*this* is why I worry

[Amy+2]

We were invited to a brunch on New Years when my youngest was a baby. As soon as we got there, we found out that the dad and middle daughter were SICK!! Cold/Flu like symptoms...snot all over her face...Ugh! We did not stay long out of my fear of illness, and, wouldn't you know ds who was only 7 weeks old came down the next week with RSV. His oxygen levels got down in the 70's, 5 days in the hospital...total nightmare that continued for months. (btw-he was a totally healthy big baby at birth). I KNEW we should have left the moment we stepped foot in the door. I truly haven't forgiven myself yet.

 

This same mom would allow her kids to just head on down to my house in the afternoon following a puke-fest in the morning. Or, send part of her kids out to play while the others were inside with strep. That happened more times than I care to say. Rude, I say...just flat out RUDE!!! Acutally, I am not even sure rude covers it.:glare:

 

These are just a few reasons why I have an Economy Size Jar of Hand Sanitizer in my vehicle. Oh, and did I mention the 5 cans of Lysol I have strategically placed throughout the house?!!?:tongue_smilie:

[Ibbygirl]

We were invited to a brunch on New Years when my youngest was a baby. As soon as we got there, we found out that the dad and middle daughter were SICK!! Cold/Flu like symptoms...snot all over her face...Ugh! We did not stay long out of my fear of illness, and, wouldn't you know ds who was only 7 weeks old came down the next week with RSV. His oxygen levels got down in the 70's, 5 days in the hospital...total nightmare that continued for months. (btw-he was a totally healthy big baby at birth). I KNEW we should have left the moment we stepped foot in the door. I truly haven't forgiven myself yet.

 

This same mom would allow her kids to just head on down to my house in the afternoon following a puke-fest in the morning. Or, send part of her kids out to play while the others were inside with strep. That happened more times than I care to say. Rude, I say...just flat out RUDE!!! Acutally, I am not even sure rude covers it.:glare:

 

These are just a few reasons why I have an Economy Size Jar of Hand Sanitizer in my vehicle. Oh, and did I mention the 5 cans of Lysol I have strategically placed throughout the house?!!?:tongue_smilie:

 

:eek: that is HORRIBLE!!! Shame on that woman!! When my my oldest was just born, it was back when the insurance only let you stay 24 hours in the hospital before they kicked your butt out. My daughter was less than 48 hours old and my in-laws all came over to see her SICK!! All of them. Fortunately my mom was there and told them to leave. She didn't care if they got mad at her because she didn't have to deal with them the way I did. Thanks for that one ma'. Fortunately the baby didn't get sick, but I was FURIOUS!!

[Peri]

GRRR we don't have Krogers down here where I live. Just Publix and Winn Dixie and some latin markets. I have a Walmart by my house, but it's not a Super Walmart. They don't sell groceries. :( sniff

 

I grew up in Miami too so yeah I can relate. I was so shocked when we moved to TN and i found out that there is actualy a grocery store open 24 hrs.

[Ibbygirl]

I grew up in Miami too so yeah I can relate. I was so shocked when we moved to TN and i found out that there is actualy a grocery store open 24 hrs.

 

 

That is pretty amazing. But do people really buy groceries at 2 and 3am?? I guess if I knew a store was open at that time and I was up I would. hehe

[TeacherZee]

Girl at gymnastics practice tonight is running a fever. Her mom got home from New York yesterday, her dad from Dallas Sunday. She complained of not feeling well (I was sitting right there), mom felt her head, said she was hot but "needed to practice for regionals".

 

I swear to Pete, if my kid gets sick and misses *her* regional meet, I am getting my fees refunded from the gym. I have asked them repeatedly to follow their *own* sick policy, and they never do. We got strep, and stomach flu TWICE, from this same family. They are clearly not going to keep their precious Germ Factories home unless the gym makes them adhere to the sick policy, so I hold the gym responsible at this point.

 

Can you tell I'm more than a little pi$$ed off??????????????

 

 

SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are letting the kid EXERCISE with a fever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:001_huh::001_huh::willy_nilly::willy_nilly::svengo::svengo::blink::blink:

 

Do they know how dangerous that is!!! I was always told that you never exercise with a fever because it can be dangerous for you heart!!!

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I vote that you tell the woman to stay home. All the other kids and moms will appreciate her not infecting them. Far nicer coming from you than if the library staff ask her to leave due to illness.

