Emetophobia - my worst nightmare

[zonedout]

Ds1 goes to a school set on several different sites. Today one of the sites has been closed for deep cleaning due to norovirus wiping out hundreds of children this week. There are loads of siblings in ds1's building/class and 8 of his classmates were off today.

I am a single parent (really outing myself here!) and terrified of what feels completely inevitable right now. I was awake all night last night, waiting. Shall be doing the same again tonight.

You know, I feel like I have improved a lot with my emetophobia recently. I am no longer worried about the odd v. It's the awful, debilitating violence of noro that terrifies the life out of me.

The waiting is utter torture

Someone asked about how there fears started well as a very young girl about 3 or 4 I had a really horrible nightmare involving all the Babapapas (cartoon that was on in the 70's) being sick everywhere. It was really horrible and definitely the start of my phobia.
It is amazing how so many of us got through our pregnancies without being sick almost like we stopped it happened ourselves. I felt continually nauseous but never vomited!
As far as working with children goes it's actually not happened that much to me only a handful of times. I panicked the once and covered the sick up with a towel. The worst was when I worked as a nanny and had to look after the sick child. I was not happy about that but presume it is the norm with nannies ?

Everything people are posting I'm agreeing with. kerstina during my pregnancy 's I was the same!

bbun I hope she's ok, if she ate all that I would think she's ok. Give her prunes tomorrow.

BB, I am certain she doesn't have noro... The tummy ache will be, as you say, the result of no poo since Friday (i'd be in agony) or possibly as a result of the cough/cold (swollen glands in the tummy that children get when poorly... There is a medical name for it but my brain is running on empty tonight) My 2 both get sore tummies from time to time with coldy bugs.

Please try to get some sleep. If nothing else to help you cope with any future panics.

Hi Marne I remember you

some body...is anyone here?

both my girls have just thrown up everywhere

i am a panicking wreck treeified im next

please please help me

Oh zoo :( remember you've got through this so far ok? You can keep going, you can. They will be better soon - try and keep the bigger picture in mind and take big deep breaths. There's no option but to deal with this - get as prepared as you can be and keep hand washing and what helps me is to think logically of what's the worst that could happen? Me being sick? Awful but I'd survive it - try not to catostrophise thins though I know that's very hard .

You can deal with this.

i can barely breathe and i feel sick with fear

i would rather cut my own throat rather than be sick,and im not even joking

i cant do this

You can.

You have to.

I know how you feel, i do, I am sick of anxiety ruling my life but nowadays I've realised that actually when I analyse it half of what I'm scared of is how anxious I will be iykwim? Try and think through the anxiety and realise this is not the end Of the world. X

please make the thoughts in my head stop

i want to die or run away

Now listen to me you dealt with your son and did not get it. He was only sick twice. You dealt with it the other night and will again. Now take a deep breath and say I can do this

Ok so where are your dds

Can you put some headphones in with some loud noise / music on and sit so you can see your dd s but you're able to zone out a bit?

You know you can't leave so you need to try and put that put of your mind because ime it only makes things more unbearable.

I've only just seen that both your dd's have been sick. How are you doing now? Have you been able to sort them out/calm them down. Keep taking deep breaths and I know it is hard, but really try to focus on your dd's rather than letting the panic and anxiety overcome you.

I am really feeling for you. I was seriously emetophobic for 12 years. I had hyperemesis in 2 pregnancies which sort of helped me overcome it a bit. I am now at thye stage where I can cope in the children are ill. If I feel sick it's another matter though!, but in 6 years I have never caught a stomach bug off the kids, so hopefully you will be ok.

Keep coming back on here to off load your thoughts.

dd2 has thrown up in the hallway,everywhere
dd3 been sick upstairs,i cant even get to her...
shes only just turned 5

my stomach is spinning

please,i cant breathe

Zoo tell them both to sit in the bath, least if they are sick again it's contained in a bleachable space.

You can get to her. Remember the sawdust. You need to be able to get upstairs.

You can do this.

Have they been sick, or is this still the first time? Remember deep breaths. You can take things slowly. Now two sick children is a lot for anyone. Is there anyone you can call for help. Even if you didn't have emetophobia that would be a good thing to do. If there is no one who can come and help you I would first try and get both of them into the bathroom and clean them of in the bath. Bag up their clothing for your DP to deal with later.

Is your bath room upstairs or down. Can you get dd3 to come to you?

Yes you can do this and you will not get sick, lots and lots of bleach and handwashing.

i can hear little zoo being sik again
dd2 has just shouted up to her and i dont know bout the 1st time but this time she been sick in the bedroom bin

shes crying
i can never forgive myself for this

stupid stupid head

Stop the guilt and just do your best - you need to get to her however hard that is. Put sawdust on all the sick and get the kids cleaned up, once they're settled bleah etc the sick. Otherwise they'll be wandering around covered in sick.

Zoo you haven't done anything to not forgive yourself for. You are doing the best you can and you will do this.

OK, don't beat yourself up. This is your biggest fear. To you it is the worst thing that could have happened. It is hard, but it is not impossible. You can do this, you can cope.

Is there anyone you can call for help? Is there anyway your DP can come home from work even if just for an hour to help you get on top of things.

Sort the children out first. Clean them up so that they feel a bit better, then you can start to tackle the rest of the mess.

When my ds's are sick I instantly get that cold feeling and am frozen, but I have learnt that thinking about it and looking at it make me worse. Cleaning it up is not pleasent, but I know I feel a hell of a lot better once it is out of sight and the smell has gone.

I promise you can do this.