WHY WHY WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kate1966]

Why on earth do people feel the need to tell you about other people's sickness's.......I am just about to freak out now...One of my co-worker's mom's works in an elementary school....she comes up here and tells us all that she just talked to her mom....and 11 out of 22 students went home today with the V virus[img]smileys/smilies_10.gif[/img]!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was doing so well today............and now that is all shot to hell.........i am so panicky now....i mean the town is like 30 mins from here.....but still now I will worry for another week or so..........gosh i hate this crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just want to run and hide somewhere.....you know like that commercial where that guy goes to that island to avoid the flu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love that commercial....i would do it in a heartbeat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sheri-baby]

Oh my god this is freaking me out!!!...I have 2 kids in elementary school, and all this talk about sv outbreaks scares me so bad!!!!....I don't get it, when I was growing up, I never heard of outbreaks like this, especially schools closing. I am 37 so that was a long time ago, but I wonder if it's getting worse and worse each year. I'm so scared my kids are gonna get sick!!!!

[rileyl]

On, no. I am completely freaked out by this too. I know that these bugs are always out there, but it's just depressing to hear about it when they actually happen. I feel like it's just a ticking time bomb and that my kids (ages 9 and 7) will be sick at any time. Let's just promise, emet parents, tobe there for each other if it does. [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]


It was interesting, yesterday my daughter woke up with a sore throat and really swollen tonsils. I noticed that myreaction to it was so "normal." It still meant time away from work and all the other stuff that comes with a sick child, but I was not panicking. I thought "I guess this is how normal parents react to a sv." BTW, I took her to the doctor and she did have strep throat. The antibiotics kicked in and she is much better today.Anyway, I guess it was good to remind myself that most of the time I am a nurturing parent. It's just the sv's that are so hard for me.

[sheri-baby]

Oh do I hear you, when my kids get any thing other than an sv, boy am I the best mom taking care of them, but if it's sv or could lead up to one, panic, grouchiness and anxiety all set in, it's horrible, can't eat, can't sleep, I can't do anything except think about "it". Well I promise to be there for anyone with sick kids that needs to talk, because I sure hope I will have the same when I need someone, please let our children be well!...keep those colds coming[img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]

[murphy]

Maybe I can help alleviate some of your anxiety about hearing this. I am a kindergarten teacher and hear about sv going around EVERYDAY. One thing I have learned as a teacher is that people love to exaggerate numbers of people who actually have the illness (it my be strep, a cold, etc.) Also what happens is other kids in the class catch on that something is going around and then start saying they feel sick so they can go to the clinic. Basically they jump on the band wagon. I could be totally wrong but I have been teaching 13 years and have learned from experience. Try not to worry. Keep washing and encourage your children to always wash their hands. Maybe pack a small container of purell in his/her lunchbox or backpack. Hope this helps.


Murphy

[rileyl]

Yes, Murphy, that does help. Thanks for your input. I would be interested in ANYTHING you have to offer as a school teacher because I have elementary school-aged kids.

[tayda]

ok.. so I'm gonna go iout of the norm... and say that maybe it's a blessing in disguise. like at least now, you will be careful of your children's hygeine (well more so than usual) and can be on alert

[murphy]

Riley,


Being an e-met I am obviously VERY big on making sure the kids wash their hands often. Since this is not very easy with 26 kids and 2 sinks I have each student bring in a container of purell. On orientation night I actually told the parents that my worst fear is v*. I told them if their child v* do not send them to school the next day. The kids ALWAYS end up saying, "I v* last night. I told the parents if I hear that they will be coming back to school to get their kid. It seems to have helped b/c a few parents tell me they kept their child home just in case b/c of how I hate it.Nothing makes me more angry than a parent sending a sick child back to school to infect us all!!! I also have the parents send in lysol wipes and everyday I give the kids a wipe to clean their area.


Something else I found that really makes the kids want to wash is to explain to them how germs spread. It makes a difference when they understand why it is important to wash or use the purell. Sorry to get so wordy but I know you understand how difficult it can be to be a teacher with emet, especially this time of year. I love my job but hate the daily exposure and hearing about it all the time. Hope this helps.


Murphy

[cheerio]

Wow, I commend you for being so open with the parents. If I was in that classroom I probably would have jumped up and hugged you! Most of us are too embarrassed to admit we have this problem. If only my daughter's teacher would be as proactive. One mom suggested Purell to her and she said that the school doesn't allow it as some of the kids may ingest it. They're first graders! What are they going to try and do, get drunk on it??? Anyway, I hate the water bottles that they bring to school and keep on their desks all day. I volunteer in the classroom once a week and watch kids sneezing and coughing all over the place (which is bad enough) but thenthey drink from their water bottles after the germshave been flying. Yuck!

[angel13]

Kate, I really know how you feel! Ignorance is bliss when it comes to emet! In fact, I was just about to start a topic on it, when I saw yours!


11 out of 22 kids?! The voice of reason in me says that for that many to come down with a v* virus, there would have to be a way in which it was passed on, other than just being in the same room. When I was that age, we were all made to go and wash our hands before eating our lunch - maybe on this one day they didn't (at your coworker's mom's school), and it happened to be the the day when a kid who had the virus and was contagious shared some of his/her food, or something? There are all sorts of possibilities to be taken into account. But like murphy said, people love to exaggerate, anyway!


