Mom w/ a question

[RocciMama]

It is currently 3:37am and I've been up since 1:26am w/ anxiety over my youngest child waking up sick. This is becoming more and more common in my life, but only at night. I am not sure if I have Emetophobia cuz my fear isn't about me its about my children (the youngest to be more specific - she's 2) and I don't have chronic symptoms.

I have 3 girls - M is 8, B is 6 & A is 2 - I have no problem taking care of them when they are sick - it's more of a "what if" anxiety with me. And, I don't worry at all about the older 2 cuz they can make it to the bathroom. Does any of this make sense? I've actually had A "practice" grabbing the bucket while she's in her bed just to see if she understands what to do!! How sad is that? My anxiety gets worse when I hear of friends or other moms in my playgroups whose kids have been sick - even if my kids haven't been around them! I lie awake at night imagining her coming into my room and getting sick or getting sick in her bed and then us being up all night and her being just so miserable. UGH!

Anyway, I guess I am posting this cuz I want to know if there are any other moms out there who do this? Prolly not, huh?

Thanks much! Gonna try and get some sleep now......

Wendi

[amie.essex]

Yeah I do this too! You're definately not alone. I have 2 girls aged 6 and 2.

My other half works nights so this increases the panic cos I'm all alone with them. Every little sniffle or cough from them freaks me out and sets my heart pounding! I also worry more about the youngest - how exactly do you confine a 2 year old and get them to understand and voice that they are about to throw up - I somewhat 'trust' my eldest to tell me and make it in time as she's been pretty good in the past.

Amie xx

[mstutzgirl]

I only have this anxiety when my younger son is actually sick before going to bed. I'll cover his bed with towels and have a bucket next to his bed. I don't sleep much because of the anxiety. When I have no reason to suspect he's sick, I don't worry about it except that every single night I make sure no toys or books are on the side of the bed where he'd most likely lean over to throw up. Also, if he has Legos or anything on the floor, I'll clear a path from his bed to the door so that he has nothing to impede a quick run to the bathroom if needed. Mind you, I do this every night at bedtime, and have done so since he's been out of a crib (he's 8 now), even though he's only v* maybe half a dozen times in his whole life and only a couple of times at night.

[RocciMama]

Yep - I always have her bed (toddler bed) covered in extra blankets, which I drape over both sides. I have a bucket at the end of her bed and I have a large quilt on the floor in front of her bed "so she'll be comfy if she falls out of bed". That is what I tell ppl if they ask why a blanket is on the floor in front of her bed. Its crazy!!! Abbi is only 2 so there is no way she will know to make a run for the bathroom. My prayer is that she remembers our drills (hardy har har) and will sit up & grab the bucket or, at worst, not go off the blankets. My oldest is almost 9 and I have told her that if she hears Abbi getting sick, to come and get me since I have told Abbi to stay on her bed till mommy comes in (they share a room).

I have no idea if she gets it or not - she communicates fully (speech, comprehension, etc) so I am hanging onto that for some hope that it won't be "that bad". UGH! I really hate being so consumed w/ this junk, ya know! Especially now, when soooooo many ppl I know have sick kids.

Anyway, sorry for rambling - tough day/evening so far. KBye ~ Wendi

[misplacedangels]

I can understand wanting to be prepared, but wow! The blanket on the floor is a good idea, and a inconspicuous(sp) way to make sure the floors stay nice looking, and easy to ball up and throw away!! I have a 20 month old so I am not to the age she can tell me she feels bad, so I wait and see. It's hard being a mom with emet, I can understand, but we are hear to talk if you need us! My daughter is a cougher, and she has gotten sick at least 4 times this school year, so if i hear her sick I am just like "here we go again" and drag myself out of bed.. it has gotten so normal. I still worry about the little one. Being moms does not help, because you worry about your children anyway!

[alisha27]

OMG I have this same problem. I can't sleep well at night because I worry about my 2 year old boy waking up sick. He wakes up every night just about and comes to my bed. He is usually whining and wants some water. The first thing I do every night he does this is pop right out of bed and see if he is gonna be sick. I know it's weird but as a child I was always sick at night and came to my mom. My own son has v* once when he was 11mths old and sadly he did it in his bed and slept in it all night. He was so sick he passed out after being sick and I never knew it happened. I wake up the next morning to find it all on his pillow. I am dreading the night it happens because EVERYDAY I'm freaked out about it. Just know you are not alone.

