Unpleasant Experience

[theevilnikki]

I've only just discovered this website, and I'm extraordinarily thankful for it.

I'm fifteen, a sophomore in highschool, and justrealized a couple of years ago that I tend to have a worse reaction to it than everyone else when someone near me becomes violently ill. I also find my body fighting extremely hard against the urge to be sick when I don't feel well, and I haven't v*ed (I don't have a problem with the word itself, but apparently some do, and I'll respect that) in almost six years.

Unfortunately, this morning in my first hour class (art), one of the freshmen - a friend of mine, named Seth - got sick all over the floor across the room. Thankfully I didn't witness it, because I had my headphones on and I was concentrating on painting, but I didn't notice it until I walked to the sink to rinse out my brush, and by mere inches alone avoided stepping in it.

I started to panic andnearly passed out, which is another nasty habit of mine that's usually because of my hypoglycemia, and I had to go sit down because I was absolutely terrified. I felt stupid; no one else understood why I was reacting so badly. What's worse, we were cooped up in that classroom for fifteen more minutes with the obvious sight and smell, and despite the fact that it's abnormally warm for winter in Michigan, Mrs. Petersen refused to open the door and air out the room. They tossed a bit of paper towel casually over the mess, but it did little to nothing. I was shaky the entire day, and especially nauseous the next hour in Physics.

I wouldn't be so concerned about reactions like these, except that I'm planning to go into medicine. I want to be a nurse, and learning about abnormalities of the human body is a rather odd passion of mine. How can I work in the emergency room if I can't stand the sight of someone throwing up?

I don't know what to do, or if there's even anything I can do.

-Nikki

[2jo2]

It's nice that you're young and are admitting you have this phobia at a time when you can catch it in time. I finally got the courage to do an internet search on the problem about 2 years ago (and I'm 31 now)... I was too superstitious to do it before. Talk to your parents about how you feel and ask them to help you get help. Talking to someone really helps. Please don't let this phobia stop you from following your dreams! Good luck to you.

[stella9]

This is a digusting story. The policy at most of the schools around here is if someone gets sick in the class, the entire class is moved to another location in the school until the room is cleaned and lysol is sprayed.


No one can be sure why someone gets sick and whetheran illness can be spread through v*** particles (not trying to scare you but that is the philosophy behind the policy I mentioned). Why on earth would a teacher want to continue to teach with such a mess AND why on earth did he believe the class would not be distracted by the smell and sight.


I would state my complaint to the school's administration, or better yet, have your parents do so.


About being a nurse, hmmmmm - V*** IS part of it. I have a friend who is a nurse in a pediatric ER and she get v*** on a few times a week. V*** does not phase her at all, so she does not care. As an emet, you may want to rethink your vocation. I am not trying to be negative, but nurses encounter v** all the time. It's like being an accountant who can't work with numbers. It is part of the job.


Stella

[californiagirl]

About being a nurse, hmmmmm - V*** IS part of it. I have a friend who is a nurse in a pediatric ER and she get v*** on a few times a week. V*** does not phase her at all, so she does not care. As an emet, you may want to rethink your vocation. I am not trying to be negative, but nurses encounter v** all the time. It's like being an accountant who can't work with numbers. It is part of the job.

Stella's right----I used to be a nurse in an urgent care center and honestly quit, after wasting years of schooling, due to my emet. There's no way I could be motivated to go to a job every day that I dreaded. Sorry of this is negative, but you may just wanna thnk about this before you waste any time at school. There are many other rewarding careers out there. Let me say though, that I truly admire nurses for the work they do. It takes alot physically and emotionally, and they are very hard-working and deserve much respect.

[becca30]

Maybe instead of giving up nursing altogether, you could be a nurse in
a field that rarely sees v*. For example, you could be a nurse in
a dermatologist's office, a gynecologist's office, an orthopedist's
office, etc. It would mainly be in a pediatrician's office, a
gastroenterologist's office, a general practitioner's office or an ER
that you would encounter v* all the time.

[samara's on tv]

I agree with Becca30. I also want to go into medicine and I'm an Emet (Obviously or I wouldn't be here [img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img]) Anyway I want to be a psychiatrist and other then their ER rotations in med school, there won't be like ANY Chance of me seeing V* unless it's a fluke. You can go into different feilds of nursing if you want, and avoidV*...but as I hear it's a very hard and stressful job. Hopefully I can become a psychiatrist that specializes in Emetophobia...that's my goal.


As for the teacher not cleaning upthe V* I'm like WTF? If it was me I would have left theclass. Screw sticking through it I would havebeen out of there. It's a good thing you had your head phones on and weretoo busy to see it...but I still would have freaked out if it was me.


~Monica

[purpleteacher]

I met a nurse today who was subbing at the same school I was and she told me she cannot stand V* either, but she is going into nursing anyway. She wants to work in neonatal (babies) and can stand their spit-ups, but cannot stand it when big kids or adults get sick. I was surprised when she told me this and she said she was just going to get "used to the V*" while in nursing school.


I am just hoping I will get used to the V* as a teacher. I love teaching so much and I don't want my irrational fear to stop me from pursing my passions. I know I will eventually get used to it if I work with little kids, but I do not believe it will happen overnight.

[crimgoddess]

Don't view your emet as a permanent situation- because it doesn't have to be. It is completely possible for vomit to no longer be an issue to you- but it often requires professional help, and a lot of hard work. You are so young- don't resign yourself to a lifetime of having this fear~!


Have you spoken about this with your parents, and do they know the extent of your fears? If you really make them understand- and that this fear is affecting not only your present, but has severe ramifications on your future career- they may be open to helping you get treatment. There are a lot of resources available on this board- maybe if you and your parents went through some of them, you can devise a plan for how you would like to deal with your emet.


If you really want to be a nurse, and it's a passion for you- fight for it. It's going to be a rough fight, but in the end you will come out on top. I hate to see anyone giving up one of their dreams because of this fear! Also, imagine NOT having to worry about vomit, or you vomitting- would that not be so freeing? I know for myself I can't wait for the day that someone vomits in front of me and my only reaction is "well, that's gross"- as I go about my business.


About what happened in class......ewww.....EWWWW. The fact that he didnt even crack a window to get some fresh air in there makes him evil. Even a non-emet would have appreciated that I'm sure.


*amber*

[crystalmom]

I am an emet...have been as long as I can remember. I'm 28 years old, and I am going to school to be a nurse. I want to eventually becomer a midwife, but I know that I will have to work as an LPN and an RN throught the time too. This is my passion, and I WILL NOT let emet get this. Emet has done enough to my life and taken enough from me.


If this is want you truely want, in your soul, don't let emet stop you.


Crystal

[purpleteacher]

Maybe instead of giving up nursing altogether, you could be a nurse in a field that rarely sees v*. For example, you could be a nurse in a dermatologist's office, a gynecologist's office, an orthopedist's office, etc. It would mainly be in a pediatrician's office, a gastroenterologist's office, a general practitioner's office or an ER that you would encounter v* all the time.

Sorry.. but I must be honest and say you will see V* in an orthopedist's office... They often do things to people and it makes them hurt! I used to get extremely nauseated during exams and I have had dozens and dozens of visits with orthopedists.


I have also almost V* one time when I was seeing the gynecologist too. It was horrible! The pain thing and I got nauseated and the world began to spin.