Friday, September 12, 2008

Post Traumatic Stress

Y'all. I am having an anxiety attack over here. I really think I need to see someone about my germaphobia. I honestly think I'm developing some kind of panic disorder about it.

One of my neighbors invited us over for dinner tonight. She said she has an inner ear infection and sinus infection, but is on antibiotics and is probably not contagious. She said it would just be us, because the other neighbor's daughter was still fighting off a UTI and feeling really sick.

So, I went. I figured since it was the mom and not the kids who were sick that we would likely be safe. Then in walked the second neighbor with her three kids. Two with green snot hanging out of their noses and one with a high fever and UTI. I wanted to just run out of the house. I know UTIs are not contagious. But then the kid started barfing. She barfed at least three times while I was there. And both the other mothers were dealing with her while I just tried not to start crying. I wanted to leave, but I knew it would be obvious and rude if I did. So I stayed there and felt my panic just rising.

The other snotty kids were just sneezing on everything and the three year old kept following me around....with green snot just dangling out of his nose. I am a bad, bad person because not only did I not wipe up his nasty nose, I just kept walking away from him. I'm so BAD!!!! I think I'm missing a nuturing chip or something. Because I just couldn't bring myself to wipe his green dangler. And I definitely wasn't going to go help out with Barf Girl. No way, no how.

I washed my hands at least 253,987 times and was just watching the clock for an acceptable amount of time to pass before I could flee.

I have always loved fall. It used to be my favorite season. But, then all hell broke loose last year with the seizures and nebulizers and hosptials and pneumonia and VCUGs and parvovirus and blood transfusions....and now I just view fall as the start of another hellish cold and flu season. I really have to fight back the urge to just shrink wrap my house and never leave. I feel a physical panicky sensation when faced with anyone who is even remotely ill. All I can imagine is Becca having a seizure. It is as vivid and as horrible a feeling as the day it happened. I know she is going to get sick. I know she will recover. I know it will all be fine, but I can't stop the panic!

That one neighbor is notorious for bringing her sick kids around everyone else. With three small children, the chances of one or the other of them being sick at any given time is really high. And two of her kids are in Becca's preschool class. I am just really worried about this winter, especially with a new baby, another kid who is in her first year of petri dish samping (I mean preschool), a father who is an airline pilot and stuck in those nasty, dirty planes and a mother who totally has PTSD from last year's illnesses. This is not a good combination. God. I seriously could use a shot of vodka to bring me down off this ledge.

23 comments:

joanna said...

I'm not a germophobe, but I definitely don't like wiping green snot from any kid's nose but my own. I don't blame you for walking away and for washing your hands and I wouldn't have blamed you for leaving. A sudden headache? Tired and pregnant? I forgot I left my friend's dog out in the house and I better go home and check on it? Or simply a 'I'm trying to avoid green boogers as long as possible to avoid Becca getting sick and having a seizure'? I think being pregnant could excuse just about anything that might under other circumstances be socially unacceptable to your neighbors... I think I need to go wash my hands now. Yuck!

Joel and Angela said...

That sounds terrible!! Awful!! Makes me want to puke reading it. The barfing girl could have been barfing because of her UTI or meds. Whenever my girls have had a UTI (very common in this house and we have had to have a VCUG too), the doctor always asks and warns of vomitting. But thank goodness that hasn't happened!
A

Unknown said...

As soon as the kid starting throwing up, I would have been out of there! Seriously. You may be a little more stressed about it than most (which is honestly understandable with all your happenings this year) but as soon as someone mentions illness, especially barfing, I'm cancelling so as not to have my own child catch it. You're not completely overreacting in my opinion. Plus, you've got pregnancy hormone craziness on your side. Cut yourself a little slack. And for goodness sakes, that lady needs to learn a little consideration for others and keep her sick kids at home! Bad form on her part! If Braden is even slightly contagious, we stay home.

Anonymous said...

oh my gosh- the barfing part made me laugh!! i know how much you love barf!!

Anonymous said...

Ah, it is such a relief to know there is someone else in the world who is just like me. I know we are total strangers and all but since we both have 3 yr olds and we are both due in a few weeks and are having serious issues with germs...I feel like we could be good friends. :)

My husband just got promoted last week and in lieu of a wet down we hosted a dinner for his Marines and their families. One family showed up and their kid was barking like a seal. They told me not to worry...."he has been clear of a fever and vomiting for a few days, now he just has a snot nose and horrible cough." And Id be lying if I didn't say I honestly wondered if I could just sneak out. Then.....THEN to make matters worse the little kid picked up my son's airplanes and proceeded to LICK THEM & STICK THEM IN HIS MOUTH and Im watching this thinking "OMG OMG OMG." I bet my eyes were bulging out of my head a little bit. So I brought the affected aircraft home and put them on the counter where I sprayed them twice with clorox bleach and have still told Nathan he may not play with them.....not until I Google "how long can stomach virus survive on object."

And for what its worth (Im already writing a short story here) I totally would have high tailed it out of the neighbors house. ESPECIALLY once the barfing started. I would have played the pregnancy card and been like "I just cant afford for me or Becca to get sick right now. With the baby due any day Im SURE you can understand why I can't stay."

Angie said...

I can't believe that you stayed with green snot kid chasing you!

Unknown said...

