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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to find somewhere to go and curl up in a ball and die of shame?

53 replies

HeyNannyNanny · 06/05/2019 13:09

Disclaimer Do not read if hearing about sick makes you squeamish Sad

I'm a Nanny and on holiday in France with the family, and extended family I work for. Yesterday we spent the morning touring a castle, went for a fancy lunch and then spent the afternoon at another castle.

Unfortunately, the fancy restaurant had inadvertently served my starter (scallops - never eating those bastards again) with a large side helping of food poisoning.

I have never, ever been so ill in my entire life. And I was trapped, in public, on the classy French Chateau tour.
I can't remember very clearly what happened, but after about half an hour of trying to ignore the extreme pain in my stomach I ended up admitting to the Mum Boss that i wasn't feeling well. I then proved my point by being spectacularly sick (thankfully managing to make it to the nearby disabled loo).

The family were making a big fuss (bless them) and giving me tablets and water, and making me sit in a certain way (in between the toilet dashes). The three kids were FASCINATED in the whole thing.

I don't remember much but it must have looked bad because someone called an ambulance Blush Blush Blush as they were worried because I was shaking very violently and all grey (but I was panicking because of all the fuss, which probably didn't help).

The paramedics and two castle staff then join me in the toilet cubicle, trying to take my blood pressure etc whilst I'm being intimate with the toilet bowl. None of them spoke English, the family I work for couldn't translate (They are Russian and their English isn't too strong).

The paramedics give me the choice to go with them to the hospital, but warn its a 6 hour wait, or to go back to the hotel and call them if things don't improve.
Sadly there's no Option C (instant death from the embarrassment) so I opt for hotel, and politely decline the wheelchair to get me back to the bus.

But unfortunately midway back to the bus, I decided to re-enact The Exorcist, and vomit on a very pretty ornamental tree by the gates...with Dad Boss holding back my hair Blush Blush and the girl I look after saying "NANNY!" in a shocked voice.

And just because that wasn't horrific enough, I do a repeat performance in the VERY fancy 5 star hotel, having been unable to sprint fast enough to my room.

I have horrendous social anxiety at the best of times, and try and be as low-key as humanly possible at work and I'm very frightened of my bosses and of letting them down. I'm currently stuck in France, facing another full week with them and i'm utterly mortified Sad

WIBU to hide forever in my room and hope they've forgotten I exist?

This surely must be the most mortifying thing to happen at work?

OP posts:
EffYouSeeKaye · 06/05/2019 13:39

I'm very frightened of my bosses and of letting them down.

That is a worry.

MatildaTheCat · 06/05/2019 13:40

You need to revisit the film Bridesmaids and you will almost certainly feel that you deported yourself most gracefully given the circumstances. Smile

Get well soon.

MadAboutWands · 06/05/2019 13:40

That sounds to have been a REALKY bad case of food poisoning!

Having said that, from what you said both parents were very understanding and knew well there was nothing you could do. And if they called the paramedics, that’s because you must have looked really awful (as in very ill!!).
I really wouodnt worry but take a bit of time to make sure you have properly recover from it before starting work again.

SeaToSki · 06/05/2019 13:45

So now the absolute worst has happened.

They havent fired you, ridiculed you or left you on the side of the road in a pool of your own vomit 🤮.

Can you maybe spin this around so that in the future when you are getting anxious you can tell yourself “well at least it wont be as bad as the Chateau vomiting incident of 2019”....

Sending you flowers,

and make sure you are drinking lots of water with some rehydration salts. If you cant get any a teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of table salt in a large glass of water

BlackPrism · 06/05/2019 13:46

Hardly your fault, I'd be angrier with the restaurant than with you

Qweenbee · 06/05/2019 13:48

Please don't be embarrassed. They are just probably very grateful that you didn't die on them and leave them all with the tricky french paperwork to fill out. Grin

Chamomileteaplease · 06/05/2019 13:53

Honestly, as all the PPs said, it's human to be ill sometimes. I am just so glad for your sake though that you managed to have the "other end's" problems in private because that really would be embarrassing. But still not your fault!!

Mrsjayy · 06/05/2019 13:53

You poor sod that just sounds like hell you probably were in actual hell !

Ive stopped eating seafood out because of the Majorca 16 prawn incident when I thought i might shit myself inside out, then the spainish cleaning lady insisted she come in and clean the bedroom as i sat willing death to come perched on the toiletBlush

LadyRannaldini · 06/05/2019 13:57

5* hotels will have dealt with far, far worse, stop fretting.

I still recall, 40+ years later, being 5 weeks from my due date, in reality 6 days, and going to our favourite restaurant where I had duck a l'orange, it was in the 70s. As OH was paying the bill I stood in the doorway waiting and suddenly deposited all my meal on the step! Even now I feel quesy at the thought of duck a l'orange!

VanGoghsDog · 06/05/2019 13:58

I'm also mortified by public displays of illness (etc).

