Tuesday, December 8, 2015

The Viral Tsunami

Viruses that attack the human body are amazing creatures.

No, this isn't some post about creating viral content online (although I may revisit that title later!). This is about another type of viral tsunami - a real one. It's amazing to me how such a simple organism as a virus can wreak absolute havoc on the human body. It's also equally as impressive how such a tiny, microscopic organism can reproduce and manage to travel from host to host so quickly. It was Sunday morning when the first member of our family, our oldest daughter, came down with the first symptoms - the dreaded diarrhea. (Note: if this post is TMI, feel free to skip it and read the next one, but be forewarned - real men keep it real. ;))

By Sunday afternoon, there was vomiting involved. By that evening, our other daughter and myself came down with the stomach / gastrointestinal bug. By morning, the wife had it, too. By the end of the day on Monday, our littlest one had the diarrhea, but no nausea or vomiting (*knock on wood). Needless to say, it's been a rough 48-72 hours in our house. Lots of water. Lots of pedialyte and Powerade Zero. Lot's of Lysol.

I don't have a reference for it off the top of my head, but I've read or heard before that the human body has more bacteria and other organisms living in and on it than it has in number of it's own cells. We are literally outnumbered in our own skin. After the events of this week, I have a a new-found appreciation for all of these organisms - both the good and the bad.

Thankfully, everyone is either better or well on the mend.

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