[PRIME] The Nerd Flu

PayneTrayne

So, just wondering how many people got struck by a Prime plague of some sort? I know I have an absolutely wicked chest cold, I'm hoping to hear I don't have it the worst.

If you're not sick, do you have any injuries related to PAX at all? Maybe took a stray beach ball to the face?

DISCLAIMER: I'm not gathering information for Lawyers Inc. I'm just curious.

acydlord

I managed to mess up my ankle rather severely Thursday night on those crazy Seattle sidewalks. Turns out I managed to fracture it. No Con Sars for me though luckily.

PayneTrayne

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic about the sidewalks being crazy but I'm a flatlander. I almost ate turf once or twice when I wasn't paying attention or sleep deprived.

On a side note, I imagine we all got the post PAX blues.

skylatron

The boyfriend has a cold, but I have nothing. Tis weird.

vgc

Hey PayneTrayne. I came into PAX with a cold. Hey, it wasn't like I was going to skip PAX or anything! Anyways, staying up until 2am every night and drinking a ton doesn't really help one's immune system. I managed to power through PAX without feeling too bad, but when I woke up on Monday, oh boy, did I feel horrible. I hope I wasn't the direct result of any of you getting sick over PAX weekend.

Knight_

I have some serious con crud at the moment. Massive sinus infection and cough, and super tired all the time. Thankfully only one more day until the weekend and hoping I can sleep it off.

Komi

No sickness despite it being my first PAX! Feels awesome.

On a serious note, I really did take a stray beach ball to the face. I then cheered and smacked it hard enough to make someones hair move.

MetricalSky

The only PAX Pox I got was in card form during a demo of Penny Arcade the Game: Rumble in R'lyeh.

the1pony

My husband, his brother and I all came down with con crud. Quite a few of my friends on Facebook are posting about having gotten it too. I tried to be careful, washing my hands a lot and using the anti-bac gel, but it didn't work.

Zombicus

I have a cold, and seem to have had one since Sunday. I was told it was probably me not being "used to the air", but it was definitely a cold starting.
Either way, it definitely beats the flu I got from PAX'09. Already clearing up nicely.

Little Miss Rachel

No PAX Pox here, thankfully, just the woeful aftermath of eating out every meal while I was there. Ooof, my poor digestive tract...

DuelLadyS

Oddly enough, I had a scratchy sore throat the days leading into PAX, was perfectly fine during PAX, only to have to come back immedately after. It's gone now though.

I'm guessing I may have developed a mild allergy to something growing in the yard... we have a lot of plant life out there.

Enigmas

I got hit by something.
Was super tired on Monday, which I just chalked up to exhaustion after 4 days of non-stop moving and partying. But Tuesday dawned with stuffed nose, body aches, and a slight fever. Yay!

It's stuck around 'til today, so I'm just glad I can work from home so I didn't lose a week of pay.

Traitorious

Was fine up to and through PAX. Got home Monday night and felt great! Tuesday morning, all good. Tuesday afternoon...it began Scratchy throat, cough, stuffy nose and then full blown cold on Wednesday morning. Almost over it already, so it wasn't all that bad. Especially since I got some sort of crazy upper respiratory infection during PAX East this year that kept me sick for like 8 days.

dstchiari

Sunday had me down in the hotel because I was so nauseous (probably from stress), and I've been very fatigued since I got back. I have post-nasal drip like no one's business, but I also have allergies, so...

mattropolis

Enigmas wrote: »

I got hit by something.
Tuesday dawned with stuffed nose, body aches, and a slight fever.

Same here. I took a day off work to rest and it's helped a bunch.

I actually tried to wash my hands a bit more than usual. Only things I played were the PC Freeplay area. Spent a fair amount of time on the showfloor (walking around - not in lines) and in the various sessions. I actually didn't touch that much stuff...

YoungFrey

I'm running a nice chest cold right now. I've been coughing so much that now all my chest muscles hurt. So it's real fun.

phoo

This is the first time in memory that I have not gotten sick from a con. I was paranoid after contracting H1Nerd1 from the 2009 PAX. This year I used my own sanitizer anytime I shook hands or touched a much used surface like playing arcade games or playing cards with someone. I also gave an anti-viral tincture a try and it didn't hurt that I still had antibiotics leftover in my system to put a kabosh on any stray bacteria, though it's viruses that is usually the most prevalent at mass gathering. Apparently, it worked!

hml151

Ok so this year is the first missed PAX in 5 for me and my friend and 8 for my brother. Day after PAX both got really sick. I'm sorry that they are sick but I think they missed PAX.

