View Full Version : Who's got the crud?
Seems like every year a good chunk of the con ends up sick. Never been able to figure out if its that stale casino air, too much partying, or hanging around germ infested hackers. Probably some combination of all three. I seem to be doing well so far, but Evil is very sick
B|ackCat
08-08-2007, 03:39 PM
I have it. Can I trade it for something else?
TheCotMan
08-08-2007, 03:51 PM
I don't have it. They say it is better to give than receive, but I don't think this counts.
I have it. Can I trade it for something else?
No. All sales are final. Best (or worst, depending on your point of view) you can do is to give it to someone else and share in the misery.
Ya, use it to its fullest. Head on down to the local headquarters for the political party you like the least and shake a lot of hands, offer to lick envelopes, go door to door, etc. Or spend time hanging out in the offices of co-workers you dont like.
Mcgruff
08-08-2007, 04:11 PM
Feelin like crap and I didnt even really drink this year, last night topped out at somethin like 101.2, so today Im livin on dayquil just to get through the day
B|ackCat
08-08-2007, 04:14 PM
I might try that. Right now I am curled up in my office debating moving....
Remind me why I am at work when I feel like I am dieing.
What happened to "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"?
t0ttenkoph
08-08-2007, 04:32 PM
The guy who said that is out sick today. I've been sick as a dog and this "lovely" Florida humidity isn't helping out a lot.
Stypica
08-08-2007, 05:07 PM
somehow I managed to survive both Comic-Con and Defcon this year without getting the crud. I think it's because I never spent long on an airplane - long flights always leave me sickly. I also took time out for naps so as to not stay exhausted for too long, that seems to have helped:)
xwred1
08-08-2007, 05:34 PM
I've got a weird kind of sore throat thing coming back from Defcon. Maybe its just a coincidence. It seems to be getting better, I think it might be from talking too much... but I don't think I talked during the con more than I would any other day.
Chris
08-08-2007, 05:35 PM
I'm fine (aside from losing my voice as I do every year) but I am currently traveling with xaphan (work trip) and he is sick as a dog.
DJ Jackalope
08-08-2007, 06:58 PM
Well, at least we are sure that anyone who was in the pool is probably fine from the amount of chlorine and who knows what on them from it. I think I lost a layer of skin in there from the chemicals.
Remember the year we found out that the AP had turned off their filtration system?
AlxRogan
08-08-2007, 07:39 PM
I felt pretty low Monday night, and took Tuesday off for a sick/mental health day. Not feeling too bad today, but sitting right next to the data center keeps all the nastiness chilled and less potent, at least I hope so.
Abby_Normal
08-08-2007, 07:42 PM
I'm not sick, but I did break out in an itchy rash on the last day. Seems to be an allergic reaction to something. Taking antihistamines stops the itching, but it's really annoying.
Anyone else have this?
Deviant Ollam
08-08-2007, 08:43 PM
while i'm not down with the sickness, i seemed to be battling a small dose of Con Cough the entire weekend. all told, i'm happy that it was merely that, guess i was kissing all the right people and none of the wrong ones since i kept my health a bit more in line this year than in the past.
xwred1
08-08-2007, 08:55 PM
Other years I've never gotten sick. Seems inuitive like hotels shouldn't be hives of disease, or we'd see weird outbreaks like with the cruiseliners a few years ago. Maybe its just a combo of sleep deprivation and alcohol weakening the immune system plus proximity to others doing the same.
madnos
08-08-2007, 09:39 PM
Me and everyone that went down are all feeling the flu. I was blamming one of the guys that went with us.
It's the Defcon curse! Maybe NBC put it on everyone? :P
i must've drunk just enough alcohol to sterilize all the bugs while not nuking my immune system because i didn't catch a thing...which probably means that next year i'll catch martian death-flu or something.
shrdlu
08-09-2007, 05:50 AM
I don't have it. They say it is better to give than receive, but I don't think this counts.
Originally Posted by B|ackCat
I have it. Can I trade it for something else?
No. All sales are final. Best (or worst, depending on your point of view) you can do is to give it to someone else and share in the misery.
First off, don't know what they've done with the forum software, but replying to anything really munges the other visible replies until you're through editing. Of course, that might have been clearer, but I'm one of the lucky ones. I had a scratchy throat when I left Monday morning, and woke up on Tuesday barely able to swallow.
