Bugs

I do understand where you are coming from, when my mum was very elderly and the DGC were very small it was one round of them being ill and me helping out and trying not to take anything to mum. I just adopt the scrubbing up well after being in contact and the rest is down to luck. I know the last thing I caught was almost certainly in the Post Office queue - just my bad luck.

I taught for 40yrs and can never remember bugs like this winter's.

I spent seven years working in a Nursery. For the first year I caught every bug going. I had a permanent sniffle. Then for the next six years i was really healthy. I had built up immunity to the germs. That's how we stay well.

I was a teacher for many years and hardly ever caught bugs. I have never had mumps, measles or chickenpox, so assume I have a fairly good immune system. Having said that, I dread getting a sickness bug. I look afterDGC's as well, and haven't caught their bugs, but assume I will at some point. Having had the most stressful two years of my life, due to house moves and DH having PD and dementia with delusion and paranoia, now I worry that I have laid myself wide open to serious illnesses, as one reads that stress is a major factor in their cause. I must say though, I'm not one to go overboard with the cleaning etc, just the necessary hand washing , and general cleaning.

Having been through chemo, my thinking was that I was immosupressed whilst having the treatment but once finished I returned to normal. Maybe this is not so for you.

Often sickness is nothing to do with a tummy bug but because your body is coping with another illness and can't cope with normal digestion.

I had some routine blood tests in a country where they give you the results to take to your doctor. One item was listed as above normal and when I looked it up, it is a chemical produced as a result of stress and yes I had just been through a stressful time. It was a warning to manage my stress better,

The treatment for worms is very simple, 2 doses of medicine and if your gd got them there is no need for her to know as they look like tiny bits of thread in "pooh". Head lice an eternal problem and you are right to keep checking as they prefer clean heads.

Please take note of the expert Farmor15 Ethel and be reassured by it. Hope you get through this period and everyone ends up with good immunity.

I agree with SpanielNanny, as this really sounds like it is having a severe impact on your life.

BTW, I live with 70+ illnesses/conditions, many chronic and progressive (several autoimmune), but I take my chances on germ risks and the like, so I can live a full and happy life as long as I am here.

I'm a first-time gran of an 8-month old baby boy. He goes to daycare, but if and when he has a temperature or diarrhea etc. they call for him to be picked up. My son and daughter IL both work, so I do the picking-up of course, and also the sick-bay care whenever the little one needs it. And o.k., I do get his bugs. In that case I take some meds, go the bed early. It passes. Usually I'm the one catching it since I'm full-time caring for the baby, and my husband doesn't catch it so he can do some shopping if needed.
If my grandson had something life-threatening, he would be in hospital, not in my arms on the couch. I guess that if I catch it, I'll survive too ?

Some of the worst places for picking up germs /bugs are escalator rails, hand rails and door handles . People sneeze into their hands or dont wash their hands after using the toilet etc. then touch everything in site.

I keep a bottle of anti bacterial gel on my desk as I know some of the scruffs at work don’t wash their hands after using the toilet.

Pens as well gillybob - they lie around and everyone picks up the nearest one to use or someone hands you one to sign a form etc.

Ethel, you've been having a torrid time! A lot of these nasties will pass as the weather improves. If you feel you are becoming pre-occupied by thoughts of infection, perhaps you need to talk over your anxieties with your GP.

My twin grandchildren were very premature and pre-school childcare was us and nursery. They caught every bug going and excelled at going down with vomiting bugs on the days we had them. Girl twin even had Meningitis B, which boy twin didn’t catch. My husband and I mopped up, nursed children with high temperatures and never caught a thing. Remember your immune system has built up immunity to thousands of bugs over the years and the likelihood of you catching bugs from your gc is small.

The sickness bug you mention does sound like the Norovirus to me. It's more common during really cold weather. A lot of people are unaware that this virus is still live in your system for a full 48 hours after the vomiting and diarrhea has completely stopped and you are still contagious for that 48 hour period. It is really important that you stay away from others during this time, otherwise it just continues to be passed on. Frequent handwashing is necessary and you need to be scrupulous about this....self protection.

Oh yes, pens too Jalima I fail to think where some of the pens lying around our factory have been . As I said earlier .... they’re scruffs !

Handwashing is most important.
As I'm snivelling and coughing at the moment I could have passed this on to the DGC, although perhaps they gave it to me in the first place.

See bugs and diseases as little gifts to build up your immunity! I have had every bug over the last 10 years... surely the defence is quite high now.

