Bugs

I have to confess we try to avoid our children/gr.children when they have colds or stomach upsets. If we catch it it just takes us so much longer to get over it. I'm still trying to recover from a chest infection that started last August! No sooner do I get to the end of a course of treatment than it starts again, I'm also asthmatic so that gets worse too! We're pretty good about handwashing and general hygiene in our family but sneezy toddlers with runny noses are walking time bombs. And my hairdresser is my arch enemy at the moment as at my last three appointments she has had a cold and has spent the whole time coughing and sneezing over me! DH and I will continue to have our Flu jabs every autumn and hope the we can at least ward off that particular ailment.

I stressed the importance of hand washing because our hands are the biggest spreaders (?) of germs.
Only last year, I was standing in the foyer of A&E dept to collect a friend and counted 92 people enter without using any of the 8 huge, well signed, hand sanitisers facing the entrance.
I was there for about 10 minutes.
Even in my GPs surgery, there are people who sign in via a screen that everyone touches, yet they don't use the sanitiser right next to it. It beggars belief.

Can sympathise, I had the flu in February two weeks later a chest infection then two weeks after that the worst of the lot, a severe tummy bug which lasted for a week, leaving me really weak, I have now recovered and dont want to think about any more bugs lurking!
Good luck Etheltbags1

ethelbags I think some kind of therapy would help you and your GP can arrange it. Such an extreme reaction e.g. bleach to deal with a spider, smacks of OCD. I'm no fan of spiders but they are not intrinsically dirty, nor are moths. If you do see your GP, be honest about how bad it is.

Gabriella I m one of your sinners then I ve never even thought about people using a screen at the doctors, I use the doorknob to get in the room I hold the handrails as I go to the surgery and touched seats others have sat on on my bus journey to the doctors why on earth would I feel the need to use sanitizer for signing a screen That’s very OTT in my opinion

The chemicals in many of these disinfectants can do you more harm than the germs they remove. All that is needed is hot soapy water.

My dgs seemed to go down with many illnesses after he started nursery. He has been going for 2 years now and no longer gets ill often. I think it is just par for the course. I go down to look after him when he is a little unwell so my dd can go to work. When he is really unwell she takes a days holiday to stay home with him but when he is on the mend I go to look after him until he is well enough for nursery again. The phase will pass.

why on earth would I feel the need to use sanitizer for signing a screen
I use one after using the touch screen - doctors' surgeries are full of people with germs!

Sorry you feel so anxious about bugs, especially if you’ve been ill. Thing is, doesn’t matter how careful you are, bugs are airborne. So if you go on a bus or into a shop, you may catch one. Point is, try not to worry so much. Chances are you won’t pass on whatever ailments family have if you’re careful.

Sorry but I can't get over the bleach/spider thing. What a horrible way to go! I will have that thought in my head all day now! However I wanted to add that I take 'golden paste' on a daily basis. A mix of turmeric, black pepper and oil. Started in November and since then I've had not a sniff of anything! (see what I did there?) Seriously though, I have been in close contact with flu/chesty coughs/raging colds etc. Apparently turmeric is a natural immune system booster. Works for me! Oh and I'm a firm believer in NOT being too hygenic/clean etc. Obviously I don't live in my own filth, but killing every germ/bacteria constantly can't be good for you! Your life must be a constant battle and that must be hard for you. You have my sympathy. (also any spiders you may 'bleach'! have it too! )

Can I just add I may have gotten the wrong end of the stick regarding spiders? I assumed you squirted it with bleach to kill it. I think you meant you clean the area where its been. Sorry. I jump to too many conclusions sometimes!

I have been known to swat flies but I do save spiders even though I'm not keen on them - buy a spider-catcher and put them outside. Don't bleach them, they're very useful creatures.

Be glad your DGD is getting all these bug, encourage her to catch them. The more she gets the stronger her immune system gets and the better she will be able to fight off future infections.

Think of it as sending your immune system to the gym to build up its muscles, and to the laboratory to prepare its recipes for antibody weapons that will attack those bugs when they come back a second time. With the antibodies, a defence can be mounted at once and that particular bug stopped in its tracks. Without the experience of meeting them the first time the immune system would be taken unawares in the future and the infection would clobber you worse then .

Lots of good advice on here. Might it be a good idea to wash hands every time you come back into the house after going out? Clinical studies have shown this is very effective.
The other thing is to boost your immune system. Make sure you eat plenty of veg to get the vitamins and minerals you need. Home cook from fresh ingredients whenever you can, check everyone's vitamin D levels are replete, make sure you get sunshine (don't burn) etc. Ask your GP for a test. Some sources say 85% of brits are deficient. Lots of info on this sort of thing online.

I'm a trained complementary therapist too. I've given reflexology to daughter and reiki to granddaughter. I used various oils to ward off bugs etc. I'm now going on my first holiday abroad for 27 years in 4 weeks. I'm absolutely petrified something will go wrong or we will be ill so I can't go. It's just my luck