Preparing for a vomit-fest - what else do I need to do?

[thelittlebluepills]

My brother and mum have been staying here to help out as I have just come out of hospital and DH has M.S. Unfortunately my brother went down with D&V yesterday morning - we quarantined him to the spare room and bathroom and disinfected the house etc, but now my mum has gone down with the same bug. I'm worried it's only a matter of time before the rest of us do.

I've tried to prepare by putting bowls and water next to everyone's bed, as well as spare bedding and PJs for the kids.

I've disinfected the house again and put all the towels/tea towels etc in a hot wash.

If I could scrub the kids hands with bleach I would do but as it is I've insisted on lots of proper handwashing with soap

Is there anything else I can do to avoid this spreading through the family? DH is likely to be hit hard by it and I'm already debilitated by recent surgery followed by two emergency admissions to hospital - I feel like I live in a plague house!!!

[tigana]

Oh lord, poor you!

Everyone washing hands with soap, hot water and drying them properly after every trip to toilet and every vomit session and every cough/sneeze etc is best bet.
and no ill person allowed within breathing distance of the kitchen!

[WherecanIhide]

I don't think there is anything else you can do. I just hope you all escape catching it.

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

disinfect taps/doorhandles/worktops often

single use cups/mugs then straight into hot hot water for washing or into the dishwasher on hottest setting

kitchen towel for hand drying rather than towels

good luck

[thelittlebluepills]

DS1 just started puking. Probably not helped by the fact that DM kissed him goodnight on the lips last night - I will be having words about that once everyone is recovered

Now that DS1 is sick I can't see how I'm going to avoid getting it as I'm clearing up all the sick off him/the bed/the floor

I can now only hope that everyone is kind enough to coordinate the vomiting so I can assist the children in between my own visits to the loo

Can I just say

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks - feel better for that

[Amaretti]

Oh you poor poor thing

[Olivetti]

You poor thing. Hope you all get well soon. Sorry, not the most helpful post, but it sounds dreadful and I just wanted to send mega sympathy!

[HumperdinkFangboner]

What awful timing. Hope the rest of you escape it!

[annoyingdevil]

Latex gloves when clearing up, and whenever you use the bathroom. I quite often manage to avoid bugs this way (pathetic emetophobe). If you do succomb, nil by mouth, at the very first symptom (to lesson the chance of vomiting)

[thelittlebluepills]

Thanks for all the advice - I have taken on all the suggestions if I was not already doing them

Nobody else been sick since DS1 so am desperately hoping this is the end of it all?

Interestingly my mum thinks I'm going over the top with the disinfecting, handwashing and banning all affected people from the kitchen for 48 hrs - and yet she's the one who gets far more vomiting bugs than we do

Since we are now in July I'm trying to be positive that this will be a much better month and write-off June 2011 as probably the crappiest month of my life! (perhaps with the exception of when DH was dx)

In summary June went like this

gall bladder operation - came out same day - all fine
two days later I went yellow and was emergency admitted to hospital
on drips, painkillers etc, in hospital for 3 days - blocked bile duct
missed Take That
got home, discovered kids had worms (and I have a worm phobia)
instead of resting I disinfect house
next day found a wasp nest in the roof
then found 2 moths nests in the bedroom cupboards
DH has a relapse with his MS
developed horrific thrush following totally unneccessary enema given to me in hospital
got a fever and abdominal pain
got worse with awful headache - painkillers not working
went to out of hours GP - got sent to hospital
admitted for drips, drugs and CT scan
they think I may have viral meningitis
I do not have viral meningitis - apparently it is a migraine- given injection which sorts it
3 days after admission I am discharged from hospital
come home to be looked after by mum and brother and all the vomiting starts

so you can see why June wasn't my favourite month really..........

[Amaretti]

Well at least the sun's out so far? Hope a nice July makes things better for you.

[thelittlebluepills]

thanks - about to check my euromillions ticket so it could be a really fab july!

[lollipoppet]

Hi, I've no advice other than what you're doing and plenty of sleep! Just wanted to ask though, how did you cope after the gall bladder removal op? I'm going in for mine on Monday...... (scared)

[thelittlebluepills]

Lollipoppet - the removal itself was ok - be prepared for the excrutiating shoulder pain in the first 24 hrs which is due to the gas they use to inflate your abdomen - if they offer painkillers - take them!

I found bending down difficult for the first week as my tummy was sore and swollen - not too delibilitated by the op itself - just the ensuing complications which you are unlikely to have. good luck

[whomovedmychocolate]

If it's any consolation last year everyone bar me got D&V - I cleared it all up for five days and failed to get it - then last week I got it and no-one else did.

The other thing you need to do is buy bread for toast for recovering people.

[StealthPolarBear]

well hopefully you won't get it and if you do, your mum/brother should be better so can take care of the DCs and bring you iced water and mop your brow.
Sounds horrible, hope you all escape it