On ... I'll give you something to worry about!

What, me? Worry?

Remember the guy from Mad Magazine? He always said, “What, me? Worry?” with a big grin on his face. I liked that cartoon guy. Good attitude. 

These days we tend to worry about everything, whether we can do a darned thing about it or not.  I’m often guilty.

Lately, people have been worrying a lot about the terrible disease spreading in Africa called Ebola. And it’s a bad one, for sure.

But for right now, at least, it isn’t freely spreading in the U.S. 

It’s contagious through body fluids, so to get it, you need to come into contact with the body fluids of an infected person. Fortunately, that’s not very likely for most of us right at this moment, in this place. That could change, and if it does, I’m sure there will be all sorts of advice on how we can protect ourselves. 

In fact, I was at a hospital today, and there are now signs posted here and there asking people specifically whether they've traveled in Africa in Ebola-infected countries, and explicitly depicting symptoms. 

Now, if you throw up, get diarrhea or a fever, but you HAVE NOT been to Africa lately, and you HAVE NOT been exposed to someone who has, then you MOST LIKELY do NOT have Ebola. You've got an intestinal bug or something, so take a Tylenol and chill, ok?

If you start throwing up or pooping blood, well, you're in trouble, though it's still probably not Ebola. Get help. 

So, got it? For now, you most likely don't need to worry about getting Ebola in the U.S. 

Meanwhile, there’s something else you DO need to – and can! – protect yourself against.

It is a disease you need to worry about right here and right now. It’s Influenza – the flu. It kills a lot of people right here in the U.S. every year, and not only the very young or very old or immuno-compromised people, as you might think. It sometimes, inexplicably, kills the young and healthy.

But guess what? You can protect yourself and your family right now by getting a simple, inexpensive flu shot. You can get one at your doctor’s office, at a local pharmacy, at the health department in your county. 

I just can't get my head around people who are afraid of getting something as unlikely as Ebola, but won't get a flu shot to protect themselves against a real-life killer right here at home. Sheesh! SHEESH!

When I was a kid, I'd often worry about other people's business. I'd worry about whether I was doing more chores than my sisters, for example. Heh. I remember my dad catching me behaving in this rather unbecoming fashion and saying, "I'll give you something to worry about!"

Well, I'm a grown-up now, and I know there are things to worry about . . . thing more important than who is doing the most chores. And things that are in my own reality, close to home. 

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Get yourself and your family vaccinated against the flu now, while the getting is good.

I got mine last week! Ain't I the bomb?