Argh!

[SquirrellyMama]

My youngest dd and I were in our small town grocery store today. We saw two women who knew each other talking. One of them said to the other, "Don't come near me, I have the flu. I'm just getting some supplies." My dd, who is finally well after being sick for a month, said, "Mom, let's get out of here. I do not want to be sick again."

 

If she really has the flu, she needs to be at home. I would guess she could have called the store, and they would have delivered some supplies for her. My dd even asked to go outside so she didn't have to be in the store. Being sick for a month will make you paranoid of all sick people.

 

Kelly

[alisoncooks]

Ugh.

We really struggled last flu year, flu season.  DH was going through chemo and had a compromised immune system.  We finally ended up skipping church for most of the winter because people insisted on coming near him with coughs and junk, or coming to church when half their family was home with vomiting or flu.  (He wore a mask and we didn't hug/shake hands with anyone, but still!) 

 

[bettyandbob]

Not everyone has a way to get supplies when sick other than going and getting them.a couple of months ago I had to do this foryself. I didn't stop to alk to anyone though. I went the register on a slow mid morning with chicken soup and a variety of OTC medicine. The cashier greeted me with a friendly "how are you?" Which I found funny since if you looked at my purchases it would be obvious. Anyway, paid, left, went to bed, heated soup later.

[SquirrellyMama]

Not everyone has a way to get supplies when sick other than going and getting them.a couple of months ago I had to do this foryself. I didn't stop to alk to anyone though. I went the register on a slow mid morning with chicken soup and a variety of OTC medicine. The cashier greeted me with a friendly "how are you?" Which I found funny since if you looked at my purchases it would be obvious. Anyway, paid, left, went to bed, heated soup later.

 

I agree, but like I said, we live in a small town. I think the store would have taken her supplies. I'm just thinking about the next person who gets her cart, or touches anything she did.

 

I am fortunate to have friends who will run to the store for me if I'm sick. I do the same for them.

 

Kelly

 

[Mimm]

I don't know of a store near me that would deliver some basic supplies if I were sick. Are you sure the store does that? Are the deliver fees really low?

[Mimm]

I don't see how living in a small town would make delivery more likely to happen. If anything, small towns are less likely to have convenient services like that available. Maybe it's different where you live.

 

I do get the frustration of meeting sick people in public, but that's just kinda one of those things. You risk that every time you leave the house. Really puts things in perspective about people who have compromised immune systems or potentially life threatening allergies. All we can do is protect ourselves as best we can. While I think it's wrong for people to attend optional events while sick, it's not realistic to expect people to never venture out of doors when they're ill

 

Delivery of basic food and medicine to sick people does seem like something that should be more widely available.

[bettyandbob]

Stores near me keep tubs if antibiotic wipes near the carts do people who wish can wipe them down. I used to carry my own wipes to the store when my kids were little. I just assume the carts have lots of nasty germs.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I wipe down my carts and wear a mask and take extra supplements to build up my immune system.  I'm immunocompromised but I think the onus is on me to protect myself. 

[La Condessa]

Whenever I hear someone opine that people shouldn't go out in public if they have family members who are sick, it makes me wonder if they are from a very small family. My entire family would have literally spent several solid months at home this winter if no one were allowed to leave the house despite being healthy themselves just because someone else was sick.

 

Of course, if something nasty is catching a new person every couple of days and I'm watching them to start symptoms any moment, I am not sending them off to a play date, but that's not quite the same thing.

[goldberry]

Whenever I hear someone opine that people shouldn't go out in public if they have family members who are sick, it makes me wonder if they are from a very small family. My entire family would have literally spent several solid months at home this winter if no one were allowed to leave the house despite being healthy themselves just because someone else was sick.

 

Of course, if something nasty is catching a new person every couple of days and I'm watching them to start symptoms any moment, I am not sending them off to a play date, but that's not quite the same thing.

 

When DD was little, she had a certain event she had been looking forward to for a month.  It was a BIG DEAL to her.  I was sick the week before, had been sick about a week, so my husband was going to take her.

 

The mom said DD couldn't come, because I had been sick and DD would probably be getting sick too.  She had zero symptoms, and in fact did not get sick.  I will always remember that because DD was so disappointed she cried for hours.

[goldberry]

I have been in the grocery store sick.  I don't go anywhere else, and in fact can't stand when people go to church sick especially.  But yes, I have been desperate for soup and Nyquil and ran in and out as quickly as possible.  I don't think it's reasonable to think people don't need food and medicine, or that everyone has someone to go for them.  My DH was out of town at the time.

[SquirrellyMama]

I do think the store would have delivered because it is a small town. Not as a usual service, but as a nice gesture. Medicine can be bought at the pharmacy drive through here.

 

The towns just north and south of us both have food delivery also.

 

 

I can understand a quick run to the store, but this lady was talking to people along the way instead of just getting through.

 

I'm also very paranoid of vomiting and the flu. I can handle fevers of 105, but not vomiting and influenza.

 

We avoid church when we know a family has had the flu, and are most likely coming anyway.

 

I've had to send kids out of Sunday School who had fevers, and the parents knew.

 

I don't trust people. We are the family who won't let kids come over if they have a sibling who is vomiting. But, I also let other families know when we have a sick kid in case they want to avoid all of us. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

 

Kelly

[Hunter's Moon]

It sucks, especially for people who're immunocompromised.

 

However, someone can be unknowingly contagious before symptoms even show up.

 

While it'd be nice to be able to go out and not worry about catching anything, it's just not possible. I'd rather someone be obviously sick while out so I know to avoid them.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Even if it is small community, the grocery store would be doing a lot of deliveries if it were to deliver to every household that had any sickness. 

 

Believe me, I understand how difficult it is to be exposed to stuff but I assume that I'm always exposed to stuff because. . . well, because I am. 

[Spryte]

I'm immunocompromised, and so is DS. It is a Big Deal when we get sick. It lasts a long time, there are often hospital visits, and I should not take abx at all, due to C Diff history. So it's a big thing.

 

I don't expect people to stop their lives if they're sick though. It's nice if they use masks and wipes, and go quickly, of course. But they have to get meds and food. I've had to do it before, too.

 

We do our part by staying home when sick, offering help to people who are sick so they don't have to go out, etc. We use wipes at the store, in the car, and we wash when we get home.

 

But - it happens.

 

I hope your family doesn't get sick.

[Tsuga]

My youngest dd and I were in our small town grocery store today. We saw two women who knew each other talking. One of them said to the other, "Don't come near me, I have the flu. I'm just getting some supplies." My dd, who is finally well after being sick for a month, said, "Mom, let's get out of here. I do not want to be sick again."

 

If she really has the flu, she needs to be at home. I would guess she could have called the store, and they would have delivered some supplies for her. My dd even asked to go outside so she didn't have to be in the store. Being sick for a month will make you paranoid of all sick people.

 

Kelly

 

Well, I agree in theory but easier said than done.

 

I wouldn't mind face masks being used more commonly such as in the larger cities of Asia.