I was once very sick at work, managed to be sick down my front while driving to work (from a hotel, I was staying away for work), so had to clean myself up then go to a meeting, I was sick in my colleague's car (luckily I had a bag with something in so I took the something out and was sick in the bag), then they had to nick all the reception chair cushions for me to lie on and they put a screen round me in the corner of the meeting room and gave me a bin to be sick in, every now and then a colleague had to come and remove a bag full of liquid vomit - they all discussed what to do with me.

Then the meeting started and I had to lie there, behind a screen, while the meeting went on, occasionally retching into a bin to the surprise of various speakers who came to the meeting at different points.

Eventually my then-DP turned up to collect me and on the way home he asked me to give him the petrol money.

I feel your pain but, really, everyone understands that you can't help it, everyone has been ill at some point. I'm sure they will be fine, but do give yourself a good day's rest to feel better.

BrieAndChilli · 06/05/2019 13:58

While back packing in south east Asia with DH and FIL many years ago we went on a boat trip in Laos up the Mekong river to a sacred temple cave. On the boat I started feeling ill and when we got to be cave was spectacularly sick into the river at the entrance to the cave, it was bright green bile. Looked up to see a bunch of Japanese tourists taking photos of me! So somewhere I feature in slide shows of people’s holidays!!!

Di11y · 06/05/2019 14:01

yep on the not preventing vomiting front, i can attest it comes through your nose if you're really determined to stop it - stingy Confused

Mrsjayy · 06/05/2019 14:01

I was sick at a wedding once eating dinner something went down the wrong way choked big crowd gathered threw up on the floor and down my dress I was mortifyed I think the people kindly fussing about me made it worse Blush

Justaboy · 06/05/2019 14:02

Bin there and sh*t that a few times for the same reason.

Only seafiood we have these days is from the excellent chippie down the road never had a poblem ever and good old english fish and chips can settle an upset gestroential system anytime, trust me;)

OnlineAlienator · 06/05/2019 14:02

Horrendous! This is one of my worst nightmares so i get you, but at least it wasnt the other end and i think your employment will be fine!!

Original poster
HeyNannyNanny · 06/05/2019 14:06

Thank you everyone, it does help to hear its couldn't be helped.

Ill try to do as PPs said and use it as a means NOT to be so anxious in the future

"Chateau vomiting incident of 2019" Grin

OP posts:
hsegfiugseskufh · 06/05/2019 14:08

Oh you poor thing. Your bosses sound lovely though bless him for holding your hair back.

banivani · 06/05/2019 14:08

The Dad said it was good I was being sick, to get the poison out. The Mum said not to worry, it could have been any of them.
The little girl said I was still pretty. (Bless her)

This absolutely confirms all my prejudices on Russians. My prejudices also say that they might even have been just as understanding if you had been sick from drink (although this would depend on other circumstances ... but in general ;) same things apply - get the poison out etc. ). Sure you were sick. Don't worry about it.

Bunnybigears · 06/05/2019 14:15

I know you are feeling embarrassed about the whole thing now but honestly I think this should help you see your bosses as nice normal people and not scary at all.

Macandcheese05 · 06/05/2019 14:15

first time i met my (now ex) PIL i was 17, absolutley shitfaced in a bar. Their son was my new manager and we were on a works night out. at this point i had only just started work so it was nothing romantic.

i sat on exFILs knee then vomited on ex MIL when she came over. she had to go home and change as i full on jetwashed her with sick from head to toe.

thankfully when i then started dating their son 6 months later they saw it was out of character for me and i dont drink often and were nothing but lovely to me and the split had nothing to do with this!!

Fruitbatdancer · 06/05/2019 14:16

We still refer to the Townsend thoresen incident of 1986 when my mum was getting some air as feeling a bit sick on the ferry, when the woman above doing the same vomitted all over her head! It was on the way out too so a whole day stinking of vomit in her hair!

Also- if the family are Russian they will have seen far worse! Without stereotyping (Grin) they eat a lot of raw/ pickled fish and seafood and large quantities of alcohol (vodka). It won’t be the first time they’ve seen vomit!!
Hope you feel better soon!

stanski · 06/05/2019 14:19

When I was 11 I threw up on coach drivers head and on a big part of the front window of the coach... on a school trip... I had the mick taken out of me for years after that from the school kids who were on that trip.. bus driver was absolutely furious! In my defence I had asked for a plastic bag to be sick in but teacher said if I sat in front seat I'd feel better Confused and so didn't need it....

Peccary · 06/05/2019 14:32

Awwww, the embarrassment will fade and they are clearly nice people behind the strictness.

After the great mussel incident of 2018 took out me and DH, I like to curse people with "may you suffer severe food poisoning while in charge of a healthy, active toddler"

ravenmum · 06/05/2019 14:41

My daughter had the same thing happen with her au pair family, though not quite so many times Grin. She doesn't suffer from social anxiety, lucky girl, and just told it as a funny story. Still visits the family when in Paris. I'd have been mortified too! Sounds like your family were lovely.

NowWeAreSuckingDiesel · 06/05/2019 14:45

Everyone has been there, which is why everyone is so understanding. Seriously. It's awful to experience.

Second the PP that said if the family are as nice as they come across in your OP, you have nothing to be embarrassed about.