VanVagabond

Didn't get sick at all, but I participated in the Parkour beginners lesson on the Thursday before PAX and it beat the hell out of my quadriceps. Just not at all used to trying to land they way they had me doing it, and repeatedly failing to do it right hammered my muscles pretty hard. I had a lot of trouble walking down stairs for the entire con, but am feeling a lot better now! Will be exercising more and trying to improve on the stuff the instructors showed us. Definitely reccomend the Parkour event to everyone next year, it was a ton of fun! Just don't suck at it as much as I did, haha!

Komi

I spoke too soon, it took a week to hit but now I have a pretty bad cold.

bacon_avenger

Komi wrote: »

On a serious note, I really did take a stray beach ball to the face. I then cheered and smacked it hard enough to make someones hair move.

You used to be a PAXer, until you took a beach ball to the knee? *ducks*

Nothing for me, and it's been two weeks. I think taking the week following off may have helped.

PayneTrayne

This is a weird one. I would try to be polite at the con and not stutter when I spoke, now I have trouble talking at all. Dafuq.

Headhunter

As long as you shower frequently (twice a day is recommended in my opinion) and get a ton of Vitamin C, you should be fine. I had the PAX Pox for ages after East 2011, after that I have been relatively okay.

YoungFrey

Headhunter wrote: »

As long as you shower frequently (twice a day is recommended in my opinion) and get a ton of Vitamin C, you should be fine. I had the PAX Pox for ages after East 2011, after that I have been relatively okay.

Vitamin C's link to disease fighting is a myth. An incredibly popular myth, but that doesn't make it any more true. In terms of cleanliness, washing your hands before you eat is the best thing you can do. Washing them after using the bathroom/blowing your nose/etc protects other people. Washing them before putting them in your mouth protects you. Hand sanitizer works, but is no more effective than soap. For good measure, avoid the bean bags.

vespachica

We somehow escaped the cold/flu this year and I think it's partly due to not overextending ourselves. We went to communal events, lounged on the beanbags, and didn't sanitize after playing games.

Sometimes I think going overboard with the sanitizers, etc. is more detrimental than just washing your hands with regular soap. /soapbox (haha, get it?)

Anyway, my condolences to those who got sick. I know it's no fun, especially since you're already tired from PAX.

matguy

Oh man, 3 years straight and I still have yet to find the PAX Plague. Where do you guys hide this?

On a serious note, I just treat it like any other work day: try to get decent sleep, shower in the morning, wash my hands in the bathroom and around food (when it's practical.) I'm not militant on those steps, but I also try to not touch my face with the "business" side of my hands and fingers, especially around the eyes. It really shouldn't be much different than it would be for someone who works in large volume retail (like a mall or big box store) or a daycare/school. Probably more like a daycare, actually.

Creamsteak

I escaped disease this year. Didn't do anything special to avoid it. Just got lucky and didn't get exposed to anyone's illnesses this time around.

YoungFrey

matguy wrote: »

Probably more like a daycare, actually.

My wife's mother worked infant daycare for over 20 years. At first she got sick all the time. Then she never got sick again. At all. For like the last 15 years. So the solution is clearly more cons.

DuelLadyS

YoungFrey wrote: »

matguy wrote: »

Probably more like a daycare, actually.

My wife's mother worked infant daycare for over 20 years. At first she got sick all the time. Then she never got sick again. At all. For like the last 15 years. So the solution is clearly more cons.

Agreed- I've worked retail for nearly 10 years, and I think I've been properly sick only once in the last 5 years or so. I also attend 2-3 cons a year (to be fair, one of those is only for 1 day.) I don't think I've ever made a special effort to avoid germs during any con- I just bring the appropriate meds with me to handle it if it happens.

I fear lack-of-sleep induced migraines during cons far more than sniffles. Those are a lot harder to fix in a timely manner.

TOGSolid

Not even a sniffle.

Sometimes I think going overboard with the sanitizers, etc. is more detrimental than just washing your hands with regular soap. /soapbox (haha, get it?)

Yep. Going crazy with trying to prevent yourself from getting sick ironically just makes you more prone to getting sick because your immune system doesn't build up properly.