I find that being particular about regular handwashing & seeing the grandchildren often, also volunteering with a Year 1 class (hearing Reading at their school) works well. That combined with a good diet has built up my immune system. I still get colds but they don’t seem to affect my asthma as badly as I’m exposed to all the latest germs & viruses. Good luck with finding the balance between keepin well and seeing your grandchildren.

I think if your daughter couldn't cope with nits she has a problem...children get nits.The cleanest of kids will catch them ,especially wee girls with long hair .You all seem to be obsessed with cleaning and that is not healthy.We need to build up our immunity to germs .Sure clean your house and wash your hands but dont take it to extremes your GD will get an awful lot of clods and bugs before she's much older and nothing you do will stop that happening.

My DGD’s both have very long hair and you’re right paddyann they’ve both had nits a few times. Unavoidable with long hair and little girls who like to hug each other . Not the most pleasant job to get rid of them but it has to be done . I’m scratching thinking about the critters ! ?

We had a thread about something similar before Christmas when I said I had a phobia about being sick so was worried about my family visiting and being ill while they were here for 6 weeks. Worst fears nearly realised when my DiL went down with a sickness bug the day they were due to fly from the other side of the world! The airline changed their flights so they set off a day later but I had 2 nearly sleepless nights worrying that not only would the rest of them get the bug on the flights (worst nightmare) or that they'd arrive and bring it with them so we'd all be ill. Thankfully it didn't happen although she did bring the chest infection she'd had which I started with just before they left and was ill for 3 weeks and the children were ill constantly with coughs and colds. I think sometimes we worry ourselves ill but if your immune system is compromised it's only sensible to try and stay away from anyone with bugs if at all possible. I hope you enjoy are all ok for your holiday.

My friend came to visit me bringing her 32 year old daughter. Her daughter came out of the toilet panic stricken because there was a spider on the wall. These fears are passed on by parents to their children. It's so unnecessary. Apart from being nonsense.

I'm phobic about vomiting bugs but I'm not bothered about anything else. I ask my kids not to come round for 48 hours if they know they or the kids have been sick as it affects me so badly since I became diabetic. I don't believe in sanitising everything within an inch of its life. I don't like dirt but I think over sanitising things makes life more difficult in the long run. Worms, nits, etc are all part and parcel of life. There is research which suggests that worms used to ward off asthma which is why these worm free days we have such a high incidence of asthma amongst children. Nits are horrible little varmints but are easily eradicated these days.

The vast majority of people have no idea of how to wash their hands effectively.
You should use proper soap such as original Palmolive or Imperial Leather, which are scientifically proven to be the most effective at removing bacteria.
All these hand washes are a con.
15-20 seconds of thorough washing (see YouTube videos) followed by properly drying your hands is by far the most effective way to wash.
Wet/damp surfaces (including hands) breed bacteria far faster than dry surfaces and I keep a pile of flannels near the bathroom basin and kitchen sink for that purpose.
Towels usually only get the middle used and it's more hygienic to use several flannels per day and chuck them in the w/m.
Tea-towels draped over the oven door are a no-no, especially if you have pets shaking themselves in the kitchen after being on walks.
The OP's GD seems to have been unlucky to have come down with so many bugs but they're easily passed around in school and between family. Children should be taught proper hand-washing too.
Being careful not to eat food outside (as people often do when walking around) is best practice. Touching door/trolley handles, bus seats etc will transfer germs onto whatever you put in your mouth. It might help stop obesity too.

The vast majority of people have no idea of how to wash their hands effectively

My little grandson (now 8) had hand washing lessons in the reception class where the children were taught how to wash their own hands properly. He still follows it very carefully. I think I might get him up here to work and get him to teach the lads how to wash their hands cups, plates, cutlery, benches....

Hi willow, yes I remember you before Christmas, I was wondering if you had managed to have a bug free Christmas, looks like you got away with the sickness at least.I too have emetophobia, this seems to be what the op is suffering from, it is truly horrible.I have just been reading about a young women that has been cured of this by a hypnotherapist,she had lost a lot of weight and was unable to eat out or go on holiday.She is now able to live a normal life.Maybe it would be worth having a go .

Too much washing is not helpful we will never build up a strong immune system if we are constantly scrubbing and washing and worrying I have never considered how I wash my hands I just haven’t the interest unless I was going to perform an operation
If you have a compromised immune system Ethel that’s sad and obviously what has made you so overly concerned but the fact that your daughter freaks out and then your granddaughter just shows the negative effect these phobias can have for generations
Try not to worry what will be will be