I haven’t had the flu since the winter of ‘93—‘94. I rarely get colds, maybe one every three years, except this past year I had two within two months of each other because the new job I started had sick people around constantly! I seriously almost quit.
I have been sick and in chronic pain for years in my lifetime and luckily got better. I also had an accident that I couldn’t even walk on my own for a couple weeks, couldn’t drive for two months, there is more I won’t go into. Feeling unwell for me is like the universe stealing my bliss. I felt imprisoned for years, daily, by discomfort, pain, and dealing with doctors who couldn’t help me. Anything that risks any of those things again leaves me less than thrilled.
Not that I can’t deal with a cold, but I really don’t want to. Having to work with a cold is nothing. If the cold risks ruining a vacation or one of my husband’s races it really sucks. He races 3–4 times a year only. We would lose the $1k-ish registration and fees for that race. If we already have arrived at the track before he comes down with it we have to drive 3–14 hours back home, sick, after not having raced. He can’t race with a cold, it isn’t like he has a choice, and even if he did a person would have to be an idiot to risk it. If it’s the one week a year we take our “real” vacation I would be pretty disappointed.
The flu you can’t move out of bed. You can’t go to work; there really isn’t a choice. It’s usually physically impossible for at least 3 days.