[ConnieB]

My dh once missed a day's work because he had been battling an ear infection and finally went to the Dr. to get an antibiotic. When he returned to work, his supervisor asked him why he called in sick. My dh told him he went to the Dr. for an antibiotic. His boss said, "If you're well enough to go to the Dr., you were well enough to come to work!" I am sooo glad he doesn't work there anymore.

 

 

Hmmm...I'm still trying to wrap my head around this logic, lol. Ok...so next time your DH has a fever, vomiting, etc, this guy would rather he show up at work than go to the doctor. Gosh, I'm glad "I" don't work there!!

 

This world situation is not going to get better fast because so many people have the same "me" attitude as described here, or worse, have a boss like your DH. The only real way to stop the spread is to not have infected folks in contact with non-infected folks. Let the bug die a natural death instead of giving it more to feed on.

 

But that's not likely to happen in our society today. Our news today showed a story about a couple who are getting married in Mexico this weekend and they are angry because so many of their guests are cancelling on them!! The anger is because they've already paid for the reception and now all this food will go to waste and the caterer won't give them a refund because he's already bought the food. I can so sympathize with outside influences messing up your "big day".....our outdoor wedding was brought indoors by a hurricane (which thankfully didn't hit us, but the rain was heavy) and most of the guests didn't show up because it was too dangerous to travel. I thought it was an omen from God, lol. But my upset wasn't on the wasted food....it was the "perfect" day that wasn't so perfect anymore.

 

Tonight's news also announced that a high school about 2 miles away was closed for a week because of two cases and all the parents interviewed are complaining about what to do with their kids since they have to work. I can almost guarantee that all those kids, who should be quarentined are gonna be hanging out at the park and the mall (places I plan to avoid now). I seriously doubt that many of the parents will require their child to stay home and "away from groups of other students" like the Superintendent has advised. It's a holiday for them!

 

So...we'll be quarantined now.

[ConnieB]

 

These are just a few reasons why I have an Economy Size Jar of Hand Sanitizer in my vehicle. Oh, and did I mention the 5 cans of Lysol I have strategically placed throughout the house?!!?:tongue_smilie:

 

 

I've always read that overuse of those products is causing a lot of the diseases to mutate and become immune to antibiodics and our own natural immunities. I have to say that since I stopped using them umpteen times a day (after being told all this by our doctor after pulling it out to gel the kids up in his waiting room, lol...and researching his statements online)and instead make the kids wash their hands with warm water and soap at every opportunity (to the tune of 3 choruses of Old MacDonald to get your 20 seconds in), we haven't spread the ick among household members nearly as often. I truly thought that Economy Size gel was a godsend, but please, talk to your doctor about whether it is giving you a false sense of safety and perhaps doing more harm than good. It sounds like you guys catch everything pretty easy like we used to.....and now that I've become a bit more germophobic and less chemical dependent :lol: we are actually catching much less. The truly amazing is that now if one member of the house gets sick, it's not automatic for all of us to eventually get it.

 

So...how many of you make your kids wash their hands while out and about? It amazes me how many parents don't do this after their kid uses the toilet, let alone how 99% seem to come in to a restaurant and not wash up! We wash up after ordering (ick on menus or counters).

 

I also remind my kids a zillion times a day to keep their hands away from their face/mouth/eyes/nose. Sigh...that's probably the hardest, lol.

 

Sheesh...proof read this and I sound like a total weirdo. I guess I never realized how germophobic I truly am, lol. I typed that above more as a joke, but maybe it's true. :tongue_smilie::chillpill:

[ConnieB]

Wow!! What grocery store do you go to? I've never heard of a grocery open at midnight. That would work for me too! :D

 

Walmart is open 24 hours, so is one of the Fry's and several of the Safeway's around here.

 

 

I've been to the Walmart in the middle of the night a couple of times and am always shocked with how many kids are there! Nothing like during the day of course, but wide awake running around kids every time.

 

And yeah...the obstacle course that is normally an aisle is always fun to navigate, but hey, the music is better (and louder) and the employees actually seem happy.

[Ria]

Wegmans is open 24 hours as well, 364 days a year.

 

Ria

[Ibbygirl]

Walmart is open 24 hours, so is one of the Fry's and several of the Safeway's around here.

 

 

I've been to the Walmart in the middle of the night a couple of times and am always shocked with how many kids are there! Nothing like during the day of course, but wide awake running around kids every time.

 

And yeah...the obstacle course that is normally an aisle is always fun to navigate, but hey, the music is better (and louder) and the employees actually seem happy.

