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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Broken cfl - am I over-reacting?

6 replies

SchrodingersKitty · 25/06/2022 19:43

I was cleaning DS's room in preparation for his coming home from university on Monday and I knocked over a lamp and the bulb broke. As I had the hoover in my hand my immediate response was to vacuum up the pieces.

Only afterwards did I go online and google clean-up and discovered that vacuuming is the worst thing you can do. I closed the door and followed all the rest of the advice about leaving for 15 minutes, then cleaning area thoroughly with damp cloth, then disposing of all remnants of bulb and cleaning safely. Window was open all the time (including during breakage) so there was a lot of ventilation. I have discarded the lamp. My impulse now is also to discard the vacuum (its pretty old and currently in isolation outside). I'm also inclined to suggest DS sleeps in spare room rather than his room for a few days before we go on holiday, and that we leave the window open until we leave.

Is this a crazy over-reaction? My DH died during lockdown (of terminal cancer, not covid) and I think my risk-perceptions are all over the place in response. I am anxious about my own exposure (I seem to have cut my hand slightly on one of the pieces of glass, as well as whatever vapour I breathed in and exacerbated by vacuuming) but more concerned about DS's long-term exposure sleeping in the room.

I am fully prepared to be told I'm being crazy, but please do so kindly!

OP posts:
Americano75 · 25/06/2022 19:50

Over reaction? Possibly. Understandable reaction? Absolutely.

Look, you do whatever you feel comfortable doing with this. You're still at a very early stage of bereavement where you are hyper sensitive to every risk. If that means chucking the vacuum and sealing up the room for a few days then so be it.

SandyWedges · 25/06/2022 19:51

I think in the circumstances if you feel better getting a new vacuum cleaner then do it. X

quietnightmare · 25/06/2022 19:54

SandyWedges · 25/06/2022 19:51

I think in the circumstances if you feel better getting a new vacuum cleaner then do it. X

Agreed. its a small amount of mercury but only you know what's best. Sorry for your loss. Stay STRONG OP

ShadowoftheFall · 25/06/2022 19:56

Do what makes you feel safe. But know that at school, I and a friend played about with mercury on a desk in the physics lab for a whole lesson once. I’m in my 60s and as far as I know, absolutely fine.

SchrodingersKitty · 25/06/2022 20:15

Yes - me too: I'm in my late 50s. And I'm sure I've broken loads of cfl bulbs in the past and hardly registered it. I know DH did - he was much more gung-ho than me, being from an even older generation where they happily played with toxic materials (Mercury, asbestos, etc). His death made me very aware of needing to be healthy for DS, who was only 20 when his dad died. On the one hand this has made me much fitter and I've lost lots of weight. On the other, I am definitely developing greater health anxiety.

OP posts:
quietnightmare · 25/06/2022 23:17

SchrodingersKitty · 25/06/2022 20:15

Yes - me too: I'm in my late 50s. And I'm sure I've broken loads of cfl bulbs in the past and hardly registered it. I know DH did - he was much more gung-ho than me, being from an even older generation where they happily played with toxic materials (Mercury, asbestos, etc). His death made me very aware of needing to be healthy for DS, who was only 20 when his dad died. On the one hand this has made me much fitter and I've lost lots of weight. On the other, I am definitely developing greater health anxiety.

You've been through a lot OP. Perhaps a chat with a medical professional may be good just to let out some of these anxiety's despite them being very valid anxieties

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