I am a bonafide germ-a-phobe.
Okay, maybe not the real deal, but I do have anti-bacterial gel in almost every room of the house. When I have guests, there is usually a bottle sitting beside snacks on the coffee table.
Sickness makes me feel unsafe. I think it's the whole out-of-control factor. No, I'm not a control freak. *the uncontrolled laughter is coming from my family* But perhaps I do have the unproved notion that I can stop sickness. Well, I think I could. If only all the other crazy souls out there WOULD STAY HOME AND NOT GO OUT WITH A FEVER!! OR A HACKING COUGH! OR A STOMACH-ACHE!!
Enter this weekend.
A friend from out of the country came to visit. We haven't seen her for eight years. We ate out at a fun restaurant. Late that night my eldest daughter got violently sick with food poisoning.
At least we THOUGHT it was food poisoning.
She was half-finished with a cake commissioned for the grand party to welcome back out-of-the-country-friend. After finishing with her violent night of sickness, she rested half the day then finished the cake for the party while alternating standing, sitting and laying down. That night we went to the party. Everyone raved about the beauty of the cake.
Everyone ate the cake.
Many are now sick with what turned out to be a virus.
How ironic is it that the germaphobe Mom did not see this coming? So, although it pains me to admit it: no amount of anti-bacterial gel can keep you safe from a virus.
And I suppose I cannot be mad at any fever-going, hacking, stomach-ache person walking the streets ever again.
I'm the same way, careful to wash my hands often, using antibacterial lotion. If it helps avoid an illness, I'm all for it. So sorry about your daughter, hope she's feeling better now!
ReplyDeleteJust relax! If you kill off all the bad bacteria then the good bacteria that fights them will get lazy and not do their job next time they're needed.
ReplyDeleteMy father used to say: "You've got to eat a peck of dirt before you die" - and he lived to be 90.
Oh how you would enjoy living in my house. I've got spiders everywhere, the cats bring gifts of live mice for me which then escape and find refuse under the fridge or washing machine. I've got dust that settles by the bucket load and to top it all off I've got venomous snakes in the garden. Life in a nature reserve can be interesting especially when one of the snakes bites you or a scorpion takes up residence in your shoe that you only took off last night.
ReplyDeleteSmile God loves you, you've only got germs to worry about. God bless you my friend, and he does.
Joanne, she IS feeling better and the rest of the family too. I have not fallen yet, but we'll see. ;)
ReplyDeleteOld Altonian, you cracked me up with your father's quote, "You've got to eat a peck of dirt before you die". Maybe I should try that...
Geoff, Haha, I would have a sneezing fit. Snakes AND spiders? *shivers*
I am not a great lover of steakhouses but one of the grandchildren wanted to go there for a family get together. So we went, me moaning. Hours later coming home I felt quite unwell needless to to say I said %#@*^! and a bit more besides. The next day I was worse and got my son a paramedic in his time to take me to hospital. It wasn't the steak but a twisted bowel or something like that necessitating repair work by keyhole surgery.
ReplyDeleteI will have to agree with Altonian that a nice balance of dirt in the diet keeps most ills. away!
Now having said that I will go and clean my hands with the anti-bacterial gel which is quite handy. PS. That was a pun!
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger (germ wise at least)..and who cleans the top of the gel dispensers? It's an endless swirl of disease and nastiness out there! Great post..hope your daughter is better..Jae
ReplyDeleteI hope you haven't gotten sick, Catherine, and that your daughter is feeling better. It happens.
ReplyDeleteOldEgg, I hope you are feeling better. And I liked your pun. :)
ReplyDeleteJaerose, hmmm, never thought of that. :/
Myrna, my whole family got sick, but I've stayed clear somehow. They are all feeling much better, thank you. :D
I'm with you on wanting people to stay home if sick, though sometimes it's not possible. I do wish people would use common sense though, and not visit chemo patients, brand new babies, etc. when you're sneezy/coughing/feverish please!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm glad you didn't get sick and that your family is better. One of the worst sicknesses my family ever got was after eating out... and it was a lovely, clean restaurant. Safe...not so much!