m Tuesday, December 9, 2003 Tickets available at all Ticketmaster locations Alamodome and UTSA Ticket Offices Order By Phone 210-224-9600 He a face in the crowd when UTSA and Texax A&M meet for the first-time ever in San Antonio WESTERN * BEVERAGES HAPPY HOLIDAYS GOLDSCHLAGER Luftofla Cinnamon Schnapps WBa 750 ml 87 HPNOTIQ Liqueur 750 ml 34' MAKERS MARK Bourbon 750 ml 90' BACARDI Assorted Flavors Bum 750 mL 70' WESTERN * BEVERAGES 701 University Dr. East (979) 846-1257 2205 Longmire (979) 764-9577 Major Credit Cards Accepted Hours: Monday - Saturday 10 am to 9 pm Prices (iood 12/08/03 In 12/13/03 In c ase of printing error, story price (tn-Miik Mays Business School Fellows Group XXI Wishes to Congratulate Fellows Group XXII Adrienne Andersohn Anna Hollier Chris Anderson David Hollon Richard Auter Jason Kaspar Joe Bachman Aaron Kinsey Theresa Bando Jordan Kozar Porchia Barrett Belen Mahan Julie Bennett Elaine McChesney Matt Bertram Bradley McGrath Amy Binks Cne’ Mulvey Anverly Black Brett Nabors Trevor Brock Anh Nguyen Kari Burnett Tonya Olson Brandon Coleman III Stefanie Oujezdsky James Davis Quentin Perry Jessica Dority Scott Peterson Melanie Fox Hap Potter David Fuglie Justin Puckett Sarah Glasscock Jennifer Purdy Brooke Green Karen Putnam Angela Grisham Lindsey Reed Kasey Hand Katherine Rhodes Melanie Harvat Julie Smith Chris Hickman Shelley Spacek Jackson Hildebrand William Steed Risa Holland Melissa Walton ©: IN THE DARK ABOUT WHERE TO SELL YOUR TEXTBOOKS? LOUPOT’S BOOKSTORES WILL GIVE YOU 10% MORE AT BUYBACK N0RTHGATE 335 University Drive College Station, TX 77840 SOUTHGATE 308 George Bush Dr. College Station, TC 77840 WOLF PEN PLAZA 1907 Texas Ave. S. College Station, TX 77840 www.loupots.com THE BATTAll Doctors battle new flu complications By Daniel Yee THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTA — Doctors this year have been surprised and over whelmed by the number of children with severe flu complica tions, and the nation’s health agency plans to monitor them. Of particular concern is the rise of a drug-resistant staph infec tion that is complicating efforts to treat them, an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Tim Uyeki, epidemiologist with the influenza branch of CDC, said Monday that some children have died from the staph infections — a phenomenon the CDC has not seen before. Flu complications for children have always been dire: pneumonia, kidney and heart failure, possible brain damage. “We’ve just never seen them in the proportions we’ve seen them this year,” said Dr. Steve Schexnayder, chief of pediatric critical care at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. From Texas to California, children’s hospitals have been swamped with sick children — many of them desperately ill. The waiting room at Children’s Hospital Central California in Madera was standing room only during the Thanksgiving holiday. Hospital officials called the crowding an epidemic for that facility and said nearly every child tested positive for the flu. Children’s Medical Center in Dallas has seen more than 500 kids with the flu since October. One day last week, two dozen more appeared, most with enough lung disease to be put on ven tilators, said Dr. Jane Siegel. Colorado Springs hospitals have discouraged other kids from coming to the hospital in fear they will catch the virus. In that state six children have died of the flu. Doctors say some children are coming into hospitals with so much damage they are put on heart-lung bypass machines just to stay alive. Others face additional problems: Nine-year-old Nick Collins needed four chest tubes to drain fluid from three holes in his lungs caused by bacterial pneumonia. Doctors are trying to pre- u It's scary to find that something as common as the flu can cause something this major every year. mother vent a blood clot from killing him. He has also developed methicillin-resistant staphytaii aureus (MRSA), which led to his severe pneumonia. Nick, a healthy boy until he got the flu in early Novembfi doing better, having been removed from a ventilator on Fiiiy But he’ll likely have to stay in the hospital through theendo year, his mother says. "It’s scary to find that something as common as cause something this major every year,” said his Collins of Texarkana, Texas. "We sit around for days in awe of J fact the flu has caused all of this.’’ Flu and its complications are the sixth leal cause of death nationally among childrenageds younger, according to the CDC. Anecdotally, this flu season seems tobewn tor children. But because the CDC doesn'ils track of flu deaths, it’s unclear how much w The agency is planning to collect data to fpt out, said Dr. Keiji Fukuda, chief of epidemic! in the CDC’s influenza branch. In addition, some connected with theCDO there may be a push to add school-age childrei the list of those most strongly urged to gelfc: shot the best protection against the virus.! current recommendation for children coversi!i from 6 months to 2 years and those who havett tain chronic conditions. Kim Collins of flu victim "My own prediction is what you’ll continue toseeisa mg of the recommendation for influenza immunization." Greg Poland, a Mayo Clinic professor and a member of the CK advisory' committee on immunization. "It only makes sense Pregnant w omen — urged to get the flu shot if they areii second or third trimester — have also become a concern this The CDC is looking closely at some cases in which pres women have displayed high pulse rates — which couldle symptom of a dangerous, and potentially fatal, inflamman. the heart, said Dr. William Schaffner, a flu expert withVandei l niversity Medical Center. Texas in particular has reported a eral such cases. In North Carolina health officials made it a point lasii single out both pregnant women and children up toagefe groups that should get the vaccine. Fih