 

 

LOL I've been to Walmart late at night maybe once or twice, but it was mostly because of an emergency type purchase. My hubby doesn't like me to go out by myself and especially so at night so I guess that influences when and how I shop more than store hours. But if more stores down here were open that late, I'd sure be tempted. :D

[LaxMom]

Jo - I would also like to thank you (and everybody with the horror stories) for posting this and reminding me to send out a note to our co-op families about our sick policy and being more vigilant about staying home if they've been ill or exposed. :D

[TeacherZee]

I've always read that overuse of those products is causing a lot of the diseases to mutate and become immune to antibiodics and our own natural immunities. I have to say that since I stopped using them umpteen times a day (after being told all this by our doctor after pulling it out to gel the kids up in his waiting room, lol...and researching his statements online)and instead make the kids wash their hands with warm water and soap at every opportunity (to the tune of 3 choruses of Old MacDonald to get your 20 seconds in), we haven't spread the ick among household members nearly as often. I truly thought that Economy Size gel was a godsend, but please, talk to your doctor about whether it is giving you a false sense of safety and perhaps doing more harm than good. It sounds like you guys catch everything pretty easy like we used to.....and now that I've become a bit more germophobic and less chemical dependent :lol: we are actually catching much less. The truly amazing is that now if one member of the house gets sick, it's not automatic for all of us to eventually get it.

 

So...how many of you make your kids wash their hands while out and about? It amazes me how many parents don't do this after their kid uses the toilet, let alone how 99% seem to come in to a restaurant and not wash up! We wash up after ordering (ick on menus or counters).

 

I also remind my kids a zillion times a day to keep their hands away from their face/mouth/eyes/nose. Sigh...that's probably the hardest, lol.

 

Sheesh...proof read this and I sound like a total weirdo. I guess I never realized how germophobic I truly am, lol. I typed that above more as a joke, but maybe it's true. :tongue_smilie::chillpill:

 

And you know what? No amount of handwashing is going to help if the bolded part doesn't and people don't keep their sick kiddies home.

 

I've worked in a nursery and we had germs doing the rounds all the time and we washed those kiddies hands gazillion times a day. And our own between nose wiping, diaper changing and helping the littles wash their hands. I was still ill more that summer than ever before and ever since (and no I didn't work when I was ill). It is hard to tell a 1 year old to cover their mouth/nose. We did (catch your sneezes was one of the most common phrases) but still...keep yourself at home when you are sick!!!:D

[TN Mama]

So...how many of you make your kids wash their hands while out and about? It amazes me how many parents don't do this after their kid uses the toilet, let alone how 99% seem to come in to a restaurant and not wash up! We wash up after ordering (ick on menus or counters).

 

I also remind my kids a zillion times a day to keep their hands away from their face/mouth/eyes/nose. Sigh...that's probably the hardest, lol.

 

Sheesh...proof read this and I sound like a total weirdo. I guess I never realized how germophobic I truly am, lol. I typed that above more as a joke, but maybe it's true. :tongue_smilie::chillpill:

 

If you're a weirdo, you're not alone! :) I keep a small hand sanitizer in the car for instances where we can't wash hands right away, but we wash our hands often and definitely while we are out (bathrooms, for example). I also remind my girls about touching their face, etc. Teaching good hygiene is important. I am always shocked to be in a public restroom when an adult come out of a stall and bypasses the sink. :willy_nilly:

[lynn]

And you know what? No amount of handwashing is going to help if the bolded part doesn't and people don't keep their sick kiddies home.

 

I've worked in a nursery and we had germs doing the rounds all the time and we washed those kiddies hands gazillion times a day. And our own between nose wiping, diaper changing and helping the littles wash their hands. I was still ill more that summer than ever before and ever since (and no I didn't work when I was ill). It is hard to tell a 1 year old to cover their mouth/nose. We did (catch your sneezes was one of the most common phrases) but still...keep yourself at home when you are sick!!!:D

:iagree: I don't know how many times I've overheard people say that little one has a stomach bug and that they were told several other children in the NURSERY were sick as well. I always kept my kids home if they were sick w/in 24 hours of mother's day out, church services etc. My kids always got sick because of the mom who is not so careful. I know we all need a break but this frustrates me to no end.

[Peri]

That is pretty amazing. But do people really buy groceries at 2 and 3am?? I guess if I knew a store was open at that time and I was up I would. hehe

 

Yes but not a whole lot. If you totally wanna avoid crowds its the perfect time to go.

[ConnieB]

Yes but not a whole lot. If you totally wanna avoid crowds its the perfect time to go.

