The Year I Didn't Get A Flu Shot

[a la izquierda]

98. My husband never gets a flu shot. Usually he's fine. Until this past spring.

I had just arrived home from Europe, and he had a scheduled eye surgery the next morning. I was jet lagged as hell, but out we go to the surgeon. On the way, he said he felt weird. This guy has nerves of steel, so I knew it wasn't about the surgery (plus he'd had worse eye procedures in the past). He said his throat was scratchy and his skin felt weird. He goes and has the surgery, and the recovery required that he completely avoid *any* light exposure for 5 days. Great, he thought, he can take a few days off work and watch March Madness.
We get home. He lays down. Wakes up a few hours later with a 102 fever. I panicked, thinking it was a reaction to the medication they used for the surgery. He goes back to sleep, for about 15 hours. Wakes up Saturday morning, 102 fever. I packed him up and headed to urgent care (which, admittedly was very funny, because he was covered with clothing from head to toe to avoid light exposure. First thing he says is "I'm not here to rob the place.&quot
Doc tests for the flu. He had the worst of the strains from last flu season. Doctor eyes me suspiciously, asks if I feel ok. I'm fine. I had the shot. The doctor warned me that I could still get it, since this strain was so bad. Never got sick. I had to monitor him for a week, because apparently this strain often goes away and then comes back with a vengeance, apparently with the risk of pneumonia.
Luckily for him, he's as healthy as an ox, but this flu knocked him right on his ass. For days. In fact he was still under the weather when he finally was able to go back to work.

I'm sure he won't get the shot this year either. I'm in Europe and not there to force him. But come to think of it, I'm not sure if I can get a flu shot here in Germany. I guess I'll have to ask around.