Whoever was the carrier had to really work to get me. Didn't fly, antisocial, don't go to parties. It's unusual for me to be sick, but I am considering my options on whether I know people that are deserving. So far, I've been leaning towards the don't share side, but that may change...
shrdlu
08-09-2007, 10:43 AM
Seems like every year a good chunk of the con ends up sick. Never been able to figure out if its that stale casino air, too much partying, or hanging around germ infested hackers. Probably some combination of all three. I seem to be doing well so far, but Evil is very sick
So, out of curiousity, how many people who are sick also ate at Kady's on Sunday?
bloofar
08-09-2007, 10:57 AM
What happened to "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"?
At DC10 we changed that to "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, except the diseases." Sorry must have forgot to send the memo :)
Other than hurting my back, I'm feelin fine. Shared my wine and flask with half a dozen people at least. Though I've got an immune system like... uhm.. something with a good immune system. :) Last time I got sick (8 years ago) it was food poisoning. I had a scratchy throat on Monday but that seems to be due to chain smoking all weekend.
TheCotMan
08-09-2007, 11:16 AM
So, out of curiousity, how many people who are sick also ate at Kady's on Sunday?
I at at Kady's Sunday, but ate no meat, and am not sick.
I ate at the Riv buffet on Monday for breakfast, but ate no meat, and am not sick.
HTH
B|ackCat
08-09-2007, 11:24 AM
I at at Kady's Sunday, but only had French Toast.
If the sore throat and cough would stop, I think I would want to function more.
I have to say being sick after 3 days of fun is worth it... Work can live with me being a bitch and the clients will survive.
converge
08-09-2007, 11:28 AM
So, out of curiousity, how many people who are sick also ate at Kady's on Sunday?
Had Kady's Sunday night, didn't down much of the food .. mt dew .. I murdered the toilet with syrupy laxative goodness when I made it back to the room and then called it good.
TheCotMan
08-09-2007, 11:32 AM
Boombox suggested to me:
"Maybe the crud comes from the person you slept with." heh-heh.
Schuyler
08-09-2007, 05:26 PM
I am crudded, and seem to have passed it along to the loved one upon my return here.
She is none too pleased...
bluknight
08-09-2007, 07:24 PM
Remember the year we found out that the AP had turned off their filtration system?
Wait a moment, the AP actually HAS a filtration system?
Stypica
08-09-2007, 07:54 PM
Had Kady's Sunday night, didn't down much of the food .. mt dew .. I murdered the toilet with syrupy laxative goodness when I made it back to the room and then called it good.
Thank you for the sacrifice - that was a feat to behold, fo' sho'!
Israel Torres
08-09-2007, 11:08 PM
[21:56] <IsraelT> ugh I just emailed my first sick day evar... luckily they saw me coughing up a lung and blowing out pounds of mucus the last couple of days.
[22:02] <IsraelT> yeah, massive sore throat, headaches, sweating like a bull on steriods....
mfreeck
08-10-2007, 11:41 AM
I voted as perfectly healthy, but I may have spoken too soon. I seem to have some sort of throat thing that is developing very slowly. I did eat at Kady's about 3:30p on Sunday, but since I did not start developing this until Thursday, I'd rather blame the DMV (tuesday), though it was the day after I visited the dentist. I still prefer to lay the blame on the DMV, just because the dentist was nice to me. ;)
astcell
08-10-2007, 11:59 AM
I'm hurtin' but it is likely my plane flights that did it to me.
Schuyler
08-11-2007, 08:29 AM
I'd rather blame the DMV (tuesday), though it was the day after I visited the dentist.
DMV then Dentist? Masochist!
I think I'm immune to con crud after all the sci-fi/anime cons i've been going to
Be careful there. Going to a lot of hacker, anime, and scifi cons will also make you immune to getting laid. Its a delicate balance.
Be careful there. Going to a lot of hacker, anime, and scifi cons will also make you immune to getting laid. Its a delicate balance.
Remind me to send you a pass for Sakuracon 08 then.
Anyway,
Happy to report I didn't get anything from DefCon. Then again I use to work in a hospital lab where we get exposed to things you don't want to think about.
Suggestion for Defcon XVI: Carry a small bottle of hand sanatizer and shower regularly.
Status Update: I am now inflicted with post-defcon crud.
octalpus
08-13-2007, 09:29 AM
I lost my voice and had a wicked cough which I assumed was from the chain smoking, but it's still lingering, so there may be a touch of crud mixed in. Jeremiah ended up with the flu, though, so I count myself lucky.