 

Or if you didn't get to it yesterday and today is going to be another full day....sometimes 2am is the only time not filled in on my calendar. And besides, what else could I be doing at that time. Sleep? Nah, I'm a mom.

 

Seriously....probably the very best part time job I ever had was delivering newspapers.....went to get the papers at 2am, finished delivering by 5am....pay was decent but the fact was that this was the only time I had available....while hubby slept and therefore was home with the little ones, so he could work full time and I wasn't missing family time by working all day on weekends.

 

Of course, sleep deprivation and I have always been best friends.

[unsinkable]

Wow!! What grocery store do you go to? I've never heard of a grocery open at midnight. That would work for me too! :D

 

Ibbygirl,

 

Come on up to Buffalo!

 

Bars are open 'til 4 am. Then we can go to a 24-hour Greek restaurant. After that, grocery shopping at Wegman's (one of the best grocery stores in the country.)

 

:D

[Highereducation]

Okay, I wasn't sure which thread to post this on, but this one seems to make the most sense, considering the title!

 

This is why I worry: the son of a friend of my mother's goes to a collge that has suspected cases of swine flu - some of the students went to Mexico over spring break and got sick not long afterward. So my friend's son started having some symptoms that were oink oink suspicious - very sore throat, fever, aches, nausea, etc. He went to the health center. After a cursory exam and no testing whatsoever, he was told that they don't think he has it and sent away with the instructions to keep washing his hands.

 

I don't want widespread panic, but in a set up of such close quarters where the virus could and may already be spreading, wouldn't it make sense to at least do a swab?

[Lovedtodeath]

I was told that anyone who has these symptoms should go to the doctor for a swab. But, I wonder... government agencies are telling us to do this, but I have to shell out my own $70-$150 for it? It just doesn't seem right.

[Jenn in Mo]

I'm confused about this one, though I totally agree with the principle of not going out when sick. If the girl was sick on Thursday, wasn't she well four days later on Sunday? My rule of thumb is to wait 24 hours after the last vomiting session, then the kid is well. Same with fever--I give it 24 hours to "settle." So by my rule of thumb your friend's child would not only be well on Sunday--the illness would be old news at that point. Was the child still sick throwing up on Sunday???

 

 

Yup - what she said. If it was a 24 hour stomach bug, why would we still be home 3 days later? The most contagious stage is at the beginning...even pre-symptomatic. And that would be the shortest incubation period I've ever heard of if they were throwing up that night from an afternoon exposure. More likely, they hung out with the same pre-symptomatic child at church the week before or.....the child shopped at Wal-mart, the unavoidable germ-haven.

[brehon]

I thought the TX boy that died was 5? Is this the same child or has another one died?

 

Sorry, just saw this...as I understand it, the boy was a 23 month old boy who was actually a Mexican citizen. He was apparently visiting relatives in Brownsville, became very sick (after contracting the illness in Mexico), and was airlifted (I'm assuming -- it's quite a drive otherwise) to Houston where he died a day later.

 

Of course, I heard this on the news...no telling how accurate that is. I will say that the BBC and all the Central TX news outlets have the same story, though.

 

I haven't heard about a 5 year old boy.

[mazakaal]

Yea, we had dinner guests last night, and they showed up apologizing that they were late, but they had to stop at the chemist because the baby had had a fever for the past 24 hours. The Calpol wasn't really helping it, so they wanted to get Nurophen to alternate with the Calpol. I was sorely tempted to say, "Sorry your baby is poorly. I guess we'll have to skip the dinner." But I knew dh would think I was completely over-reacting. There are only 5 confirmed cases in the whole country, so, of course, the odds are against it being swine flu. But even if it's not swine flu, I don't really want the germs hanging out in my home for a few hours.

[SquirrellyMama]

My dh and I don't understand why people go to church sick. ....

 

My children miss so much church in the winter because we won't take them with runny noses and coughs. We also don't take them when we know one particular family is sick because they come to church anyway. Ugh.

[mereadeux]

That is just wrong! We should be doing whatever we can to prevent to spread of illnesses. When my kids are sick we go nowhere.

[Ibbygirl]

Ibbygirl,

 

Come on up to Buffalo!

 

Bars are open 'til 4 am. Then we can go to a 24-hour Greek restaurant. After that, grocery shopping at Wegman's (one of the best grocery stores in the country.)

