PLEASE HELP

[emms]

Hey guys, I need a little help!


A coworker has just said that he "feels sicker than a dog" and is going to be sick. He was JUST at my desk. He said that he's going to go home and make himself sick because he wants to feel better. OMG!! I'm freaking out. My other coworkers know about my phobia and he is new, so he doesn't know. I am literally on the verge of passing out becuase I'm in such a panic. I'm leaving in a few minutes for counseling. Gee, I know what we'll be talking about tonight! Anyway, I'm off. Please, anything you can say will help now!


Mara

[jazz]

Mara, panic not ..this is a bloke we're talking about lol, he's probably had a bad curry/ ate too much, drank milk that had gone off..either way, he would have been specific if it was something you were likely to catch...
"god i feel gross,i have bug"
either way, it won't affect you...but im sure he's feeling a lot better now!Edited by: jazz

[auggiedoggie12]

Usually if someone is saying they want to "make themselves sick" it is becasue they have eaten something raunchy and want it to get out of there tummy. He wouldn't make himself puke if he had the bug, unless he is dumb, because you probabky can't puke up a bug!


Lauren

[alliecat]

Yeah, I know people who somtimes just want to make themselves sick to get it over with, and its usually because they ate too much, ate something that didn't agree with them, or drank too much. So, I mean, I wouldn't worry about it. If he IS sick, your chances of getting it are pretty slim... just keep your hands clean and away from your face. [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]


xoxo


Allie

[jennyleigh1975]

I agree with alliecat, and most of this stuff doesnt seem to be airborne. Keep those hands clean and away from your face!! Did you ever find out what was really wrong with him. Maybe its nothing contagious anyway. Keep us posted.

[Jenneh]

awww... i hope u feel a bit calmer. i agree with what everyone has said. for some reason it reminded me of when my mother used to threaten putting hr finger down mine or my sisters throat to stop us from coughing wen we were ill....... [img]smileys/smilies_11.gif[/img]wow.. what a lovely memory to remember.... lol sorry!


Jen xxxx

[emms]

Ok, so this morning I've gotten the real story. Yes, he does have a bug and he is here! His wife had it last Wednesday, and he got it yesterday morning. He has not directly said that he was sick, but said that he now has a canker sore (is that from V*ing?). He said that when his wife had if, she just had D*, but could not get out of bed. I'm just really irritated by the fact that he is here. Yes, he did come in 2 hours late, but why didn't he just stay home? I really don't understand this!


One other thing that he did say was that he had meningitis three years ago and ever since then, his immune system can't fight anything. For some reason that's making me feel better, even though I've had menigitis too. I'm just so frustrated right now. I want to make him lysol his entire office, starting with himself! I want to yell at him not to touch my desk, not to use our coffee mugs, and certainly wash his damn hands every five minutes! This morning I've told him about my phobia and he thinks its a big joke (until he saw me shaking). He keeps making jokes about V*ing, etc. I just don't get that....it's like a bully at the workplace.


Anyway, I'm done for the moment. Thanks so much for all of your support!

[2jo2]

Well maybe he just had diarhea too, like his wife. My mom was sick last week and made herself v* so she'd feel better. Wouldn't life be nice if it were that simple?? Anyways, did he say he was v*ing? I don't understand why (1.) people have to come to work sick and (2.) what's so rewarding about teasing people about a phobia?????? That burns me!!!!


Just remember to keep your own hygeine up and just try and stay away from him. The long weekend for Christmas is coming and hopefully it'll kill off any germs that would be in your office.

[sarahg]

Really annoys me too when people who are ill come into work. Many times I have said to people they are unfair because they are just passing their germs onto everyone else and their reply is more often than not "well if I have got to suffer"....


I also hate people who find it so much fun to tease people about a phobia ... just coz they are lucky enough to get through life and not be worried about anything does not mean everyone is the same. My Mum can be like that a bit,don't think itsintentional, but it hurts. For example we will be sitting there one day and something will come on TV about illness, she cannot help herself making a comment to the effect of "oh, Sarah will start worrying she will catch it now".


In a way I blame my parents for making me like this. I remember one holiday abroad when my Mum suffered from travellers tummy. Rather than telling my Dad she didnt want to eat, she would go ahead and eat anyway then make herself v*. She would also tell me to do the same if I ever said I felt n* . Completely out of order I know but its in my mind now and I am sure it has something to do with the way I now feel.


Take care, Sarah xxx

[alliecat]

I'm sorry that that stupid man came into work sick. Again... just keep your hands clean and away from your face. As far as meningitis compromising his immune system ever since he had it, sicknesses like that affect people differently. So, what is true with him, may not be true with you. Try not to stress yourself out. Okie dokie! Keep us updated.


xoxo


Allie

[holly18]

i am quite lucky really, i work in a resaturant. If some one V* or has diarreah, it is illegal for them to work for 48 hours after the last time they V* or had diarreah. And if food poisoning is suspected a doctor has to sign them back to work. Im quite glad this law exists and most people take advantage of this and have a few days off when they are ill. however there are people who dont say anything about being ill. pretty much everyone at the restaurant has been off because of a stomach so people must be coming in sick for it to spread so fast

[holly18]

also, working at a restaurant, i can go arpound and sanitise EVERYTHING and no one will think im crazy. i even got rewarded by my managers because i was so hygenic

[emms]

So the saga continues..................


He was V*ing all night, and now his daughter has it. He came back from lunch and brought a bag of oranges, thinking that he would boost his immune system (not thinking that it's a bad idea to eat oranges on an already sour stomach). He is now complaining about his tummy, but is continuing to eat. (I really don't get that one).


