Another Question!

[DinahRT]

Warning: some graphic vomiting content. I don't want to offend or scare anyone so please don't be upset with me it's just that some things have happened that made me think.


Ok..I've been an emetophobe folr quite a while...some things have happened though, that make me wonder if I'm on the road to some sort of recovery, or at least being able to handle being around vomit. My husband smokes, and while he knows he should quit, he hasn't taken that step yet. He's tried cold turkey and just was a monster to be around, so he got a prescription from the doctor for Nicotrol or whatever name of the smoking cessation system is. Anyway, he caught a cold earlier this winter and he would cough so hard at times that he would throw up his food. Now, mind you, I didn't go out of my way to watch him do it, but when I knew he was doing it I was more annoyed at him then scared because I knew that when he wasn'tsmoking he didn't do that. Last year he had bronchitis and he did the same thing and I was actually in the room with him when he did it and I didn't run or anything. Then there was the time we were leaving a Big Boy's. I knew he wasn't feeling the greatest that that day he was trying to eat, but just before he got in the car, he started coughing and up came his breakfast. I had a flash of panic go through me but I stayed where I was, at the passenger side of the car. I knew there was nothing else I could do but let him get it out of his system.As he was starting to feel better we were leaving, I turned and looked at the spot where he had vomited and it didn't scare me or anything. I was just like, "That's gotta suck..you pay for it and don't get to enjoy it!"


On the flip side, however, I still get panicked by others feeling sick. Example: we were at a friend's house a few weeks ago and the wife of one of the people wasn't feeling well, so she went to bed. My husband's friend wasn't feeling well either, nauseated and all. He had told me that he was feeling this way because he hadn't eaten all day (isn't it funny how not eating can also make you feel like getting sick?), and he tried to eat some bread. I could tell after a while he was having problems with the bread, and he went back upstairs. I was worrying that when I went upstairs to use the bathroom, I would hear him getting sick. I didn't, since he was sleeping by the time I got up there. My husband, after talkingto him, told me that he did throw up. I was disappointed in myself for being panicked because I thought that I was getting over it somewhat with my husband vomiting. Like I said, I don't go out of my way to watch it, but when we first moved in together and his sugar was too high (he's a diabetic) and his insulin pump site slipped, he vomited and I literally left the apartment and walked around outside. I felt like an idiot, but I couldn't help it. I've calmed down a little bit since then.


My question is, Why can I deal with my husband vomiting, and not others? It's strange.

[crystalmom]

In my opinion, and don't be offended, you aren't scared of your hubby, b/c you know it's not a sv. Not something you can catch.


My son had a bad cold, and he would cough so hard, that he threw up too. It didn't bother me, except that I felt bad for him, being so sick. If, however, I knew it was a sv, or thought it was, I would be a mess.


That's just how I feel in situations like those. Otherwise, if it's not that, hey, youcould be stronger in combatting the fear....or, in other words, recovering!!! [img]smileys/smilies_39.gif[/img]


Crystal

[neesy]

Thats like me, I can cope if I know it isn't a sickness bug - although I still dont like the action but i dont panicor have terrible anxiety for days after! [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[purpleteacher]

Coughing can cause V* in a lot people. This time of year I am hearing about so many people who are coughing so hard with their colds that they V* and I came so close to doing this myself the last time I got sick. It was horrible and I never knew before just a few months ago that it was possible to V* due to a cough! I've been an emet for over 10 years too!!!


I think you might be more tolerant of your hubby's illnesses because you do know EXACTLY why he is getting sick. V* due to diabetes or a cold isn't something you can catch either, so why panic about something that can't *hurt* you.

[DinahRT]

Hi! Actually I did think about that, since it was my husband was I just getting used to him. That made me a little upset though, and only because it was like, "Damnit! Am I ever going to be free of this?" It's embarrassing still, even though my husband is understanding, I grew up with parents who weren't totally understanding of it. Their words were to basically, "get over it." It's not the easiest thing to get over. It used to be that I couldn't even look at movies or television programs that had simulated or real vomiting in them, but I'mable to now. I guess that's a step of progress...[img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img]


But

[DinahRT]

But then there are times where I get angry for even having this phobia. Sometimes I think, "Couldn't I have been afraid of something easier, like clowns or Republicans or something?" Would have been a lot simpler! I don't have to worry about clowns every winter, and I would only have to worry about Republicans every four years(well not really, the way things have been going) but still, it would have been a lot easier and less embarrassing to be afraid of clowns.


Oh, well...guess I'll have to keep on marching in the war against emetophobia! Now if I could just find my armor, I'd be fine....[img]smileys/smilies_45.gif[/img]

[crystalmom]

I hear ya! Oh, and clowns are creepy, I hate them. [img]smileys/smilies_18.gif[/img]


Every little step, no matter how little, is big for us. Just keep truckin' along, and certain things get easier.


I don't know if I will ever be rid of this phobia. It's been so long, I wonder if it is even possible, for me. There are times when I am "normal" and others when I am not even close.


keep going!


Crystal