Darn FB

[Ktina78]

So I finally felt good to make it through the holidays with no sick events and then I have friends on FB whose kids seem to be getting the sv, left and right. The one girl's son v*, and I quote, "more than 20 times now" OMG I would die.

I think since having kids my fear has become more of them getting sick over me. Its like I feel I can prevent me from getting it pretty well but I can't prevent them. My LO is almost 2 and she hasn't had it yet but I see kids all around getting it so I can't protect her. My husband is also fairly healthy but he's not a scardy like me so I don't know what he's doing to protect himself.

In general, I live my life fairly normally. I don't not eat out or avoid social situations, but mentally I am OBSESSED. I mean I thought about my FB friend all day long because of her post.

I just hate that I mentally feel that way. Hopefully I can get over it but I just don't know how.

[naenae1213]

I do the same thing! Not that I like to v* or anything, but I handle that much better than when others do, especially my kids. And, like you said, you know you're washing your hands and such, but kids put everything in their mouths, so it's so hard to keep them healthy. And yep, FB makes me crazy too. I read all about everyone being sick and it's almost like I feel like I'm gonna get it just by reading about it. I obsess on it too! I hate it! I hate this time of year!!!

[Ktina78]

I know and I kept checking back on her page to see if he was any better or if anyone else in the family got it. Then at dinner, I mentioned them to my husband (who I also mentioned it to in the morning when I read it) and he was like "Are you really still thinking of this?"

I am a wack job! LOL I REALLY REALLY REALLY hate this time of year too. I feel like I constantly hold my breath and every morning I wake up and no one is sick I am like "PHEW" and then I hold my breath some more. Sad.

[naenae1213]

I do the same thing!! And my husband too! He's like, "really? You're still thinking about that?!". Um, YEAH, aren't you?! HAHA! My hands are sooooo dry from all the washing!

[naenae1213]

And I hate that my kids are in daycare! It's a freakin' germ fest there!

[Ktina78]

Do you think your kids get sick more because of that? I am SO terrified of daycare because all of my friends who use it have more sick than I have ever seen in my life LOL.

[naenae1213]

Unfortunately, YES! My son was home w/ my mom for the first 15 mon and didn't get sick at all. The first year he was in daycare, my husband missed 12 days of work (because my son brought stuff home). Granted, it was not all v* stuff, but we DID have the SV 3 times that year! Ughh! I HATE DAYCARE!

[Ktina78]

3 times!!! OMG how did you handle it?!
I am wondering how my LOs will be when they start school. I never had the sv and my brother maybe got it a handful of times in all of the years we were in school so I wonder what we did to prevent it. I certainly don't remember being an emet then so it wasn't like I was all hygenic like I am now.

[luvs2laff75]

I have a five month old in daycare and she has had two colds so far and I'm dreading the SV's..... how do you not get it when you're "in it" cleaning up after your kids? I really will want to run for the hills - what a horrible mommy!

I also think about it all day and check FB statuses every morning to see who has it...and then check back to see if anyone else got it. I talk about it all day and my husband has the same reaction.

[naenae1213]

I don't handle it well. In fact, I was a mess!! Grwoing up, my family had the SV all the time (I'm wondering if it was my mom's cooking....HA!). I use a TON of Lysol, Clorox Wipes and hand sanitizer. Even then, I still got this last one. But, there has been times when I sat up w/ my son all night (holding the bucket...OMG TERROR!!) and I never did get sick. I shook the whole time though, and I didn't eat for a few days!

[Ktina78]

Maybe I am fearful because I never see it much. My LO has only puked a couple of times and once it was because she choked and the other was because she had a bad cold and was coughing and snotty haha.

But even so both times I was traumatized for days and days. Even now I look at her and almost feel "bad" for her that it happened those times. When she's happy go lucky and doesn't even care. I can even remember the smell clearly and it wasn't an sv situation.

I don't know how I'll handle an SV situation. I just don't know. If those small moments bothered me so much I just feel that will throw me into a panic. I mean I handled the moments okay on the outside. But in the inside I was crying.

OH how I long to be normal.

[Ktina78]

I have a five month old in daycare and she has had two colds so far and I'm dreading the SV's..... how do you not get it when you're "in it" cleaning up after your kids? I really will want to run for the hills - what a horrible mommy!

I also think about it all day and check FB statuses every morning to see who has it...and then check back to see if anyone else got it. I talk about it all day and my husband has the same reaction.

