Bird flue

[revwardoc]

While at Tech School at Chanute AFB (Jan, '69) the entire facility had to get flu shots. I remember leaving the school building after classes (I went 3pm-midnight), lining up at the squadron dispensary, and getting the shot. As I walked out of the dispensary I noticed the guy in front of me suddenly grab his arm in great pain. Then I felt it. I thought someone had stabbed me! But the shot worked. Every damn one of us came down with the flu! They had to shut down the base for 10 days while we recovered. Man, did that suck! Being a an old WWII era barracks with 60 other guys, all sick as dogs; puking, sweating, being forced to line up at the no-stall latrines due to acute diarreah. I still don't know what went wrong, but it sure did.

[Boats]

Keith - I too didn't doubt your Dad's explanation but just the thought of someone sticking an ice pick into your side and into your lungs is a little overwhelming. Didn't mean it for you to take offense. It was just the thought of havig that done is what I was going after. I'm sorry if you took it the wrong way.

[Keith_Hixson]

I didn't believe you took it wrong. I knew what you meant. Though their have been others who have almost called me a liar when I told them about it, especially those in the medical community. If you know you are going to die, you'll try any treatment. My Dad was born and raise on a homestead six or seven miles from Baker, Oregon. A little spot in the road called Pleasant Valley. At one time they had a little town there. The doctor had to take a horse and buggy from Baker to get to their homestead [Doctors Made House Calls in 1918]. Two days earlier the family had lost a 16 yr old boy. And now their 18 yr old was about ready to die. They were desperate.
My Dad took me the little cementary, it's all over grown but when you walk through the place and see that whole families died during the epidemic of 1918. Most of the families in that little town lost three or four to the flu when it came through. Especially hard on those between 10 and 30. In my Father's family there were 11 kids and they only lost one. They felt they were really fortunate! My dad said that when they punctured his lungs and he laid back down it felt so good because he could breathe again. It gave him just enough time to gain strength and to fight the disease. The deadliness of the disease was that it went so fast. Youngsters would go to school or work and die before they could come home. It must of been a real scary time for our early pioneers. I would hope that our modern medical community develops lung draining procedures because it could save lots of lives.

Keith