Teaching Assistant

[kiv91]

I've been dealing with this phobia my whole life! Never did I realize it actually had a name and how many people had it! I've had is as far as I can remember. I used to cry when my brother would throw up- in fear that I would get sick but I also hate seeing other people throw up. I remember in school when people would throw up I would have to leave school because I would cry so hard. In camp I would be so neverous that someone was going to throw up that I would ask my mom to stay home. Planes? forget about it. It makes me want to never travel. On planes if I see someone cough, or even walk to bathroom I shake and get neverous since when I was younger I saw a little kid throw up all over the plane!!!! Trains too! I've had my fair share of stomach virus, id honestly rather die. I am now 23 and work as a teaching assistant for kindergarteners. I was so hestiant to take the job because I knew I would have to deal with vomit and thats what happened. Back a few months ago I was leaving for the day and I watched a girl vomit right in the middle o the hallway next to me!!! I ran home and showered and the whole weekend everytime ifelt a pain in my stomach i would think it was a bug!!! Then it went around the whole school and I freaked out. I am very careful wash my hands etc, so far so good! But I want to become an actual teacher but my fear keeps me second guessing. Everytime a kid coughs or says there stomach hurts I freak out!!!! I also have a fear that im going to throw up. I am nauesous 24/ 7 and always get anixous that im just going to throw up everywhere, I never have. This problem is taking over and I dont know what to do anymore. I feel like im in a living hell I wake myself in paniac every night thiniking i have the bug.

[j.florence]

Hey!

I am a teacher so I can relate to what you are dealing with and what you will deal with as a teacher, if and when you become one! I used to be as severe as you. But teaching was my dream and I couldn't not pursue it. Kids will be sick in class. It will happen . there is no way around it. what i would say is, get out of kindergarten and become a teacher! Get your own class, and you can manage it however you want. my class is spotless. my kids are clean. and i keep myself and my areas clean. and i control how my class is kept. kindergarten is full of dirty little kids that sneeze everywhere lol. i teach one class a day there and i laugh at how many gross things i see in those forty minutes. don't let this stop you from pursuing your dreams. just remember, keep yourself clean and you'll be fine. after a while you won't panic when it happens. you won't like it and your heart my race but you won't panic.

[Jess44246]

Although until now I've only known j.florence's story, I think you're both very brave to be doing this. Still in school (but with much older kids), I am fearful every day. It's really hard. Kid have v and school and I can't handle it at all! I think you should go for it! You can do it!

[tiredofitall]

I teach junior high and kids that age rarely get sick in class. They are old enough to get to the nurse or bathroom in time. I tell my students in the beginning of the year that I don't do v. They laugh at me but I make it clear that I am not joking and since I always have such a good rapport with them they become very respectful of my no v near me rule! I have been teaching for 12 years and have been lucky enough to avoid a classroom v incident thus far. It is the best job I have ever had so I am willing to take my chances.

[Jess44246]

Well tiredofitall, it's good that you do that. I plan on teaching privately out of my home to the side of my job (professional trombonist). I plan on telling them all upfront that I don't do v, as you tell your students in junior high, and that if they aren't feeling well they can not come because I would be running instead of helping. Now, I did not find junior high to be v-free, but then again it's not like there was another emetophobic and I hide mine pretty well at times. I'd say the absolute worst was when a girl who I was involuntarily sitting next to passed out on me for a couple of seconds (we were talking about blood clotting). When she came around, she almost v. She had a trash can and everything. I spent a good amount of time in the supply closet (table, chairs, roomy) calming a severe panic attack.

[kiv91]

Did I forget to mention I am working at camp this summer and they assigned me three year olds...thinking about quiting because i'm so neverous. The camp doesnt even have a nurse!!!!!

[Jess44246]

You shouldn't quit. Besides being a good job, it could even help your Emetophobia! As long as there are others helping the little ones, you should be fine. Right from the start let the other workers know that you can't be around and kid who's n or v. If it gets too bad, you can always take the day off and leave if you have others there. Remember calming techniques that work for you and you should be able to manage quite well!

[Saltire]

I worked as a teaching assistant when I was training to be a nursery nurse. I remember feeling of a kids saying they felt sick. It was total panic and I used to get so annoyed when the parents sent them back to school the very next day even though you could see the poor child still felt awful and we're still infectious. Never lasted long in that profession. Now work in the NHS which is actually worse but we are warned about infectious viruses and there are strict 48hr rules which are always followed so not at as much risk as nursing staff.

[kiv91]

I SO SCARED, I helped out with the after care there last week and I walked into a little boy v* in a trash can. There isn't even a nurse to bring them too. I start tomorrow, just when I thought kindergarten was bad!

[Jess44246]

I would back out. Dont do it. If anything, it'll make your Emetophobia and your life even worse because of all the anxiety and stress it'll cause. Try to squeeze your wa out of it. If I walked in and saw that boy v in the trash can, I'd run out the door, into my car, and leave.

Still, though, I attended an afterschool prgram from first to fifth grade, and not one kid v there (though I have no idea why because you'd expect that).

What happened was just a freak thing. Only do it if you think you can handle more of that. If not, then back out now because it'll be easier then waiting to see if you can handle it. It's all up to you. You know your limits best.

[Jess44246]

Let me know how tomorrow goes if you do end up going.

[kiv91]

I went today! Nothing too bad happened I just got neverous when a kid would cough. Other than that I just keep washing my hands since its hard to keep a distance from the kids.

[Jess44246]

Coughing is always unsettling, but just remember that it most likely has nothing to do with v at all. Yes, keep washing your hands. There will probably be a point where the little ones grab your thighs and hug them. Unknowingly, they could be passing on sickness, even if they aren't sick. So always stay clean, as always, and you should be fine.

[kiv91]

I don't mind catching a cold, i'm used to that by now I had about 4 over the year working with kindergarten. Just the dam sv!!!!

[kiv91]

I swear every little time I feel n* I always think "ok this time I caught it"

[Jess44246]

With attending school, especially when somebody is absent, I always feel that way too, even at the slightest bit of n. When that happens, try thinking about how clean you were and how much that limits the chances of you catching something.