Why do I always hear it?

[dord]

I'm in a rather large building here at work - three floors. There are no walls, mainly cubicles (we're like hamsters in a maze). So the stomach flu has been going around here since Halloween. I had two people call in this week. So I'm kinda relaxing about it and I'm sitting here minding my own business when I hear this guy say "Oh, I've had this horrible stomach thing - yeah, a guy threw up on me on the airplane, he had it really bad, must have been where I got it from". I feel like I can't escape it. To me it's like an omen of things to come. I really feel in my gut and my woman's intuition that this is the year - son and hubby and definitely going to get it. The question is when??? I know my husband is exposed to it here as he works downstairs. Uuugh - why do people tell each other about it? I am always in denial. Even when I don't feel good I don't dare talk about it. I'm an emet who doesn't want ANYONE around when I am nauseous. I would NEVER tell people at work how sick I've been and I wish others would shut up about it!!!!

[pretty polly]

I'm with you dord. I feel exactly the same way. If we didn't hear
about it so blooming often then we would all feel much better, I'm
convinced.
I'm the same as you also when it comes to feeling ill myself. I can't
bear to have anyone around me when i feel ill. I want to be safe on
my own at home, preferably in a darkened room. I would absolutely
hate for anyone to see me v*. Probably because I think they would
feel as traumatised as i would if i saw someone else v*.

[mjewell]

I agree with both of you...and I hate it how when people talk about it they are so nonchalant, like it's no big deal. Somebody threw up on him on the plane and the stomach flu is what he's talking about??? My God, if someone threw up on me in a plane I would probably be in the mental ward.


I also know what you mean about being alone pretty polly. I usually get panic attacks when I feel sick and I am stuck with others. Bless my husbands heart, he always tries to stick around and calm me but in my panic I usually just tell him to GO AWAY! Then I lock the bathroom door and turn on the fan and the faucet so i can't see or hear anyone else.

[dord]

I still can't believe how he just explained someone with the stomach flu threw up on him. First of all I can't understand someone who was that ill not being armed with airsickness bags (duh, hello) and what adult doesn't know enought to know it's coming? I guess we are all different but I really feel above the age of 10 you should be able to judge when you are going to throw up and for Gods sake not do it on someone! I'm here at work now so I'm wondering who will feel the need to explain to me or speak loudly enough around my cubicle about their stomach flu adventures!

[liriodendron]

As has been discussed in a previous post, the biggest threats here are
coming in contact with the V* like the guy on the airplane, or
something along the lines of contaminated surfaces or food. Certain
viruses can live for a spell on objects. If your office has a
cafeteria, maybe there's a sick worker who did not wash their hands
before handling food that isn't cooked. Or maybe your co workers are
not washing their hands after using the restroom. Just merely being in
the office would worry an e-phobe, but washing as you should before
eating, drinking, touching your face/eyes/nose and not changing any of
their diapers should eliminate most of the risk.

[raindrop]

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SV are the BEST way to skive off work. It's easy - they don't last very
long, they give the excuse of truly not being able to come into work,
and they're known to be more common this time of year. (Not that I
would do it, but) I know loads of people who have lied about having one
to take a sickie. The story about the aeroplane sounds like an
elaborate lie told to give the guy's story more credit.

[liriodendron]

Good point raindrop!

I suppose if they really were sick, they'd actually go in to work that day.[img]smileys/smilies_08.gif[/img]

[vgirl]

I dunno why coworkers want to share those kinds of stories, but I do remember someone a few years ago saying she was suddenly so sick she just had to lean over and do it right where she was standing. She's definitely over 10 years old, but I think there are some sv's that just hit you that way.


From a Darwinian standpoint, it probably makes sense for the virusto make you so suddenly sick that you will infect tons of other people, rather than one that creeps up on you so that you're in your private bathroom at home before you throw up. :-)


Maybe someday - an emet's nightmare - all the "private bathroom" flus will die out and leave us with just the Norwalk-type sudden-onset type. Eek.