I lost my voice from all the yelling and smoke inhalation.. other than that just jet lag.
Adrenaline
08-16-2007, 02:18 PM
just noticed this thread, I got a touch of the crud myself when I got back, lingered for about a week. :(
mouseling
08-17-2007, 10:18 PM
I made through 2 consecutive cons and then it hit me. down two days, but finally feeling a bit better.
Nothing wrong with me. Other than a cough that comes and goes, but then again since I came back from DefCon I have been doing finals and finishing up all my classes at the university, and only sleeping 4 hours a day.
Vitamin pills and Vitamin C pills for the win.
AlxRogan
08-19-2007, 08:28 PM
Apparently I caught the 'slow burn' version of the crud. Started wearing down the defenses two days ago. Hopefully I won't end up as bad as some of you, but at least some of the suggestions in channel were new to me so I'll have some counter-measures.
P33V3
08-20-2007, 12:42 PM
I had a cold of some type. One of the locals told me that sometime right after a rain it stirs up sores and mold and lots of people get sick. If you remember the Wednesday just before Defcon it rained and was actually 75 degrees during the day. Took me about a week to kick it.
renderman
08-22-2007, 10:47 AM
Got my ass totally kicked by the crud.
Got in the monday before con and had a bunch of drinks at ceasers. Felt rough the next day but I deserved that.
It was wierd because for the rest of the week, I was feeling a bit 'off'. I hardly drank anything at all during the weekend, but never felt quite right.
Sore throat started Sunday and kept getting worse. Went to NY for a while and my body had a disk crash I think.
It first moved into my lungs and a horrible earth moving cough, then it moved into my head and gave my such sinus pressure that I thought I may have burst something. Fever that peaked at 102 and a delerium that was not as fun as it should be. Changed my flights home by a week because there was no way I could fly or they would let me fly that way.
Gallons of snot, 6 boxes of tissues, immeasureable amounts of toilet paper.
Seemed to get better but then went downhill further and began coughing again to the point of vomiting and then got an eye infection that had both my eye's weeping and sealing shut.
Got a wonderful inside view of the US medical system through a visit to the emergency room. $500, a course of anti-biotics and a week of being bed ridden, I'm finally home and something resembling vertical.
There was another virus running around the family in NY and it's likely I would have died had I caught that too.
I'm probably out about $1500 from the adventure of the crud.
No offense, but next year, I'm not shaking hands with any of you, I think I'll do the Howie Mandel fist thing from now on.
Deviant Ollam
08-22-2007, 01:10 PM
No offense, but next year, I'm not shaking hands with any of you, I think I'll do the Howie Mandel fist thing from now on.you could always go the P&T route of rubbing asses instead. did anyone get a photo of me saying hi to Teller that way?
Mcgruff
08-22-2007, 02:51 PM
Ok so now the flu/cough/crud has turned into freaking laryngitis or something that disallows me to talk without sounding like a 50 year old lady who smokes a carton a day.
Damn you defcon/frontier airlines, damn you
mfreeck
08-22-2007, 02:58 PM
Ok so now the flu/cough/crud has turned into freaking laryngitis or something that disallows me to talk without sounding like a 50 year old lady who smokes a carton a day.
When I went back to the DMV I literally had no voice and conducted my business by way of writing notes. BTW, I think next to be attacked for you are the sinuses.
Renderman: Condolences, buddy. That sounds positively awful. Also scary to have an infection so near the brain and in a crucial and sensitive piece of hardware.
mouseling
08-23-2007, 09:24 AM
Render - Even tho i shared a room w/ you and Grey, i didn't get it nearly as bad as you did. So sorry you had to go through all that (expecially the US healthcare system - do Canadians get reimbursed for medical expenses in the US?) My only serious concern is how long this version of crud seems to be hanging on. Don't push yourself, or you might relapse.
-mouse
Stypica
08-23-2007, 11:20 AM
Don't push yourself, or you might relapse.
I read that as -
"Don't push yourself, or you might prolapse."
eww - tooooootally different!
axewater
08-24-2007, 07:39 AM
Hmmm I stuck around in Vegas for another 10 days, and about halfway through that the flu hit me like a bomb. Was sick for 2 days, downed some nyquil before I went to bed and managed to recover quickly enough to enjoy the rest of my holiday. I heard other con-goers also got sick ....