 

:D

 

 

LOL :lol: Ay, not to hijack the thread, but I have a crazy Greek restaurant story. I am Spanish and Cuban first of all. When I lived at home we never ate dinner before 9 or 9:30pm. We just never did. Fast forward and now I"m married. My husband likes to eat dinner as soon as he walks in the door from work between 5-5:30pm. It took me YEARS to get used to eating at that time. Mostly I would just eat a salad or something to keep him company because I was just never hungry. Well, one day my husband decides to take me to dinner to this local Greek restaurant in our city. We get there at 5:30pm and open the door. There is NOBODY inside. We are just kinda walking around because it was a pretty big place and we're calling out, "Hello?" hehehe Finally this little man comes out with a very surprised look on his face and says to us, "I'm so sorry. We're not open yet. Can you come back later?" So we go out for like an hour or so and come back like around 6:30-7:00. We are still the only ones in the whole place. hehehe We ordered and we served and just ate there all by ourselves. While we were eating, around 8:00 people started filing into the restaurant. By the time we left (close to 9pm), they were half full and had a full band playing Greek music. When we got outside and found our car my husband just turned to me and said, "Man! We are such DORKS!!" hehehehehee

 

** And now back to your regularly scheduled thread ** :D

[fivetails]

Sorry, just saw this...as I understand it, the boy was a 23 month old boy who was actually a Mexican citizen. He was apparently visiting relatives in Brownsville, became very sick (after contracting the illness in Mexico), and was airlifted (I'm assuming -- it's quite a drive otherwise) to Houston where he died a day later.

 

Of course, I heard this on the news...no telling how accurate that is. I will say that the BBC and all the Central TX news outlets have the same story, though.

 

I haven't heard about a 5 year old boy.

 

The 5yr old was a girl, from Mexico somewhere.. I watched a vid on CNN and they were showing some of her family members preparing for her funeral, photos of her, stuff like that. So both stories are true, but different children/locations/situations.

[tricia]

Unbelievable to say the least.:confused:

[MomLovesClassics]

When I was a child attending public school, a sick boy coughed in my face on purpose. I got very sick afterwords. With doctors not doing the proper testing, and those sick out spreading their germs that does worry me.

[KidsHappen]

I've always read that overuse of those products is causing a lot of the diseases to mutate and become immune to antibiodics and our own natural immunities. I have to say that since I stopped using them umpteen times a day (after being told all this by our doctor after pulling it out to gel the kids up in his waiting room, lol...and researching his statements online)and instead make the kids wash their hands with warm water and soap at every opportunity (to the tune of 3 choruses of Old MacDonald to get your 20 seconds in), we haven't spread the ick among household members nearly as often. I truly thought that Economy Size gel was a godsend, but please, talk to your doctor about whether it is giving you a false sense of safety and perhaps doing more harm than good. It sounds like you guys catch everything pretty easy like we used to.....and now that I've become a bit more germophobic and less chemical dependent :lol: we are actually catching much less. The truly amazing is that now if one member of the house gets sick, it's not automatic for all of us to eventually get it.

 

I have found the same thing in my research and talking to my dr. and do you know how hard it is to find non anti-bacterial soap? I used to use Ivory liquid but apparently they quit making it so I have been searching for something new and it is hard to find. Everything is anti-bacterial these days. I also have a sensory issue and the hand gels literally freak me out. I can't stand them and will go with plain water or handiwipes that I keep in my purse over using them.

[fshinkevich]

My Dr told me the gel was helpful, if needed in between hand washing. She said up to 4 times a day was helpful, after that not so much.

 

So I keep some around for when there are no sinks.

[Lovedtodeath]

I have found the same thing in my research and talking to my dr. and do you know how hard it is to find non anti-bacterial soap? I used to use Ivory liquid but apparently they quit making it so I have been searching for something new and it is hard to find. Everything is anti-bacterial these days. I also have a sensory issue and the hand gels literally freak me out. I can't stand them and will go with plain water or handiwipes that I keep in my purse over using them.

We use bar soap.

[secular_mom]

. I am always shocked to be in a public restroom when an adult come out of a stall and bypasses the sink. :willy_nilly:

 

I most often bypass the sinks, because I am a huge germophobe. IF the sinks are decent, then I will use them. But if they are those horrid push-button sinks, well, it's usually not worth my time. I have been known to hike my leg up and step on the darn push button things though, to keep the water flowing long enough for me to get my hands clean. People give me REALLY weird looks when I do that. I've done it so that my kids can get their hands clean too. But if I've just gone to pee, and it's only push faucets (that you have to keep pressing the darn thing down over and over and over to get a couple of seconds of water) then I will skip them and just use the hand sanitizer I keep in my purse. I've seen too many old ladies, employees, etc. who walk out of a stinky stall and barely soap their hands, then touch that stupid faucet and barely rinse the soap off. It makes me insane, I wish there were video screens in public restrooms telling people WHY they NEED to wash their hands PROPERLY and HOW to wash their hands PROPERLY. :tongue_smilie: Meanwhile, all these people are doing is getting MORE germs on their hands than they would've had if they hadn't touched the soap dispenser and the faucet. Blech.

