How Do You Protect Yourself When Others Around You Are Sick?

[Robin Webster]

I do pretty much all the same things you do, nothing unique. But while you’re on the topic I kind of wanted to take a moment to “vent” about a pet peeve. It’s frustrating and makes me weary that the chronically ill person usually has to do all the extra work (as if we have an abundance of energy, right?) to keep from getting the germs being spread around by the “temporarily infected” person. It always seems whether at work or at home or out in public, the sick just go on about their merry business, touching everything in sight, coughing without covering their mouths, etc., and then WE have to either isolate ourselves, or walk around with a Clorox wipe, constantly making sure every surface is disinfected. And the absolute worst is those folks who are obviously sick and just deny, deny, deny, saying “Nope, it’s just allergies.” Oh, please! Get out of my airspace! LOL! This is such a hot button issue for me. I try over and over to tell people, “I get it that for you it’s just a simple cold, but it could land ME in the hospital or even kill me.” That is usually met with an eyeroll. Ugh!!! Sorry. Thanks for letting me vent though.

[Brittany Foster]

Robin,
I completely understand every bit of frustration that you’re talking about here. I know that when I’m sick I don’t want to be the one cleaning my germs up after myself but I do practice good “sick hygiene” like covering my cough. Sometimes when I ask people to cover their sneeze or their cough I get looked at like I just told them to jump off a cliff lol! Like those things AREN’T that hard to do. Many in my life too don’t understand that their “allergies” or “little cough ” could turn into much worse for me and I think that’s why I stay as proactive as I do about cleaning and disinfecting! I know that cleaning and sanitizing properly really tires me out so I usually will get help with that from my mom! Luckily I do have people to help me with that.

[Kaye Norlin]

Robin, I get this too and it is annoying. I was at the hospital and a woman was waiting for labs, sitting next to a sign that said “Cover your cough”. She was coughing and I pointed to the sign for her. she said something like I am happy that you have your mask on to protect yourself; I responded that she should be protecting everyone, especially in that setting. She just shrugged.
I have hand sanitizer spray that smells good; I get it from Hyvee or Whole Foods. I use it on carts always. I also have clear gloves that I got at Aldis recently. I stay away from crowds and wear masks. The other day, a student in one of my classes had a cold and asked if I had an extra mask so she wouldn’t spread germs in the class; I think she is getting an “A”. I disinfect everything. i was eating out with my family last night and I remember the study about germs on menus and S & P shakers. I disinfected my hands about five times before eating. Also, always a mask in public bathrooms.

[Brittany Foster]

Hi Kaye,
It seems like you are taking the right steps with protecting yourself and doing all you CAN! It’s always the OTHERS around us that seem to take their health for granted and that of everyone else around them too. It just is unfair and a lot more eye opening when you have been sick or are the “sick one” . Unfortunately some people just won’t understand until they have been sick themselves and needed to use extra cautions. It SUCKS that it has to come to that sometimes for people to “get it”

[Robin Webster]

The mention of the germs on menus and salt and pepper shakers, etc., reminded me of another important thing. I rarely eat from a buffet line, but sometimes it’s impossible to avoid (such as if you attend a fundraising dinner and that’s how the meal is “served” or if you’re on a cruise.) I always take a paper napkin to hold in my hand so I don’t actually touch the serving utensils. Every single person there is going to touch this handle one by one, and it’s a very expedited way to spread whatever germs anyone has ALL OVER the room.

[Brittany Foster]

Robin ,
YES!!! I honestly cringe at the mention of buffet lines. Some people have buffets for weddings but for my own wedding if I ever go that route (which I probably won’t for food LOL) but it will be a buffet that the staff actually is the one that serves it right in front of you. That’s why SOOOO MANY SHIPS end up having trouble with people getting sick. Good idea about the napkins but to think of people all leaning over the buffet food just grosses me the heck out!

[Kathleen Sheffer]

Yes, this is so annoying, Robin! It seems that in Asian culture it’s more common for the sick person to take an active role in preventing the spread of their illness. Often when I am wearing a mask (because my immune system is suppressed), people will ask me if I’m sick. One mother even told her son that I was keeping my germs away from him – great, another reason for kids to be scared of me when I’m wearing a mask. It’s outrageous that people make that assumption here in the U.S. where even in a hospital when a nurse hands a sick person a disposable mask, they won’t put it on (I’ve seen this regularly). It’s just not what we do. Hopefully it will improve as people are more educated about the spread of disease, but I’m not holding my breath.

I agree with Brittany too – I am the WORST at covering my cough when I’m sick! Usually I’m just so exhausted it’s all I can do to cough at all. At least I was when I had weak lungs when I had PH – I haven’t had any bad respiratory infections since my transplant. Definitely noticed I had a double standard around my family when I was sick. But colds were much more serious for me so me getting them sick wasn’t the same as them getting me sick.

Keep flying your germaphobe flag! It’s just our reality that we have to speak up and be extra vigilant. Good to know I’m not the only one getting looks!

Best tip I can give is to avoid sharing foods or liquids – that’s the biggest problem. Most bacteria die on surfaces like floors, doorknobs, and pillows in just a couple seconds (even shorter than the 5-second rule). My mom doesn’t believe that still, but multiple transplant nurses have told me so and it makes my life so much easier (I don’t have to burn my purse when it drops on the floor) so I choose to believe it.

[Brittany Foster]

Kathleen,
That’s good to know about the bacteria on the surfaces of things. My mom is NUTS when it comes to disinfecting my apartment after I am sick or after my boyfriend is sick. I’m telling you, it’s like she’s coming in as an exterminator hahahaha!!! It’s crazy. I totally appreciate her doing it but it’s like she gets these little corners that I’m like “really mom, I think the corner of the microwave doesn’t need to be cloroxed” hahaha. But hey, whatever helps her sleep at night. I skeeve cleaning bathrooms though! I’ll put on a mask and gloves JUST for that job. I should have stolen some of those astronaut yellow suits they wear in hospitals when someone has bacteria precautions. (But really though, what is a yellow think piece of paper really going to do for them?)

[Kathleen Sheffer]

First of all – keep quiet if your mom is cleaning your apartment!!! Haha. If I were you I’d start faking illness to get the house cleaned, haha.

Wearing a mask is a good idea for the bathroom! And yes those yellow suits don’t seem to do much except make me sweat a lot, but there’s a lot to say for peace of mind.

[Brittany Foster]

So true hahahahaha! And yes you’re definitely right about the whole “peace of mind thing”. Some things I realistically see no point for but I do it anyways!