Stomach Flu . . . Yet Again

Has anyone ever noticed how in a family of 7 the stomach flu never really goes away?

It first meanders its way through each individual member of the family, giving the requisite 3-day incubation period in each before showing up in its full-symptomed glory, person . . . by person . . . by person. This process,then, takes a good 3 weeks to complete before everyone in the family has been included in the virus's first invasive journey.

By this time, Person #1 in the "sickness lineup" has been well and healthy for approximately 2 weeks and their immune system has completely forgotten its "specific immune response" that is supposed to help it remember exactly what the virus looks like and how to beat it when it is again encountered. Forget what your 5th grade health teacher told you, 2 weeks is definitely long enough for the healthiest of bodies to be primed and ready to again fall prey to the virus's second invasive journey, just as Person #7 in the sickness lineup is beginning to again feel well and healthy.

How do I know all this? Because this is exactly what is happening in our household as we are full into Round 2 of this Invasion. I assume this must just continue to cycle over and over and over until, blessedly, the heat of the summer will burn away the virus. (Where do stomach flu viruses go for the summer anyway???)

And if you are an immunologist, an infectious diseases specialist, or a 5th grade health teacher and think I haven't got my facts right . . . sorry, you haven't lived in my house this winter!!