[secular_mom]

The white Soft Soap that we buy is not antibacterial.

[Blessedfamily]

I have found the same thing in my research and talking to my dr. and do you know how hard it is to find non anti-bacterial soap? I used to use Ivory liquid but apparently they quit making it so I have been searching for something new and it is hard to find. Everything is anti-bacterial these days. I also have a sensory issue and the hand gels literally freak me out. I can't stand them and will go with plain water or handiwipes that I keep in my purse over using them.

 

Kidshappen,

 

Try looking again. I found the same thing at first- all the stuff was antibacterial. There has been a re-emergence of the regular hand soap. We buy it at Walmart or Target. I think they soap companies have changed since consumers have gotten cautious about over-using antibacterial soap.

[Jenn in Mo]

I have found the same thing in my research and talking to my dr. and do you know how hard it is to find non anti-bacterial soap? I used to use Ivory liquid but apparently they quit making it so I have been searching for something new and it is hard to find. Everything is anti-bacterial these days. I also have a sensory issue and the hand gels literally freak me out. I can't stand them and will go with plain water or handiwipes that I keep in my purse over using them.

 

Same here - I ended up just switching to shampoo in our soap dispenser.

[Kathy in MD]

I most often bypass the sinks, because I am a huge germophobe. IF the sinks are decent, then I will use them. But if they are those horrid push-button sinks, well, it's usually not worth my time. I have been known to hike my leg up and step on the darn push button things though, to keep the water flowing long enough for me to get my hands clean. People give me REALLY weird looks when I do that. I've done it so that my kids can get their hands clean too. But if I've just gone to pee, and it's only push faucets (that you have to keep pressing the darn thing down over and over and over to get a couple of seconds of water) then I will skip them and just use the hand sanitizer I keep in my purse. I've seen too many old ladies, employees, etc. who walk out of a stinky stall and barely soap their hands, then touch that stupid faucet and barely rinse the soap off. It makes me insane, I wish there were video screens in public restrooms telling people WHY they NEED to wash their hands PROPERLY and HOW to wash their hands PROPERLY. :tongue_smilie: Meanwhile, all these people are doing is getting MORE germs on their hands than they would've had if they hadn't touched the soap dispenser and the faucet. Blech.

 

Would you please do everyone who does use those sinks a favor and use an alternative to your shoes? You can either use a paper towel to turn on the water or your elbow. Do you have any idea how filthy your shoes can be?

 

After all, someone who barely soaps up may know very well that she used enough TP to keep her hands away from the "dirt". But how clean were the floors you were walking on? Did you walk outside where dogs, cats, rabbits or deer might have relieved themselves? Using your shoes can be even more filthy than a hand that's been kept basically clean. And you never know, but the next person following you may be genuinely immune suppressed.

[secular_mom]

Would you please do everyone who does use those sinks a favor and use an alternative to your shoes? You can either use a paper towel to turn on the water or your elbow. Do you have any idea how filthy your shoes can be?

 

After all, someone who barely soaps up may know very well that she used enough TP to keep her hands away from the "dirt". But how clean were the floors you were walking on? Did you walk outside where dogs, cats, rabbits or deer might have relieved themselves? Using your shoes can be even more filthy than a hand that's been kept basically clean. And you never know, but the next person following you may be genuinely immune suppressed.

 

Now, how in the world would I get my hands clean, rubbing them together underneath the stream of water if my ELBOW was holding down the faucet handle? :confused: This was the only thing I could come up with, to get my hands clean.

No, I won't change the way I do this. I think it is the responsibility of those with compromised immune systems to ASSUME the faucet handles in public sinks are contaminated with germs and that they should thoroughly clean their hands after touching them. I mean, for crying out loud *I* can come up with ways to get my hands clean and *I* don't even HAVE such issues. If my LIFE depended on it, of COURSE I'll find a way to keep my hands clean. Sheesh. And if it's a child that has a compromised immune system, it's the MOTHER's job to protect her child even more diligently than I protect mine. It's not rocket science. People with DIRTY hands touch the sinks to wash their hands.

