Emetophobia - terrified of this sickness bug

[nellyraggbagg]

This sounds so stupid, but I'm completely terrified of the children (not to mention DH and me) catching this Norovirus that's doing the rounds. I've been emetophobic for as long as I can remember, and it has become even worse since having children. Every time they open their mouths, I'm terrified they're going to say they feel sick. When I go to bed at night, my last waking thought is: "Oh my God, what if they're sick in the night?" My DH is working away a lot at the moment, which makes matters even worse (he is good at dealing with sick, thank goodness!!) I have dealt with both children being sick (I have found that manic cleaning helps very slightly to take my mind off the blind panic), but am rigid with fear following newspaper reports of this current bug. How will I pick DS up from school if DD and/or I get it? My Mum is miles away, unfortunately. And what if DH gets it? I don't know how I'd cope if he were sick. Please, please help, someone - even if just by saying that I'm not the only person who feels like this!

Ah - good on you Funnybunny. It sounds as though it is working too. Will await your next post with baited breath.

Eekamoose - so glad you all escaped.

Wiggleit - how are you? x

Where is Nelly????

Hopefully it will put an end to this terrible control it has over my life. Hope you ladies are all well still and that now the better weather is on the way we can look forward to a healthy summer. My ds starts school in September so I am dreading that at the moment for reasons only obvious to us.

Ah, Nelly is crippled - following the flu, I have torn a rib, and can't use the computer or anything else involving my right arm (so am typing left handed). Funny - let us know all details!!!
Hello to everyone else xxxx

Hi everyone! Sorry you still not well nelly (you're milking this flu a bit aren't you chick!? heehee ) Sorry, only kidding hun, know how ill you must be feeling, poor you. Get well soon darlin' xxx

Notalone - how you doing matey? Miss you! How's things? We're all fine here (touch wood), Nothing too exciting to report. Pretty dull and boring really, that's how i like it though!!

Funny - So pleased to hear that your therapy is seeming to have a positive effect on you and your reactions to things. Can't wait to read about it hun, please keep us informed, it may help us poor souls who are living in fear everyday with no therapy to hand. xx

Hi bb....well done girlie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No way would i have done that! Very brave of you. Please reassure us about the contagion thing. That would be most helpful. What did your therapist say? xxx

Thanks v much bb, that helps a lot. cheers sweetie xx

BB - thanks so much for the update. I can't believe you ate a warm (not hot, hot, hot) bacon sarny, never mind rubbing the baguette crust around. I am full of admiration.

As a result of your therapy (is this a kind of vicarious therapy?!), I did not spontaneously combust when DH gave the children a snack in a museum cafe today without making them wash their hands first!!

I am of course anxious now, but am keeping your contagion advice in mind. Thank you!

Glad everyone else is well. I am of course terrified of v-ing with torn ribs - it is excruciating, and the pain coupled with the fear of v is no fun at all!

DS returns to school on Tuesday, which is a bummer. But I am thinking (or trying to think) rationally... for the time being, at any rate!

Cant belive I have coem onto this thrtead. I am tyring so hard not to read back. But, I wanted to pass on some info re DumbledoresGrl, who I am sure has been on this thread (but I am too scrad to check in case Iu read something I wish I hahdnt).

DG is in Australi8a atm, Io got a text from her to say they had landed safely. BUT the worst happened ont he plane with one of her DC. I am so sorry for her. She was scared enough ab out the flight without THAT. I am sur she has some friends on here.

Ah - bless ya Nelly. You are in the wars at the moment aren't you? Sending you lots of get well soon vibes. Well done for not freaking when DH gave your DC's food without handwashing first - sounds like progress to me!!

Hey Wiggleit - how are you this week hon? I am ok. Was looking forward to it being April and spring but we have had blizzards today. What is going on lol?!! Have you been at work today? I have and it has dragged - think I may be allergic to Mondays! x

BB -Wow! You are doing so well! That info re noro was very reaasuring too. However I am still worried about disgusting people who go for no 2, don't wash their hands and then touch door handles etc. Could it still be passed on ths way or would the person have literally touched noro poo to be contagious? Sorry for the graphics btw lol! Well done anyway - keep us updated on your progress.

