To see 2 important American Icons go.BOSTON --What city health officials at first thought was an outbreak of whooping cough among employees at Children's Hospital Boston may have been something else entirely.
But exactly what is still in question.
It started when a 19-month-old patient came down with the classic symptoms of whooping cough, a respiratory disease also known as pertussis. Symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, slight fever, and mild cough, which can develop into a violent and persistent cough.
A laboratory test confirmed he had the disease.
Three dozen hospital employees and one other patient tested positive for whooping cough from late September through early November.
But further testing, different from the initial tests, could find little evidence of the highly contagious bacteria. Now no one can say for sure what made the workers sick, but pertussis hasn't been ruled out.
Federal and state health officials joined the city in trying to figure out exactly what ailed the workers, all of whom recovered.
The Children's Hospital cases were at first confirmed through a test called polymerase chain reaction, or PCR.
Based on the tests, Children's moved to contain the outbreak.
"Children's, much like we do at the local health department, really relies on laboratory tests to guide us on what the diagnosis is, especially illnesses that can look like a lot of different things," said Dr. Anita Barry of the Boston Public Health Commission. "Having accurate test results early on, particularly when they're consistent with the clinical symptoms, really launches us into control steps."
State lab workers then performed other tests, including the laborious task of culturing samples and taking blood samples from hospital workers.
The additional tests were almost uniformly negative for pertussis.
Samples were sent to the federal Centers for Disease Control.
"The results were inconclusive," said Dr. Amanda Cohn, a medical epidemiologist for the federal agency.
There are competing theories, ranging from a cold virus to a bacterial relative of pertussis to the virus that causes the condition commonly known as walking pneumonia.
It's unlikely that the causes of all the respiratory illnesses will ever be fully known.
"What I can say is that whatever it was, it went away," Barry said. "And that's the good news."
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Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/globe 
I guess I've been pretending too much to be much stronger then I actually am. It helps, the outward appearence, to pretend to look like you can handle anything, that it doesn't matter if a guy doesn't look your way or return your feelings, it doesn't matter that you're spending the holidays not with your family (I mean sure, mine family is crap, but still...), it doesn't matter that all these things rolled in to one person may eventually lead them to crash.
But it does matter, cause i did crash. I had a minor breakdown in the truck.
After a wonderful weekend in NYC and a few days upstate relaxing, Patterson was driving me to the bus station. As we were driving, i was thinking about how great he's been, how nice the christmas lights on the streets around look, and then i realize that we're almost to my dad's exit. Which is when for some reason, i started to get really sad. I started to get angry that i was being driving to a bus station on Christmas Eve, only to spend Christmas Day working. I started to cry just as Patterson asked me what my favorite part of the weekend had been. Then i just let it all out, i just was overcome with emotion and just bawled. I bawled for the fact that i didn't have a christmas tree, had no one to spend the day with, that Patterson's mom had told me she loved me, that it's been years since my own family had told me that they loved me - so many things just racing through my head all in a time span of exit 11 to exit 9. Patterson then promptly turned the truck around and fueled my silly christmas desire to look at christmas lights in neighborhoods. Of course we got a little lost in the neighborhood, but that's fine.
I guess some how i need to learn to let go of all the issues that i carrying around with me. Some how, years later the lack of christmas tradition still wears so very thin on me and i wish that i could some how recreate it. I want christmas lights on the house, i want christmas trees and candles in every window. I want family to all come over and enjoy cookies that i've made with friends and family. Then i want to go to church with loved ones (eventually this will include my adorable children who will be wearing beautiful christmas dresses with big bows and the boys will have vests and bow ties). I want christmas day to be filled with laughter and joy, even if everyone doesn't get what they want. I also want snow.
Maybe i want the impossible, the improbable, the unlikely. Maybe much of what i am looking for in life is impossible. Maybe there no one out there for me, maybe there isn't a future with kids, maybe i am not meant to be a nurse, maybe i will never have a christmas like the one i want, but i can atleast wish right? A girl can always continue to wish for good things?
Usually, i don't post song lyrics on this but here goes:
Stand - Rascal Flats - Me and My Gang
You feel like a candle in a hurricane
Just like a picture with a broken frame
Alone and helpless
Like you've lost your fight
But you'll be alright
Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend, till you break
Cause its all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad you get strong
Wipe your hands shake it off
Then you Stand,
Then you stand
Life's like a novel
With the end ripped out
The edge of a canyon
With only one way down
Take what you're given before its gone
Start holding on, keep holding on
Everytime you get up
And get back in the race
One more small piece of you
Starts to fall into place
Ooohhh
So, i am getting very excited (although, still sick) about going to NYC tomorrow and spending the whole day in lovely NYC. Lots of walking to be had, lots of excitement and wonderfulness.
