Emetophobics obsessively wash their hands so they don’t catch a stomach flu. If this video doesn’t convince the non-emetophobic to do the same then nothing will.
This video is graphic and not for the squeamish. Click on the link to watch the video if you choose.
For the record: I don’t want Malaria, nor do I want the stomach virus. It’s not one of those things that’s on my Christmas list and when I traveled to Africa, I took anti-malaria pills and followed other precautions not to get it. This is just one example of how scared I am to vomit.
Both of these illnesses carries with it symptoms of nausea and vomiting but malaria is more debilitating and if not treated can cause death. The stomach virus in most cases is harmless, very common, and lasts only a few days.
If you do not have emetophobia, at this point, you’re probably thinking I’m nuts. And maybe I am but nausea and vomiting are two of the main symptoms of the stomach flu and fever with fatigue are the main symptoms of malaria. Nausea and vomiting came in at the bottom of likely symptoms for malaria. The recovery may take longer but I can deal with flu like symptoms provided vomiting isn’t accompanying it.
Even though malaria has a higher instance of death, the though of a stomach virus is very frightening.
Listen up folks,
We’re in the peak of stomach virus season and before you know it, spring will be here and norovirus 2009 will be over with. We’ve made it this far and we can make it through the next month or two. Just remember to keep up with good hygiene and take normal precautions. “Normal” for an emetophobe is abnormal to the ordinary person.
After weeks of ignoring the local news, I tuned in this morning to hear this:
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Shigella-Cases-Skyrocket.html
Moms, you’re not imagining – there IS something going around with kids. It’s a one-two punch of Shigella and Norovirus, both hit you right in the gut.
Shigella is an intestinal infection. Norovirus is a gastrointestinal virus.
In a normal year, about 10 cases get reported to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. But in the last 5 months, there have been nearly 200 cases.
Most of the victims have been children under 10.
Both illnesses are spread easily from person to person.
Norovirus is so rampant right now an entire school in Cherry Hill shut down on Friday because so many kids were sick.
Shigella causes diarrhea, fever, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. As uncomfortable as it can be, most of the time kids do get through it without treatment.
Norovirus has a lot of the same symptoms as Shigella. The symptoms often begin suddenly and can include nausea, stomach cramping, vomiting and diarrhea. The Pa. Department of Health is where you can get more info on the spike in cases, treatment and prevention.
The CDC has a lot more information on Shigella.
Best Prevention for both Shigella and Norovirus– WASH YOUR HANDS.
When I signed up for karate classes 16 months ago, I expected challenges. This class not only tests me physically, but also mentally and it has helped me immensely in dealing with emetophobia.
One of the hardest obstacles I had to overcome was to sign up. Any environment where sweating is encouraged, carries with it germs. Students of martial arts practice barefoot on a mat. Even though they clean and disinfect this mat it’s done on a daily basis and not in between classes. My class is the last one of the day and the mat is usually dusty and not clean looking. This is one of the areas I have improved on since joining. A few years ago you would never be able to get me to stand on a mat like that, now I will tolerate it without enjoying. Once class begins, it’s not even on my mind.
Additionally, karate is an activity that appeals to children and although I’m in a very large adult class, most of those attending this school are kids. Places where kids congregate, are at a greater risk of norovirus popping its ugly head in.
Tonight, my worst karate school fear happened. A kid in the class before vomited. I missed the worst part but handled the whole situation well. Next to the enclosed mat where we have our class, is the waiting area with chairs and floor mats where parents and siblings wait. When I walked inside the smell of carpet cleaner immediately hit me and there was a very large wet spot on the floor mat in the waiting area with “caution wet floor” signs around it. I saw the bottle of carpet cleaner nearby but it didn’t occur to me what happened. The door was wide open to air it out and with the temperatures in the 30’s in Pennsylvania, it probably froze it out as well.
After I walked to the shoe area (this is where we put our shoes and stuff), someone told me it was vomit. Did I panic? NO. As long as there is no smell, other people’s vomit doesn’t panic me at all with the exception of one thing. If they had a contagious bug and where did he spread it.
Now, I don’t know who the kid was or whether he was a student or just a sibling waiting around. Students have more access to the place and the sick kid could have contaminated the bathroom, shoe area, or God-forbid the mat where I had to stand barefoot. This is where the panic started to set in but I managed to keep going throughout class and finish stopping periodically to use my norovirus killing hand sanitizer. As soon as I got home, my hands and feet were scrubbed.
|
Recent Comments