Lisa is right. I would have told the truth, all the while fighting back tears.

I'm a germophobe myself, however, you have the best excuse ever: "I'm sorry, I'm due any day, and I really can't afford to have myself or my child sick. Thanks for inviting me, but I really can't stay."

And, as soon as the kid barfed, why didn't the HOST just give you an out anyway? "Katie, I'm sorry, it's not a good idea for you to be here. I didn't know it was this bad. We'll have to do something another time."

This post pissed me off b/c it reminds me that there are complete idiots out there who are more concerned about having a little fun than keeping their family home, rested and out of the way of pregnant women (who have comprimised immune systems - doesn't EVERYONE know this?), toddlers and other people, in general!

I'm so sorry this happened to you and I'll send some healthy vibes your way!

Katie said...

I love y'all.

Seriously, I thought you were all going to tell me I am the biggest freak and I need to just calm down!

Lisa, I have DONE THAT BEFORE--I think the flu virus can live on objects for a couple DAYS. I think we may be twins!

Angela, the mother did think that it was the medication from the UTI making her sick. So I hope you guys are both right. But I tell you....every time they put ANYTHING in that kid's mouth it came up 2 minutes later. I was gagging myself. I just can't believe she would bring that child to someone else's house. Seriously!

And Becca has a runny nose this morning.

Anonymous said...

I still pick food off the floor and eat it.But with all the crap you've been thru I don't blame you for washing your hands a zillion times.
with all of thoughs snot nosed kids & you being Pregers you should have left.

Tracy said...

boy, makes my night seem tame! I have found I am on the germo path, but not quite as bad...yet. I do think I would have drawn the line with the puking. I can handle green snot, but puke? If her kid had a UTI she should have stayed home anyway. You know how you feel when you have one. Going out is the last thing you want to do. Staying at home and recovering should have been what happened.

Have you recovered?

capegirlindc said...

That sounds miserable. That would have made me batsh*t crazy. It seems really unfair of the neighbor to bring her sick kids out like that. It's unfair to both the kids and everyone else. Also, I couldn't bring myself to wipe snot off a kid's face like that. I don't have any kids but that grosses me out.

Marie Green said...

I'm not a germaphobe either, but barfing is where I draw the line. You've been through so much this year... OF COURSE you are going to be careful around mysterious illnesses/bodily fluids.

Just remember that most times people are contagious even BEFORE they have symptoms, so it's truly impossible to protect yourselves from germs.

Also? My 3rd baby came along about 2 weeks after my twins started preschool and she had a very healthy infancy. (Well, until she started getting ear infections at 10 months, but she never had a COLD with them... ie- they weren't something she contracted from someone else... it was her body's malfunction. )

Anyway! BARFING SUCKS. I'm so sorry you had to be near it!

The Quinn Report said...

I'm sorry, but I just think it's rude of that lady to bring her sick kids around others. What the heck is she thinking? When Salem comes down with something, we seriously stay on lock-down for at LEAST 48 hours AFTER the symptoms have passed.

I don't know how you managed. I would have been THAT neighbor who would have made it obvious and just ran the hell out of there as fast as my pregnant fat ass could take me!

Erin said...

I am far from germaphobe, but I really don't think it's okay to bring your PUKEY kid anywhere. And I don't blame you one bit for being germaphobe. You guys have been through a lot. A LOT. Because of contagious viruses, etc. I'm sorry.

Katie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Katie said...

OMG OMG OMG OMG. The sick kid spent five hours in the ER today. And now one of the previously healthy kids is at the doctor for UTI symptoms. I didn't think UTIs were contagious....what is going on around here?

Jen said...

I wouldn't have blamed you for leaving, either! You are pregnant, after all, and John is gone so much that it is definitely worth your while to keep Becca as healthy as possible. Even if he wasn't gone much, you would have been within reason!

I'm pretty sure anytime I am at someone's house and someone starts barfing, I will leave. Of course, that is easier said than done, I realize. Hope you guys don't get sick.

Laura said...

Put me on your Clorox-bleached- anti-microbial boat too! It's enough for my kids to have the dreaded germs around me, but other peoples kids and bodily fluids? Eww!

I think you were pretty gracious and cordial to stay as long as you did. I can't say that I wouldn't have been tempted just to slip out the back door and pretend I was never there.

Now you have a plan for next time; look for escape route upon entering.

Unknown said...

I LOVE your new layout!

I loved Laura's "gracious" and "cordial" comment.

And, Tracy is so right too! I've had a UTI or two and it is the WORST. The mother was torturing her poor child by taking her out! Mean mommy! Mean!

Anonymous said...

i love the change of your site!! its cool!!

;-D

MaryB said...

First of all, I can't believe you stayed!!! Im not a germaphobe and I would have foun a way to leave. My fingers and toes are crossed that no one present was contagious and that you and Becca are yuckiness-free.

I really hope the joy of fall is not forever lost to you! I agree that it is the very very best time of the year! (especially where you are - much more foliage and general "fallness" than down here.)

New design is AWESOME!!! Did you have it designed or do it yourself?

Katie said...

The site template is from
Thecutestblogontheblock.com

I found out about it through Natalie's cool new site! They have awesome backgrounds for blogger!

Jen said...

LOVE the background! Might be going over to that site soon to do some blog shopping...