and look after yourself! Rest and drinking plenty of liquids should be on the top of your list. If you are expecting guests and you sense that they may be sick, ask them to re-schedule.
Even if you are very careful to avoid contracting the flu, it’s inevitable that, at some point, you will succumb to a cold or flu and feel even more miserable. Prevention is key! Stay at least 3 feet away from anyone who may be coughing or sneezing. The best way to deal with illness is to take steps to prevent it from happening in the first place or to keep it from getting worse. If you are currently sick, please think of others that may already be dealing with chronic issues and stay home. Recovery is hard enough for us without having to battle sickness.
S. Dawne McKay is a survivor of a horrific crash that changed her life forever. Dawne shares her personal journey as a Crash Survivor Blogger and also collaborates with crash survivors as Guest Bloggers allowing them an opportunity to share their stories. Dawne is also the author of the book, “Talk Crash to Me – What to Expect After Surviving a Collision and How to Manage Your Recovery” which is available for purchase on Amazon.
