I went to the pharmacy and was able to get enough paracetamol to keep the family going for a few days. Because they could see my record on their computer they were able to let us have more than the normal amount of paracetamol. It was that or taking the whole family there with the lurgy.

We then went into our local town and managed to get loads of lemon decongestant drinks. It looks as if we have gone mad and got far too many. But as I pointed out to my parents if you think that each person takes 8 paracetamols a day and there are 5 people needing that at the moment then the numbers add up.

Our pharmacist asked about symptoms and then told us that it sounded like we may have swine flu. If that is the case then 5 have it here. I am not feeling so unwell, but then again I take morphine for my arthritis and lupus joint pain. So of course that would mask symptoms.

Our daughter has slept all day on and off. She is sitting in an armchair now sound asleep. Will probably leave her there and sleep on the sofa so she has help if she needs it in the night.

My joints are so painful tonight. Because others in the family are feeling so unwell, I ended up doing more driving than I am used to. I did 4 trips into town, so I drove about 8-10 miles. It has left me hurting. Still if I am going to sleep downstairs I will watch TV. It is the best thing to help me sleep. I sit down to watch something and wake up at the end, or miss the programme all together.

Hopefully the bug in our home will turn out to be a cold or something other than swine flu. But as our daughter had two girls in her class with it then the chances of her getting it are fairly reasonable.