As 1999 flew by, 2000 flu in. I had intended to welcome 2000 under the influence of a little alcohol, certainly not the influence of influenza, but the mornings after were very much the same, aversion to light and food.

Inoculation against flu was readily available before Christmas, but many mature people did not take advantage of this, as they are now too well aware of the possible side effects. This point of view, though annoying to medical staff, is reinforced when people who had the inoculations have still developed flu, and are told it is a different strain.

For people on medication a problem which arises during flu epidemics is how to be sure of the difference between post-flu aches and pains and the listed side effects of their medication. They have learned that they ignore these side effects at their peril.

Speaking from experience, while taking a pill to combat heartburn I ignored the side effects which were mainly aching joints, and blamed age, weeding and lifting my grandchildren awkwardly. The result was something jokingly referred to at the time as IRA, Instant Rheumatoid Arthritis, as its crippling effect on me was like a bomb going off. I stopped taking the pills, had steroid injections and was cured.

Mature people are very much more wary of side effects than they used to be and with good reason. It is not that they are just being awkward for the sake of it.

Jean Heaven,

Usher Lane,

Haxby, York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.