IABU so please help me to stop feeling so anxious about it?

[littlemisssarcastic]

I am due to go to Mum's for Christmas dinner. Mum is expecting me. I have to go for various reasons.
Mum has a hacking cough and a cold. She has been ill with this cough and cold for quite a while now, to the point it is keeping her awake all night. Last night, she could only sleep in an armchair for 3 hours.
DD and I have had the usual rounds of coughs and colds, and stupidly have been trying to avoid anymore as much as possible, mainly because I am a single parent and can't afford to be ill, same as other single parents.

I am only just starting to feel better after the last cough/cold/sore throat/sore ears etc.
Also, a couple of weeks ago, I was so ill with some bug or another that I almost fainted in the bathroom, came across dizzy and nauseous all of a sudden, felt hot and sweating, my hearing went beeeeeeeeeeeeeep, my eyes went fuzzy, and I was gripping onto the side of the basin and bath. I think it was a stomach bug because I had awful stomach ache that suddenly came on at the same time.
DD was downstairs on her own while I was almost passing out in the bathroom. Not a good combination. It has made me frightened of getting illness of any kind.

Mum picks up every cough/cold going, and I thought she would be feeling better now, but she tells me this morning that she has been coughing so much she has almost been sick and feels worse than she did 4 days ago, but she wont go to the Dr. However, she really wants me to go over and realistically, I know IABU.

This afternoon, we were going to go to my sisters, who I now discover has a hacking cough and a cold, as well as her DD (my DN) having headlice for the 10th time this year.
I told mum I might give sister's a miss if she doesn't feel well, and her DD has headlice again , but mum has just informed me that apparently I am driving her to sisters, and she has already told sister I will be bringing her.

OMG!! I am going to be confined inside my car with all the germs and I am getting this completely out of proportion I know.

Come and give me your tips on how to lessen the risk of catching coughs/colds/headlice when in close proximity to people with these things. (I will endeavour to make sure DD 3, adheres to these tips.

My main concern is that DD is 3, and I have been very ill a couple of times, the last time only a couple of weeks ago, and I just can't afford to be ill when I have DD to look after. (She is not the type of child to sit quietly and watch a dvd, she is more likely to be climbing, jumping, emptying kitchen cupboards, filling sinks with water kind of child)

HELP!!!

At this time of year, you will daily come into contact with people who have coughs and colds. So long as you have no underlying health issues, you shouldnt worry at all. Make sure you eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of vitamin c, the more germs you are exposed to, the more your immune system builds up a resistance.

I never get a cough or cold, my kids don't either.

Not sure why people get them and others don't. I'm never sick.

Maybe you need to take vitamins so that it doesn't affect you as much in the future.

Hand sanitiser, tissues for sneezes and covering coughs as best they can. Wipe down surfaces that have been touched and door knobs etc and practice good hygiene with hand washing, not leaving tissues around etc.

I heard head lice prefer clean hair so short of rolling your DD in mud, I'm not sure.

YANBU though. I'd hate to be around all of those germs.

Do you have any tea tree oil you could spray on DD's head?

We have the Nit Vosene shampoo and spray and neither of my boys have had nits since we started using it.

I would drive with the windows partly open to get some air in the car and take some hand sanitiser with me ifIWasThatParanoid

squeakytoy Will definitely be stocking up on Orange Juice I think. I eat a reasonably good diet, although there's always room for improvement in my house .

FabbyChic Isn't it strange how some people pick up everything, and others never get coughs/colds. My mum picks up everything, DS OTOH is very rarely ill, but when he is, he feels absolutely awful for a few days. I am somewhere in the middle, but when I feel ill, especially lately, I seem to feel completely incapacitated. Maybe I am just getting old

partytights I am going to find the hand sanitiser right now, didn't think of that, will pop it in my handbag. Thanks.
I have told DD not to touch heads with DN. Will be keeping a close eye on them.

Collision Windows slightly open in car. Good tip. I shall make sure the windows are slightly open. Mum gets car sick anyway, so I don't have to divulge my paranoia, I can just say 'Open the windows, it'll help with your car sickness'

Unfortunately no tea tree oil to spray on DD's head. Am trying to persuade her to wear her santa hat.

Berocca tablets are brilliant for keeping your immune system topped up. Echinacea,zinc, and plenty other minerals as well as all the vits you need are in one tablet. They are also an excellent hangover cure

I have never had flu, and only get a cough/cold once every 3 or 4 years... so they work for me.

Hmm, that sounds like what I'm looking for squeakytoy.

Checklist so far:

Orange juice
Hand sanitiser
Car windows slightly open
Berocca tablets

Absolutely agree with Squeakytoy, I take Berocca every day.. tastes like orangina to me. I quite like the advert too of the log-dancing-Canadians...

I've been taking two Echinacea a day since the beginning of October because that's my cold-catching time. So far, so good.

Plait or put your DD's hair up and use gel or hairspray, and as soon as you get home slather her hair in conditioner and comb through. That way if she does get a stray nit you should be able to remove it ASAP

Drink lots of water and offer your DD water frequently. You are more susceptible to colds etc when you are dehydrated.

Wash hands frequently

Discourage kissing and hugging - even if you have I feign a sore neck/back

Laugh lots and allow yourself to relax. The hormones and chemicals produced by stress allow your body to be more susceptible to a virus taking hold.

Good luck

Vitamin c with zinc is good too. And make sure you all wash your hands all the time.