The last few appointments I’ve had at the Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic, I’ve had to wear a mask into the facility. Everyone has always had to wash their hands before entering, but the masks are a new thing. It’s meant to protect the patients whose immune systems have been wiped out or weakened by high dose chemo. A few days ago when I was there, I saw a woman walk up to the desk to check in and heard her say, “I think I might have the flu.” They whisked her off to an exam room so she wouldn’t be putting others at risk. The first thing I wondered was why didn’t she call ahead and ask if she should show up for her appointment? She could have rescheduled. I noticed that they sanitized the desk top after she was gone, and I imagine they probably had to do the same with the exam room.
It seems like the flu (seasonal and H1N1) is getting all the attention lately. Have a look at this article to take your mind off of it all: Don’t Be a Statistic