Pertussis Information!

I found myself in a very strange position this summer. My daughter was coughing and then a couple weeks later I was coughing and pretty soon I realized that 4 weeks had gone by and I was still coughing and wheezing. I went to a local store in St. Paul and questioned the "pharmacist wanna be" (there was no pharmacy just a homeopathic area) there and suddenly I hear a gasp and a voice say, "OH! Stand BACK". I was a little startled and felt really, whats the word, INFECTIOUS. Wow, I couldn't believe that someone could be so malevolent (well, maybe not that bad, but definitely insensitive!). I was fearful for my life as she  was clearly afraid for hers. I thought maybe I just infected the lady. I covered my mouth with my jacket and I frantically bought some soothing, natural couch syrup to sooth my throat pain and ran out the door and made beeline for an Urgent Care Clinic. Do I have pertussis, even more scary, does my daughter have pertussis? Well, good news, 2 throat tests later (one for Pertussis and one for Strep), we walked out of the clinic with NO Pertussis or Strep (received tests in the mail). Just a lingering cold. MY point for this rant.. well, I don't know, merely to vent I suppose. If you have any question about whether or not having Pertussis, please go get checked or take a look at some good information I received today on Pertussis "Whooping Cough" !

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/pertussis/pertparents.html

I'm going to get my shot!!