>__< As emets, I guess we have to talk to ourselves logically about this sort of thing. Like, think about the probability and all that. Viruses are usually much harder to catch than we think!


...the whole island idea sounds great, though!! lol. I'd be there in a heartbeat,too! Edited by: angel13

[dord]

I could have written Sheri-baby's reply. I am 38 and I don't remember numerous kids being out of school because of a virus. The two times I got something none of my friends did and the times they were sick I didn't get it. Maybe all the anti-bacterial stuff we now have is making the viruses mutate into bigger and badder viruses? My son says they don't even have soap in the high school bathrooms - oh I LOVE hearing that. He doesn't have the phobia though, THANK GOD, so there is no way on earth I could ever get him to use Purell.

[tayda]

Dord- THere have actually been a bunch of articles, and a few segments in the news lately that address the problems with anti-bacterials. Soap- merely washes the bacteria away; while the anti-bacterial kills the germs. However, the strongest of the strong survive, and live to reproduce.. therefore over time, the bacteria evolve and become stronger and harder to eliminate! Yikes!


I have to confess, though, I still use antibacterial at my house, but I alternate with soap. (I tell myself that they will evolve slower, and when they do, they'll have a better anti-bacterial)

[madisonsmom]

Dord- THere have actually been a bunch of articles, and a few segments in the news lately that address the problems with anti-bacterials. Soap- merely washes the bacteria away; while the anti-bacterial kills the germs. However, the strongest of the strong survive, and live to reproduce.. therefore over time, the bacteria evolve and become stronger and harder to eliminate! Yikes!


I have to confess, though, I still use antibacterial at my house, but I alternate with soap. (I tell myself that they will evolve slower, and when they do, they'll have a better anti-bacterial)

I have to agree with you on this one. I am sure this is why we have stronger viruses and bacteria out there...the strong will get stronger to survive.

[kate1966]

Sorry guys....I did not mean to freak anyone out here with my story.....I just panicked when i heard that....and i was mad and angry that i was so frightened....it's a shame we have to feel this way about something we have no control over and can't do anything about..............So far, i haven't heard anything else about it...thank goodness....hopefully i won't either. So, last night i get home from work already in a panic and my husband has to tell me he's not feeling well...he was all sweaty and clamy and saying his stomach didn't feel right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![img]smileys/smilies_10.gif[/img] I immedietely took a xanax and finally calmed down some.....he ate dinner though and went on to watch some tv and then went to bed...he went to go work out this am at like 5 something and when he got back at around 6am he said again that his stomach still felt bad...so who knows...i am nervous but i just don't want to let my panic get out of control. I HATE this so much......umm umm just get me through my life and i don't know..i am rambling.....thanks for listening. K

[mommyof3]

I just got an email from a friend who went on and on about their family having it and she doesn't live too far away. I HATE it when people do that! My whole day is ruined. I was feeling pretty optimistic today, was going to clean the house, get out some Christmas decorations, but now I can't concentrate on anything except constantly looking at my kids and trying to see if they look "off." She KNOWS I'm an emet, too. I recently "came out" to some of my close friends and I thought it would stop this sort of thing!!!


Does anyone else do this? When you hear about this, your whole day is shot? Like if you let your guard down someone might v* without warning???


I guess we're all in this together. Group Hug!

[dord]

I don't get people - if you told your friend you were an alcoholic would they blather on and on about how much fun they had bar hopping???? I guess people without this phobia don't get it but it seems to me people LOVE to talk about how sick they are/were. I say get the Christmas decorations out and get started, it will take your mind off of things. We all know how many times we've worried and nothing has happened. I'm guilty of it and I wish I could have back all those times I didn't enjoy myself like I should have because of the worrying.

[kate1966]

Yes, it's so very annoying to hear these stories...and I guess just b/c so many people are not emet...they have no clue they just turn out whole world upside down when we hear these kinds of stories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think if they knew how we really react to it...then they might keep quiet....but then again....a non-emet...will NEVER know how we feel....so i feel your pain....just go ahead and try to decorate...it will keep your mind occupied and i think that is very important...try to go on as normal and stay busy....i will be thinking about you and let us know how you are...K

[sheri-baby]

Doesn't anyone get the good old fashioned cold anymore?

[stella9]

Sheri,


I have asked the same question a gazillion times. I guess the answer is no. We have super-sized everything in this country from supersized take-out food, to super-sized SUVs to supersized televisions. It would seem befitting that we have supersized svs.


Stella

[liriodendron]

Back in 11/ 2001 there was a school near where I was living at the time
that was on the News because the entire school was out sick. Everyone.
Except for one girl and one teacher whom they interviewed.



They thought it was bio- terrorism since this was around the time of the anthrax letter attacks and so forth.



I used to think Saddam Hussein send these viruses over here but I guess I was wrong all those years.

[hanarky]

ewww way to ruin one's day

[kutekim1217]

I love that commercial and I too would go there in a heartbeat. I dont think a glass of OJ a day is going to keep all viruses away from us. I havent heard of any sv's around me....yet and hope I dont. I work for my dads company and only 2 other people in the office, fortunately I have my own office and private bathroom. In the 15 years I have worked here not one employee, including the 20 guys in the warehouse have ever been out with an sv to my knowledge.