Funnybunny - kids do catch more stuff when they first start school but DS has never passed V onto me this way. Their immune systems need to catch up with ours and things that make DC's V don't always have the same effect on us. Is it you or others V'ing that affects you more?

Hi Notalone! I'm fine thank you, looking forward to summer!! (what's summer?) All ok here atm. I'm allergic to any day i work, it's a self diagnosis but an accurate one i think! xx

Hi everyone else...how are we all? Well, i hope. xx

BB - thanks for the gentle hugs, and for the moral support (and thanks for yours too, notalone). I can't imagine a phobia-free life, but I so hope you get there, BB.

DS scared me today by saying that he felt hot, and that his tummy was going to explode. Argh. However, he was running around half an hour later, and gobbled his tea, so I am trying (not entirely succeeding) not to expect the worst. School again tomorrow, so I hope everyone has got rid of noro over the holidays.

Paperchain - hello! I have not come across DumbledoresGirl (am very new to Mumsnet), but she would certainly find a lot of friends here if she's a fellow Phobe...

Hi nelly, how you doing? Hope you are on the mend!!

Paperchain - i'm also new to mn but sincerely sympathise with DG....my worst nightmare, well one of many actually! x

Oh bb you're a star! I have to say all this info you're relaying back to us is MOST helpful, it really is. Keep it coming girl. It as making me think differently which is a feat in itself! I must admit i do challenge some of the theories but i'm getting there. Thank you. xx

Sending a gentle hug to you nelly(get well soon hun, how's the ribs?)and big bear hugs to funny,eek,notalone,paperchain (even though don't know you that well paper) and everyone else. XX

BB - thank you. Little does your therapist know that she's helping us all!!

I really am grateful to you for sharing your information. No information is TMI where this is concerned - real information can only be helpful.

Presumably the reason children pass it on to one another with such ease is that they don't wash their hands after v-ing or doing a noro poo, so they contaminate everything they touch?

I was thinking about your post when I was in Somerfield today choosing my apples, and was wondering why we don't all get noro from eating apples (even I don't wash apples in antibacterial soap!!) Does noro wash off apples, or are our immune systems sophisticated enough to deal with whatever germs apples have to throw at us?!

Thanks to all of you who are so kind about my poor ribs. So long as I sleep sitting bolt upright, I don't cough - which spares my ribs. My cheerful thought for last night was: well, the only thing to be said if I get noro in the future is that it would be even worse to get noro with torn ribs. How about that for optimism?!

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bb - you are doing a great job with all the info, and it is a big help. Keep it coming because it does help put the risk thing in perspective (for me anyway,can't speak for everyone obv) ..I am already being more adventurous...get me hey?!!! xx

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Souvenir - you poor, poor thing. You have described my real fear - that I'll go for decades without v-ing, then I'll get noro (or similar) with a vengeance. I feel for you so much! My confidence would be sub-zero in your situation as well.

BB - Notwithstanding my serious fears of contamination, I do find your posts hugely helpful, and am very grateful to you. Anything that encourages me to feel less panicky if, say, DS says that someone at his school was sick can only be a good thing for me. Obviously anyone can be unfortunate and encounter a noro-type bug just by going shopping or basically leading a normal life, but it is good to know that this kind of contamination is unusual (if not impossible). Given that I will run a mile from anyone who looks remotely peaky, I do personally need this kind of common sense perspective - just in the hope that it might make me feel less shivery and shaky should it be reported that a child five years older than DS has had noro!

It comes as something of a relief to me to know that, statistically, the dcs aren't likely to v if they accidentally let a biscuit brush against a cafe table (one of my real neuroses!) I will not yet be getting them to eat off the Birstall Ikea tables, but anything is a step forward!!