[kah]

I always thought the idea with the push-button faucets is that you're supposed to wet your hands, let the water go off, get some soap, lather up, get a little more water if you need, then hold it down with one soapy hand while rinsing the other, then switch, and switch back and forth until both hands and the faucet have been washed free of suds. Or maybe I'm just a little compulsive in my own different way and have to actually wash the faucets wherever I go. :lol:

[ConnieB]

Would you please do everyone who does use those sinks a favor and use an alternative to your shoes? You can either use a paper towel to turn on the water or your elbow. Do you have any idea how filthy your shoes can be?

 

After all, someone who barely soaps up may know very well that she used enough TP to keep her hands away from the "dirt". But how clean were the floors you were walking on? Did you walk outside where dogs, cats, rabbits or deer might have relieved themselves? Using your shoes can be even more filthy than a hand that's been kept basically clean. And you never know, but the next person following you may be genuinely immune suppressed.

 

 

Even more gross is the ladies who put their purse on that disgusting floor....and then carry that same purse home and put it on their kitchen counter. Saw a report once where they put a sterlized purse onto a mall bathroom floor for 1 minute, then set it on a table for 1 minute, then tested the table for germs. They found ecoli and I don't remember what all, but it was some serious germs. So if setting a purse on the floor for a minute created that much, imagine what previous posters foot did......and of course SHE is now putting those germs on the sink....and whereever else her foot lands trying to get it up there!!

 

I use papertowels to hold it down for my kids and then they do the same for me. I then dry my hands with paper towels and keep it to open the door, cause you know those folks that didn't wash up used that handle. Which means the lady who used her foot to avoid the faucet, got a handful when she opened the door!

 

I just wish that public facilities were cleaned more often. You can usually tell by the overflowing trash that it's been a long time! I avoid them as much as possible....unfortunately as I grow older my bladder is making it more difficult to do a day of errands without having to go, lol.

[Kathy in MD]

Now, how in the world would I get my hands clean, rubbing them together underneath the stream of water if my ELBOW was holding down the faucet handle? :confused:

 

It's simple. Soap up first (or wet each hand first and then soap up) and rub your hands together for the recommended time. Then turn on the water and rinse each hand off individually. I've had to do this for faucets that don't have a delay timer. If there's a delayed timer, the elbow or paper towel trick will work very well.

 

As for the immune impared, many of them can't do the acrobatics you indulge in. In fact, probably most of them can't. So what do they do? Stay under house arrest until their immune system is better. which may be never?

 

BTW, my doctors and their nurses deal with individuals with impared immune system every day. These are individuals who's bodies are taking a beating both from their disease and the treatment. Some of them even have school aged children bringing home all the school germs. Yet it's not until their white blood cell count gets down to **50** that they recommend precautions. Do you know how far below normal 50 is? How difficult is is to get it down to that level? And even then the precautions are basically to avoid crowds, avoid sick people, and don't eat raw fruits or vegatables. There may be one other. But that's basically it. The impared individual can still go out around other people, just not when the stores are crowded. They can even use public restrooms without bringing anti-bacterial wipes.

 

I think if these individuals can do all that with their doctors and nurses blessings, you can lighten up a bit.

[Kathy in MD]

I always thought the idea with the push-button faucets is that you're supposed to wet your hands, let the water go off, get some soap, lather up, get a little more water if you need, then hold it down with one soapy hand while rinsing the other, then switch, and switch back and forth until both hands and the faucet have been washed free of suds. Or maybe I'm just a little compulsive in my own different way and have to actually wash the faucets wherever I go. :lol:

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[Katiebug_1976]

That is NOT OK! Does she not realize that she is exposing others to whatever virus she has? That is just down right RUDE and dangerous considering the bug we are facing right now.

[Ibbygirl]

Even more gross is the ladies who put their purse on that disgusting floor....and then carry that same purse home and put it on their kitchen counter. Saw a report once where they put a sterlized purse onto a mall bathroom floor for 1 minute, then set it on a table for 1 minute, then tested the table for germs. They found ecoli and I don't remember what all, but it was some serious germs. So if setting a purse on the floor for a minute created that much, imagine what previous posters foot did......and of course SHE is now putting those germs on the sink....and whereever else her foot lands trying to get it up there!!

