But what started as a simple cold turned into a hacking cough, chronic fever, chills and achiness.
My husband urged me to see the doctor.
I thought he was overreacting, and I washed down some Advil with a Jamba Juice The Coldbuster.
I have no memory of the ICU: When I came to, my husband told me what happened.
I couldn’t believe it.
Boy, was I wrong.
But I’m so grateful to be aliveand I will never again skip a flu vaccine."
Everyone older than 6 months, including pregnant women, should get vaccinated without fear.
“And the vaccine cannot give you the flu, as the viruses used are dead and inactive.
Your getting a shot also helps protect others, including infants and the elderly.
Do it for themandyou.”
Three nights later, I woke up with horrible diarrhea and cramps.
Taking a sip of water felt like I was being stabbed in the stomach.
I love salads, but it took me almost two years to eat spinach again."
I noticed two red bumps on my leg after showering that night but assumed it was razor burn.
Staph can live on skin and in our noses and generally causes no harm.
In fact, my sorority sister was diagnosed with staph after visiting the same spa.
And a local woman had just died from a pedi-related staph infection.
I wore pants for months until the wounds healed with the help of stronger antibiotics.
Thankfully, five years later, I have only a few white scars.
Now I do my own pedicures or bring tools with me to the salon."
Gym equipment, saunas and hot tubs can also be danger zones.
“Clean handrails on treadmills, bikes and weights with disinfectant wipesand never share towels,” Herrera warns.
I caught it shortly after and thought, Eh, no big deal.
Antibiotics and an inhaler helped, but the infection lasted two and a half months.
No one could believe I had whooping cough.
We thought it was an old-school disease that had been cured long ago."
Left untreated, whooping cough can lead to pneumonia, cracked ribs and abdominal hernias.
And it can be deadly to unvaccinated children.
Photo Credit: Bill Diodato