The plan is to get to South Station for a 2 am bus to NYC. Then meet Patterson and the gang at Penn station (where i can luckily check my bag). Then we're off to the WTC, Empire State Building, FAO Schwartz (they put in a new piano!!), the three story Old Navy, Rockefeller Center (not quite sure how to spell that) and whatever else, and then top the evening off with my first viewing of the NYC version of Rent. I've only seen it in Boston. I am very very excited, yet because i am not 100% well, this will be interesting. I cough a lot and have to catch my breath, so I might be the slow kid, unfortunately. When we're done in NYC, i am taking the train to Albany to spend a day with Patterson then taking the bus back to Boston so i can hopefully work on Christmas Day. We'll see how i feel and if there are any diagnoses.
I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas weekend. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night :)
PS does any one else find the Celine Dion commercial, where she is singing under the tree kinda creepy. I mean, i just don't feel the need for her to be there. But whatever, someone must like the commercial.
update: Here's a picture from the trip. It's me, Patterson, Val and Kevin in Times Square.
Hello.
You can call me B. pertussis.
I'm a Gram Negative bacteria.
I am spread to people by respiratory droplets.
I cause whooping cough, which can be highly fatal in infants.
How do I do this?
I get into the throat and make toxins.
First I give you a cough, then your throat swells up.
If it swells up enough, it can block your airway, giving your breathing a "whooping" sound.
So my lovely readers, i am afraid i have been preoccupied with other things. I have been working way too much lately and not having much of a life.
Saturday was our Christmas party at work. I had been feeling worn down, but still worked over 97 hours the past 2 weeks. We had an amazing Hanukkah party on Saturday night, at which I got a little too tipsy. I apparently went to sleep without saying good-bye to the boys. Shaun got me a very cute stuffed giardia and Jon got Marian and I a lovely box of chocolates. The next morning, Jon, Marian, Crimson and I made cookies for our Thursday night group. Marian and i were then tricked in to going to the 4 O'clock service. We expected both Jon and Crimson to come with, but we were abandoned at the T.
Today, i spent the day at home because i had a fever and i have no voice. It really sucks being sick a lot. I hate it. I spent most of the day sleeping after going to bed at 7 last night. I hope to feel better though because i am meeting Patterson and friends in NYC on Friday.
Tonight Marian and i watched TV in my room, cuddling on the bed. It's been nice, until Marian groped me. Literally reached over and caressed my right boob. Jumped right over the body pillow barrier made for a safer bed share and just rubbed it. Just like that. Wow. Roomates gone wild.
the true story: Marian was talking about scratch and sniff t-shirts, represented by the picture here (read the script on the t to find out why Marian was so interested in it). She was explaining how cool they were, yet how very inappropriate. She says "what are you supposed to do, just scratch and sniff, that's completely wrong!". But instead of leaving it at that, she decided it would be helpful to me, if she actually demonstrated this process, thankfully leaving out the sniff part.
Really, it has been a lovely night. I have been in bed all day and then got some action. I might just stay home more often. ;)
loving someoneSo, i use myspace and facebook to stay in touch with folks. On MySpace, i have been bloggin for a few years, however, i usually only reserve that blog for song lyrics that i find either suit how i feel that day or are particularly moving. I find the songs from Pandora Internet Radio, which i find truly one of the greatest internet radios. Pandora allows you to pick artists or songs that you really like and they will find similar, lesser known artists. I have found many a hidden jem through them.
Today, i found my newest favorite song, and felt the need to share it with everyone, not just on MySpace, but here too... 'cause its funny, clever, and hits me where i'm at.
You're a bully and a clownHere comes Suzi Snowflake
Dressed in a snow white gown
Tap, tap, tappin' at your window pane
To tell you she's in town
Here comes Suzi Snowflake
Soon you will hear her say
"Come out ev'ryone and play with me
I haven't long to stay
If you want to make a snowman
I'll help you make one, two, three
If you wanna take a sleigh ride
The ride's on me."
Here comes Suzi Snowflake
Look at her tumblin' down
Bringing joy to every girl and boy
Suzi's come to town
I LOVE THE FIRST SNOWFALL. IT MAKES ME SMILE AND SO VERY HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