So this is my larger problem: Tonight I am supposed to go to a dinner for a Christmas Party (with some of my coworkers) and I'm starting to feel a little queasy. I've convinced myself that I've gotten the bug and am not feeling well. (And I told myself the first time I wrote about how I felt, I would really have the bug). Literally everytime I stand up, I see the spots and feel like I am going to pass out. I took my heart rate a little earlier and it was at 120. This is crazy.


Thanks for reading all about the drama that is my life and thank you for all of you lovely comments. You all mean so much to me!


Mara

[barefootanjel]

Not sure if this will actually make you feel better,Mara but this guy does seem to be giving confusing symptoms.

A canker sore is most often associated with Syphillis (in the UK at any rate,i'm not sure about the US to be honest)



I think the old standards hold true in your case,if the guy didn't
actually V* in your presence or spit directly in your eye,the chances
of you catching the same bug that he has are small,especially if you
have been keeping up your hand hygiene & have avoided touching your
face,nose and eyes.



As far as your company party,I would say the same thing to you that i
would anyone,emet or otherwise,if you are not happy about going,then
don't.It's supposed to be a social & fun evening but what's the
point in attending if you're only going to feel panicky and anxious?

Sometimes I think it's good to push ourselves as far as this phobia is
concerned but I also believe that we often need to take it easy on
ourselves too.

Anyway,I do hope you are feeling better.

Take care.

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Edited by: barefootanjel

[sage]

people can get canker sores from anything! I get them from toothpaste sometimes, DEFINITELY from those cinnamon hearts on Valentine's day...and too many cough drops. Others get them from any citrus fruit.


Some women are more prone to them when on birth control pills, or during their menstral cycle because of the hormones.


I hope you're ok, btw. Silly man, making your life miserable! I know it's tough that people come to work sick...but on the other side of it lots of bosses don't want people to miss work, or they get nasty. Also, there are some illnesses that are contageous before you know you have them (not vomiting ones, I don't think) but who really knows? The poster, above, was right when they said that you need to keep clean hands, and keep your hands away from your face. There's virtually no way to catch something nasty if you do that.

[emms]

First thing: Thank you all so much for being so supportive. It's so nice to come some where, where everyone understands you!


Ok, so last night I went ot the party. What a mistake! We all met at the office and were going to go to a lovely restaurant downtown. I begged to drive, but my boss was insistant that we all go together, so we get to the restaurant...dinner was lovely, but there was some heavy drinking going on. So dinner is over and I am relieved because I think that I can go home...but no. My boss decides that we are all going to go to another bar. Woo Hoo. That's great fun for the girl that doesn't drink. I was ready to call a cab when I finally go into conversation with someone that took my mind off the previous 24 hours. So, are 11:30pm (we all have to be at the office by 6:30am), everyone decides that they are going to another bar. I pitch a fit and make them take me back to my car. I know it's childish, but I didn't want to be there when people started getting sloppy, let alone when the guy that had the flu shows up.


Anyway, I didn't come into the office until 10am this morning, and I am SUPER dizzy. I'm think it's anxiety related, but I did have vertigo in September. I'm trying to be positive about me not getting the stomach flu, but another co-worker came in this morning complaining of nausea (he has an ulcer, though). I'm just in a panic that I can't seem to get out of. Any tips?


Thanks so much! You are all very much appreciated!

[carmagnet]

I am soooo proud of you for going in the first place, there was a time when even going to the mall was a tough one for me. If you would have stayed home last night you would have succombed to the phobie but you beat it last night. YOU GO!!!! I can't however believe that the boss made you ride with him. He should have let whoever wanted to drive themselves have a choice. that's pretty messed up. you said before that your office know's about your phobia, so I think it's pretty messed up that they were bar hopping and stuff, but I guess when you dont have the phobia it's not something you think about like we do. well good job on going to the party. next time don't let them convince to ride with them use an excuse like you have to be somewhere else that night too or something.


mindy

[babygap5]

Good for you for going to the party. Its possible the coworker who was nauseous may have eaten to much or drank to much at the party. Do you best to not think about what "might" happen. I've learned w/ this phobia that I do alot of that, worring about what "might" happen. I then realize that i've wasted tons of energy doing that and what i was concerned would happen, never does. As long as you keep washing your hands and don't touch your face, you should be ok. Keep us posted. [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[barefootanjel]

I too think that you should feel very proud of yourself for going.Well Done!

The only thing that surprised me about your last post was that only ONE
co-worker complained of nausea after the night out that they all had! I
would have thought that it was a bar-hopping related stomach complaint.



Sage,thanks for putting me straight.

One of the more awkward aspects of having an international forum is the english language divide!

I sat staring at my monitor wondering how on earth toothpaste could
cause a Canker.......when it hit me that,obviously,what you call a
Canker,we call an Ulcer.Hence the medical mix up.I do apologise to
anyone in the U.S who may have thought I was stark raving mad! LOL



Seasons Greetings to you all [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]

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Edited by: barefootanjel

[snowangel]

Hi Emms...we havent heard an update? Are you ok?

[emms]

Thanks guys!

I'm ok, and as it is Christmas, I still have not eaten. I now have a terrible cold (fever, sore throat, stuffy nose, sneezing, etc.), but I am still thoroughly paranoid about my stomach. My co-worker got sick 5 days after his wife, so I'm still thinking that I might get it. My family is hounding me to eat, and I just keep saying I have no appetite because of my cold (partly true, but I really did want to eat breakfast this morning!).
Anyway, all of my other co-workers have come down with this head cold thing, not the stomach virus. I will know more on Monday, but it looks as though the stomach virus has passed (like I said we'll see on Monday--knock on wood).
Thank you all for your fabulous support and have a Merry Christmas!