[RocciMama]

You guys are the best! When I first came here, I thought that seeing all this would make it worse - there were sooooo many things I hadn't thought of (gosh, I hate ending a sentence in a preposition)!!! I myself don't fear V* and doesn't bother me to take care of my kids if they V*. Its the all consuming anxiety that there *might* be a middle of the night V*-Fest w/ my girlz.

alisha - my youngest is 2 (3 in Sept) and she comes into my room at least once a night, usually around 2, and either says her tummy hurts and she NEEEEEEEEEEEEDS some food or she tells me she had a dream. The first few nights of the, "my tummy hurts" I flew out of bed like a freakin ninja and flew into the bathroom with her and she says, "I neeeeeeed foooood - I would like crackers" w/ a big ole smile on her face! Lil stinker! Then she did it 2-3 times after that and I think she knew it would buy her some quiet, alone time w/ mommy and Qubo (24 hour cartoon channel here in AZ) and the crackers of course!!!!

Well, I guess I know where to go now if I'm struggling cuz I can tell you that NOBODY gets me if I try and explain it to them. I even had someone tease me just today on Facebook chat - they typed out what they thought V* sounds would be. JERKS!!!!

KBye ~ Wendi

[JB212]

I am new to this site, and just discovered that there is a NAME for this crippling fear that I have. Whenever one of my children gets a sv, I panic. I am afraid that my other child and my husband and myself will catch it. I feel ridiculous. My husband thinks I am completely nuts. What mother has a nervous break down when her son gets a sv?! I wake up at night worried that some will vomit. Every cough makes me nervous and I am constantly asking my four year old twins if their stomach hurts, etc. Again, I am crazy, right? When I read this post, I felt a sense of relief. There is someone else out there that feels this way. Thank goodness! NOW HOW DO I MAKE THIS PANIC GO AWAY???? Can anyone help with this fear? How do you guys LIVE like this?

[chickman]

well... it's not easy some times!
is this a new fear? since the children? a lot of us are afraid of pregnancy (morning sickness and such) so you've already made a huge step!

honestly, the only thing to help this fear and make it go away is to try to actively do so by seeking help. i've been dealing with this for almost 16 years, and just recently came to the realization that i can't do this alone. i'm in the process of looking for a good cbt/exposure therapist. i just decided i don't want to live a life like this. i have to be pro-active.

other than that, i would try talking to your husband, showing his this site even. it really helps to have the support of those around you especially those that you need to help you make it through this.

good luck with everything and try to stay positive. and try to take some comfort in knowing that you are not alone at all.

[JB212]

Chickman, thank you so much for your support. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.
This is not a new fear, exactly. It started after I got married to my husband, who is terribly loud when he v*. I have never heard anything like it. I started to dread every time he would get the flu, or v*. For about eight years, I have progressively gotten more phobic about v*.
I did have terrible morning sickness when I was pregnant with my twins, but somehow it did not bother me as much because the v* was not due to an illness. Somehow, v* linked with illness causes my phobia to be much worse.
Now that I am aware that there are other people out there with my same fear, I feel more comfortable seeking help. I am excited to hear that you are in the process of seeking help as well, and also glad to hear that you have made the decision to take control of your phobia. Good luck, and again, thank you so much for reaching out.

[hairyfairy]

Reading these posts tells me that maybe I wasn`t such a freak when I was a kid after all. I mean, I vted about once a year when I was a child, & I thought that this was really abnormal, as I never saw my parents v. It`s good to know that other kids do the same thing. I always felt really guilty about my poor parents having to clean up my disgusting messes, & it`s no wonder that I`m an only child, considering what I put them through.

[klp]

It is currently 3:37am and I've been up since 1:26am w/ anxiety over my youngest child waking up sick. This is becoming more and more common in my life, but only at night. I am not sure if I have Emetophobia cuz my fear isn't about me its about my children (the youngest to be more specific - she's 2) and I don't have chronic symptoms.

I have 3 girls - M is 8, B is 6 & A is 2 - I have no problem taking care of them when they are sick - it's more of a "what if" anxiety with me. And, I don't worry at all about the older 2 cuz they can make it to the bathroom. Does any of this make sense? I've actually had A "practice" grabbing the bucket while she's in her bed just to see if she understands what to do!! How sad is that? My anxiety gets worse when I hear of friends or other moms in my playgroups whose kids have been sick - even if my kids haven't been around them! I lie awake at night imagining her coming into my room and getting sick or getting sick in her bed and then us being up all night and her being just so miserable. UGH!

Anyway, I guess I am posting this cuz I want to know if there are any other moms out there who do this? Prolly not, huh?

Thanks much! Gonna try and get some sleep now......

Wendi

Wendi when I read you post it is me exactly. I have two boys 11 and 8 and every night I have the "what if" anxiety if they get sick through the night. And like you said yourself when they are sick I can handle it. I sit with them and comfort them. I get so frustrated with this phobia and all the people I have seen to try and get help just don't get it. I don't get it myself if I can handle it when they are sick why do i have the "what if" anxiety all the time.