My husband has a cold

Ruthmomto4 said:

He is so stubborn

He doesn't seem to get why this is such a big deal. He doesn't understand how quickly this could turn very serious. He had a normal temp yesterday, just a few minutes ago I made him take it, it was 99.2 I know in most people that's nothing but it's creeping up. I had to scream to get him to not go to work and I making him call the oncologist in the morning. 

We guys like to feel that we're invincible. The realization of cancer, particularly if you understand the statistics, biology, and dangers of it, should be incredibly scary. At least it has been for me. A lot of people die from the flu every year and I imagine that those with compromised immune systems like those of us going through chemo are more susceptible to this. That's why they have masks dispensers all over the place at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. They have them at my local cancer center too.

BTW, when I started Chemo, my son had a lung infection after getting over the flu. It was something like pneumonia. He tried to tough it out but it wasn't getting better so I suggested he go to the hospital to get it checked out and I told him that they'd iikely give him a Z-Pack. He went and they gave him a Z-Pack and it was gone in two weeks. But my wife got his flu a few days later. So I was living with two folks in my household with the flu while I was on chemo. My wife likes to come up close to me to talk and I just did my best to maintain my distance. Our son already worked to maintain his distance from me. Fortunately this was at the start of chemo when my immune system was probably not as bad as it was near in the second half of treatment.

In Asia, it's not that rare to see people walking around in cities with masks on, either to protect others if they are sick or to protect themselves from others that may be sick. I will likely start wearing some kind of protection when in public after starting chemo. People may look at you funny but I can live with that.