 

 

Ugh! My mom does that ALL THE TIME and it drives me CRAZY!!! Everytime she comes to visit me she puts her purse up on my dining room table. I ask her every single time she does it to please take her purse off the table and yet the very next time she comes, there goes the purse up on my table. It drives me nuts. I feel like I have to boil my table afterwards! hehe

[secular_mom]

I use papertowels to hold it down for my kids and then they do the same for me. I then dry my hands with paper towels and keep it to open the door, cause you know those folks that didn't wash up used that handle. Which means the lady who used her foot to avoid the faucet, got a handful when she opened the door!

 

 

 

'Previous Poster' (me) does not touch the germ infested handles in public restrooms. The bathrooms where I have stood on the faucet to get water out did NOT have paper towels, they had those blowers for drying hands- and I use my elbow to press the button to start those.

Honestly, people poop in public restrooms, get fecal matter on their hands when they wipe, and then touch those faucets. You should assume their is fecal matter on the toilet handle, latch for your stall, faucet handle, and door handle. I am intelligent enough to avoid germs. I do not hyperfocus on one thing, and then ignore the rest (like I see many other people do).

 

:lol:Since none of you know where I live, you should all assume I stepped on the faucet handles of the public restrooms that you are using, and assume I had dog poo on the bottom of my shoe. Then hopefully you'll get your hands clean well enough without acquiring more germs than you'd be rinsing off otherwise. :D

[ConnieB]

'Previous Poster' (me) does not touch the germ infested handles in public restrooms. :D

 

 

Oh my, then how do you get out of the restroom....stand around and wait for someone else to touch the handle and open the door for you? :D Or, maybe you are the lady that paces back and forth in front of the stalls for hours on end (we have such a lady that "hangs out" in the mall bathroom, she's rather infamous actually). I never could figure out what/why she did that....maybe it's because she can't figure out how to open the door without touching the handles!!!

 

:lol::D:tongue_smilie:

[secular_mom]

Oh my, then how do you get out of the restroom....stand around and wait for someone else to touch the handle and open the door for you? :D Or, maybe you are the lady that paces back and forth in front of the stalls for hours on end (we have such a lady that "hangs out" in the mall bathroom, she's rather infamous actually). I never could figure out what/why she did that....maybe it's because she can't figure out how to open the door without touching the handles!!!

 

:lol::D:tongue_smilie:

 

No, I used my filthy feet, of course. :lol:

 

(no, I don't really open doors with my feet)

[ConnieB]

BTW, my doctors and their nurses deal with individuals with impared immune system every day. These are individuals who's bodies are taking a beating both from their disease and the treatment. Some of them even have school aged children bringing home all the school germs. Yet it's not until their white blood cell count gets down to **50** that they recommend precautions.

.

 

 

Ok, my total white cell has never been that low....but the new typical is in the couple hundred (normal being 5,000+ I believe), so it's not great. And yeah, my doc lets me out of the house, but I've had all the lectures I'm going to take....I do take huge precautions and by virtue of me so do my kids.....but even if I come up sick I can't even begin to pin point where I got it....coulda been the wall I touched, could have been something "floating" in the air, coulda been something my kids touched....the woulda/coulda can drive you nuts so I just don't listen to them, lol. Life would be a lot easier if others took even half the precautions I do. :tongue_smilie:

[Kathy in MD]

Ok, my total white cell has never been that low....but the new typical is in the couple hundred (normal being 5,000+ I believe), so it's not great. And yeah, my doc lets me out of the house, but I've had all the lectures I'm going to take....I do take huge precautions and by virtue of me so do my kids.....but even if I come up sick I can't even begin to pin point where I got it....coulda been the wall I touched, could have been something "floating" in the air, coulda been something my kids touched....the woulda/coulda can drive you nuts so I just don't listen to them, lol. Life would be a lot easier if others took even half the precautions I do. :tongue_smilie:

 

I hope you don't think I was lecturing you. I just enjoyed your post. I'll admit, I'm not the sort to worry *at all* unless I'm told to worry. The only times I've ever taken precautions was the very few times my WBC hit 50.

 

To be quite honest, I've changed my diet and started vitamins and I've been healthier since doing that than I have since I was a kid getting lots of fresh air and excercise. For the first time since getting married, I often don't catch the bugs ds an dh catch! :)

 

OTOH, my sister married a guy who was a fanatic about not even sharing glasses within the family, and she now has a child who's asthmatic. And there's now a theory that the increase in asthma and some other auto-immune diseases is because people are too worried about germs. I don't know anyone else in our families with asthma, but my family has a long history of other lung diseases, like cronic bronchitus. Go figure.

[Lovedtodeath]

I use my clothing over my hand to touch the door handle briefly, then use my foot to push it the rest of the way... or I wait until someone walks in.