The new predictions for the Swine Flu are frightening. It’s now predicted that over half of the folks in the US will get the deadly bug this season and that up to 90,000 might die. They are trying to rush production of the vaccine which, hopefully, will be out sometime in October or earlier.

Doctors are doing everything possible to curb the spread, such as encouraging hand washing and covering the face when sneezing. They have even changed the name of the virus to H1N1 so it sounds more sophisticated. It just doesn’t sound good to say someone has died of swine flu. It’s unclean sounding.

The dress code for many medical institutions has been changed with long sleeve shirts and ties discouraged. The ties are suspected of harboring lethal viruses and other germs. White coats have even been discarded. Doctors were already dressing like beach bums and now it is being encouraged. Doctors love to wear filthy scrub clothes, covered in blood. The doc looks like they have butchering hogs when they come into the waiting room to tell you that mom died but they did everything in their power to save her. The only identifying feature of a doctor is a stethoscope around their neck but even the janitors and administrators wear those in the hospital. It’s hard now days to figure out who your doctors is but it really doesn’t matter because your personal physician doesn’t visit you in the hospital anymore.

The other dismal medical news we heard today is that we are dying of sugar poisoning. It was reported that the average American eats 22 teaspoons of sugar a day. All this sugar causes heart problems, obesity and a host of conditions that results in early death. Almost everyday they add something I love to the list of potential killers. I have virtually eliminated meat, pizza, Mexican food, fried food and desserts. I am pretty much restricted to fresh spinach and water. The dead should consider themselves lucky. We did cheat this past weekend when my souse and I used our Julia Child French cookbook to whip up a tasty pot of Beef Bourguignon. It took us all afternoon to make the stuff and I thought I was going to die after eating a plate full of the delicious concoction. At least it had no sugar and that’s probably what saved me.

I’m still recovering on the porch from that overdose of French food. It’s back to spinach and water and I’m now wearing a mask to prevent the H1N1. The only other human on the porch is my spouse but who knows, the deer may be caring the virus. I had rather be safe than sorry.