The Redskins are 17 for 17 at prediction the election results. When they win the game before the election, the incumbent party wins. When they lose, the incumbent party gets the boot. The Pittsburgh Steelers handed them a 23-6 loss last night. The Democrats were celebrating, Steelers Fans are having mixed emotions.
But back to the real subject of this post, the question you've had on your mind for so long and I've repeatedly failed to answer- How do you fly around in airplanes without breaking out in hives or having your face swell?
I admit, I knew the question was out there but since it had never happened to me, I thought you all were just being silly. That changed Sunday.
I stepped on the plane Sunday afternoon with my usual, arrogantly un-swollen skin with every intention of remaining healthy for the rest of the day. I was supposed to work to Chicago, sit around for three hours then work to Miami, FL, where I would layover at our beach front hotel until the next afternoon when I came home again.
I never made it to Miami, because, as you may have already guessed, I broke out in hives and my face swelled. However out of pain comes learning, and the events of this weekend have inspired me to help you avoid such disastrous results when you fly. I'm still not sure what caused my body to begin distorting itself, but I've come up with a list of three healthy "Don'ts" that may keep you safe.
1. Don't Forget To Wash Your Hands.
Maybe it's because I know how many people use the Lavatories on the airplane or maybe its because I've seen the cleaning crews wipe off the toilet seat and then the mirror and then the sink with the same rag. If you can hold your breath the whole time you're in the bathroom, good for you. But if you can't, and you even find yourself looking when the bathroom door is opened, you should probably take a moment to wash your hands.
Most airplane toilets are flushed by air. When you hear that great big whoosh, most of the contents are going down the hole. However, little flecks of urine and feces are also being blown out of the toilet, where they linger in the air for a moment or two before settling down on the walls and counter and door. So wash your hands and open the door with a paper towel. I'm no doctor, but I do believe that foreign feces can cause infection when it comes in contact with your healthy skin.
2. Don't Drink Out Of The Can.
We give you a cup for a good reason and it's not just because you asked for ice. Those can's are dirty. When a plane gets back from a trip, all the unused cans go back into the catering facility where they aren't washed. A man with gloves (the kind you use to make sure you don't cut your hands, not the kind they use in surgery to keep things clean) picks them up and puts them in a bin, which has come off of a different airplane and sends them off to another plane to be handed out by another group of flight attendants. They fly around the world picking up dirt. Eventually they're going to be picked up by someone who hasn't washed his hands when leaving the bathroom. It's just not worth the risk. Use the cup.
3. Don't Trust The Tray Table.
They're washed... sometimes, if the plane landed in a station with plenty of cleaners... and they had the time... and they felt like going the extra mile. The point is, if you drop something on the tray table, just imagine that you dropped in on the bathroom floor. The 2, 5, and 10 second rules don't apply. It's now radioactive food. Don't eat it.
Ok, so I don't want to scare you away from airplanes. I just want give you a little heads up. If you do have an allergic reaction, I found that Clariton, which is the only antihistamine they sell in Chicago O'Hare, works pretty well at calming the symptoms. If you just get sick, well, though it out buddy. It's probably just some feces in your blood stream. That's what the liver is for, right?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment