Are you worried enough about swine flu?

I wasn't. Even when flu alerts first began to fly, I wrote, reported, and spoke on the radio about how we could take care of ourselves during the outbreak and why it was best not to panic.

"Wash your hands, get plenty of rest, don't share Kleenex," I said, echoing the CDC and other medical experts who essentially told us what we (should) do to avoid any other flu.

Even after the name and strain shifted to H1N1 and it was officially declared a pandemic by the WHO, even after watching the unfortunate rise in number of deaths, even after noting how close the reported cases are to my own neighborhood, I still didn't stress over the swine flu.

We need to be aware, of course, I told myself, but this shall pass.

I wasn't really worried about H1N1 until I suddenly got miserably sick and went to the doctor because my temperature spiked and broke for five days in a row. The doctor asked my symptoms, examined me briefly, and told me she'd be returning in a mask to test me for influenza A, which I might recognize as swine flu.

What? Me? Frantic thoughts of quarantining myself, missing a week of work, kissing my child through a medical mask, and being barred from his playgroup forever -- all of it raced through my mind. And don't think that in the seven minutes I waited for the results that the thought of adding myself to the online maps of swine flu victims didn't cross my mind.

Fortunately, my test was negative. It was bronchitis -- a weird, horrible bronchitis too many people I know are also battling this summer -- but it very well could have been the other. The doctor didn't pull any punches. She told me that they have to be careful, and for good reason. She said they'd seen (and I am quoting her here) "lots and lots and lots" of the (A)H1N1 strain in my city.

"Oh," I said. That was all I could say.

Needless to say, I've been a lot more careful than I was when we first heard the term swine flu. The door handles are disinfected and I am not worrying and my already-thorough hand-washing habits have been amped up even more. I am taking my recovery from bronchitis seriously, but I am also taking better care to prevent H1N1 from making its way into my house as well.

Still think you are completely safe from H1N1? Think again. The first case of swine flu that is shown to be resistant to Tamiflu has been documented in Denmark. Tamiflu is the antiviral drug used to treat H1N1 and was given to this patient in particular when they were exposed swine flu, makers of the drug reported in news conference.

The New York Times reports that it is not likely the Danish patient spread this strain of swine flu, and that Tamiflu-resistant strains of seasonal flu in Japan have previously proven to be weak and did not spread.

This development echoes the conflict we had back in April when this was fresh and new. Be concerned, but don't make yourself crazy. Be prepared, but don't panic.

I am (now) walking that line with a big tub of antibacterial wipes in my hand, which I think makes me worried, but just enough.

What about you? Are you worried at all about swine flu this summer?

More important links:

The CDC's key facts on swine flu.
The CDC explains the different kinds of H1N1 viruses.

[photo credit: Getty Images]