mike / April 27, 2009 11:34 AM

I was in Mexico City from 4/3-10, so I feel really lucky that my friends and I were not affected by what's going on there now. It's hard to imagine such a crazy, crowded and vibrant place as desolate as it's being described in the news.

Meems / April 27, 2009 12:16 PM

I'm going to Mexico this week or I wouldn't even give a second thought.
The sickest I've been always had to do with strep throat, once I had it in conjunction with pink eye and an ear infection, once it turned into Scarlett fever. Mentally sick, now that's another story.

Baldeesh / April 27, 2009 12:25 PM

I just finished The Zombie Survival Guide, so I'm reading into this just slightly more than I would had I not read that book. I'm not all that worried.

The sickest I have ever been - last summer I somehow picked up the Norwalk virus. After being violently ill for 7 hours in a row, I asked a friend to take me to the ER. I lost over 10 pounds of water weight. For a good 3 days I couldn't even stand up straight because my abdominal muscles were all sore.

annie / April 27, 2009 12:38 PM

I'm afraid of regular flu so, yes, I'm afraid. The worst illness to date is stomach flu, which I just had a month ago and I don't want to repeat that.

FearlessRaccoon / April 27, 2009 1:23 PM

Like annie, I had an awful stomach flu, right after New year's Day. It was the worst I have ever felt in my life. I'm flying to Omaha in a week or two for a shoot. I might ask my agent if we can drive rather than fly, so as to avoid the airport. So yeah, I guess I am afraid.

Mo / April 27, 2009 1:28 PM

It's a toss up. Upper respiratory infection I had in college --bedridden for a week with a fever, near delirium, and a pulled back muscle from coughing. Worst food poisoning of my life 2 months ago--passed out in the tub, literally passed out, coming to just long enough to think I should probably call 911 but couldn't reach the phone.

Kevin / April 27, 2009 4:27 PM

I try not to worry about it, as I have just as much chance of affecting the migration patterns of lemmings.

Sickest ever? I was 17, and living in Germany, and was running such a high fever for 2 days that they were literally filling a bath tub with ice when it finally broke.

snuh / April 27, 2009 10:57 PM

no! i'm not afraid of swine flu. i'm also not afraid of SARS, bird flu, africanized bees, monkeypox, anthrax, shoebombers, dirty bombs, laced Tylenol, or any other disaster-du-jour the mainstream media wastes our time with.

the sickest i've been was when i was 19. i had some strep throat compounded with laryngitis, maybe? i dunno, but whatever it was very painful and lasted about 3 weeks. i cut down on my smoking after that.

mary / April 28, 2009 8:22 AM

i'm not very concerned about the swine flu.

the sickest ive ever been was when i lived in florence and contracted pharyngitis. still don't know much about the disease other than i was given low-dosage steroids (prednisone) and was unable to even swallow my own spit. my roommate was pleased with my makeshift spittoon (a plastic cup). the symptoms are close to what one has with mono (so i've read at least). i was sick for about 3 weeks and the doctor that had to make the housecall said (translated from my roommate whose italian was better) it was the worse case he's ever seen. woot!

jaime / April 28, 2009 10:47 AM

honestly, i'm a little thankful for swine flu - maybe it will finally put all this baconmania to bed.

i got west nile disease about 4 years ago. i am not making this up. my parents thought i was pretending to be sick to get out of work - that is, until my fever spiked to 105. i had to keep going to different doctors because they would get the results & say, "bullshit. no one REALLY gets west nile." but four doctors later, everyone finally agreed that no one but gets west nile...with small exceptions.

vanessa / April 28, 2009 1:02 PM

I'm going to the Dominican Republic this Saturday. I am not all that concerned by it. I figure that Daley wants the Olympics so bad, he'll do whatever it takes to make sure the airport isn't a swine flu breeding ground. Besides, we don't know how the health care system is in Mexico (City) and if ours is much better, that will exponentially increase our chances of surviving swine flu.

Here is a Newsweek article about it: http://www.newsweek.com/id/195302

Worst I've ever been sick: stomach flu for 4 days. Lost about 10# and weak as hell.

Carrie / April 28, 2009 1:04 PM

not too concerned. I think the media is making more of it than necessary. Great, I'm glad that we know about and are on alert to get help if we start feeling sick, but is it really necessary to capture the people kissing through their face masks like this is the end of the world?

On that note, I guess the sickest I've been was about 5 years ago when I had the regular flu. Achey, miserable, could barely stand up. It lasted 2 days.

sd / April 28, 2009 1:42 PM

Not very concerned, but I don't want swine flu to hang around too long....going to the Yucatan in September.

Had the regular flu years ago, was pissin out of my ass for days. Then there was the time that bunson burner got shoved up my rectum. Nasty.

CC / April 29, 2009 9:22 AM

I didn't think I was nervous about swine flu...until they announced this morning a "probable" case in Roger's Park. That's awfully close, and I may be just a teensy bit more anxious now.

flange / April 29, 2009 9:27 AM

today on the 147 bus some tool was wearing a mask *and* rubber gloves. stupidity is more contagious than the flu, i guess.

A. Lewellen / April 29, 2009 10:07 AM

I hear you can catch it from eating a pulled pork sandwich that does not have an adequate amount barbeque sauce on it. I have been pretty sick a few times with the non swine flu and food poisoning from a shady hot dog, but I am thoroughly sick of the media coverage of this and the level national anxiety it is fueling.

Mom / April 29, 2009 10:25 AM

I'm scared that my kids will have to stay home from school. Panic!

Goal / April 29, 2009 10:57 AM

I was in the store yesterday and some kids who happened to be of Mexican descent was coughing up a storm. I got worried and wondered why their parents brought them there until I realized I was being an irrational, stereotyping prick.

printdude / April 29, 2009 11:02 AM

I am unafraid as I am sure that normal flu-preparedness will keep all that junk outta my system.

I had the measels when I was a child. That seemed pretty horrible at the time, but now it seems rather tame.

Ten years ago, I ran a brain boiling temp of 105 for a day. I was spaced like Major Tom.

leah / April 29, 2009 11:34 AM

@sd, as of today there have been more cases of swine flu in Indiana than in the Yucatan. I'm going to the Yucatan in July and everyone seems so concerned, bah.

19,000 Americans die every year from MRSA (thx. Dr. Oz!) 36,000 from the regular flu annually. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.htm

Have fun in Mexico. I know I will! :)

Perspective. Wheeee.

paul / April 29, 2009 2:40 PM

Much more scared of Whine Flu, when everybody does nothing but complain.

I've had a case of Lyme Disease, which didn't do much more than make me lazier than usual and cost me a fortune in antibiotics. A case of food poisoning in college was the worst - for 3 days my body did nothing but try to empty itself.

C-Note / April 29, 2009 2:58 PM

A1: No. Not scared of viruses I don't know how to avoid.

A2: I have been sick unto death. I have drowned, almost bled to death, been poisoned. Do your worst, swine flu.

JK / April 29, 2009 4:58 PM

Porcine puking?
It can't be any worse than the flu I had last winter....I could have probably thrown up from the doorway of my bathroom and hit the toilet....and I had the flu shot....go figure. My thought? The media coverage keeps us from being bored...and we humans like a good frenzy now and then.