I know I talk about it all day and think about it all day and last night I was out to eat and stuff and I thought "these people are all out and healthy having a good time, while my random fb friends are at home cleaning up puke poor them" Its a mad obsession.

[naenae1213]

I wish I was normal too! LOL. Of course, that's a long shot..for lots of other reasons....HA!
I was really traumatized from my son's last SV (which was last Feb). I still remember the date, the exact time it started, what he was wearing......etc. It's sad really. It was just awful! I seriously almost didn't have kids because of this!!

[naenae1213]

I know I talk about it all day and think about it all day and last night I was out to eat and stuff and I thought "these people are all out and healthy having a good time, while my random fb friends are at home cleaning up puke poor them" Its a mad obsession.

Not me....I'm too busy looking around at everyone, making sure no one looks sick..all the while wondering who is gonna be sick and who might contaminate us. I'm constantly looking for someone to rub their tummy or sigh, or have a frown...all signs (in my head) that they aren't feeling well. I'm definitely obsessed too!

[Ktina78]

That's funny how you remember what he was wearing. the night my daughter v* when she had her cold I remember the pjs she was wearing and she hasn't worn them since. And last night she spent the night at my parents so my husband and I could go on a date (I am 37 weeks preggo with #2) and I was contemplating packing a second set of PJs and I thought, "why would I need them unless she was sick" and I couldn't bring myself to pack them because that would almost be admitting that she needed them. And this morning I wondered if she was sick. Of course, called my mom, she's fine. She's almost 2 has never had the SV and I worry like this? Its sad.

[naenae1213]

Congrats on #2! I just had my second (and final!) in April. She's almost 9 months now. We don't get date nights often, but I have a wonderful mother-in-law who keeps my son for a week at a time (she lives 4 hours away). Once my daughter is older, she'll go too!

And yep, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. I always think that if I pack more, it's almost making it happen (that he'll be sick). Oh, it's exhausting being crazy. HAHA!

Are you having a boy or girl, or do you know?

[Ktina78]

I am having a boy! As excited as I am I can't help but think omg that's another one that could be sick! My daughter has been pretty good so far but can I get lucky twice??

It is quite exhausting to be crazy. I might need some therapy soon.

[naenae1213]

Those thoughts were definitely in my mind too! And my hubby thinks my phobia has defintely gotten worse lately. Pretty sure I need therapy soon too.

[mdgirl1977]

I am also traumatized by all my friends on FB and on my mommy board talking about their kids getting the SV. And my son (almost 4) is in daycare too and I hate it. I am dreading him going to regular school. I swear, I'd home school him if I could. It is awful. The teachers don't enforce hand washing and I just feel so gross when I go to the school. I hate it.

Yeah, I also am a fanatic if he gets sick. Wash my hands 300 times a day (ok, that is an exxaggeration), don't eat much myself for a few days and talk about it incessantly. It is awful.

[Ktina78]

I think having kids has taken my emet to a whole new level. I actually don't fear it as much for myself now which is nice, but now I'd almost rather get it myself than to have my kids have it. I just feel like I REALLY have no control then. Which I think is where the fear stems from.

[naenae1213]

I never was afraid to v* myself...just others, so yah, kids for me has been "traumatic"

[Carly2011]

Strange, I feel better when it is someone else.. however I am very afraid of catching whatever it is from them.

[mdgirl1977]

Oh I am so scared of catching it. that's why it is so hard for me to be around people (like my kids) when they are sick...awful.

[ann32]

I am RIGHT THERE WITH YA'LL!

I was just saying to myself today that I am getting really upset with all of my friends posting on Facebook how ill their kids are...6 of my friends today posted that the stomach virus has entered their homes...I cant even count how many over the past 2 weeks. And my friends are all over the country. I cant believe how this virus is spreading, it has me totally freaked out.

I have 2 boys 5 and 3. Only 3 stomach viruses between the both of them, and I have never caught them...but I am so scared. I am a stay at home mom and my 5 yr old is in Kindergarten and my 3 yr old is pre-school 3 days a week. I feel so doomed that this year we will get it. My husband is in Afghanistan until June and I think Im even worse bc of that. If it happens I am alone...

I am also the one who is afraid of being sick. I don't like others being ill, but if its not contagious, i don't freak out, I just leave the situation. I have masks and gloves just in case my kids get sick. I am terrified that if my kids get sick, there is no way I can escape it...

I do as well live a normal life, I travel, eat, and do pretty much anything, but I do use sanitizing wipes everytime I get in the car etc. My mind is overwhelmed with fear right now due to school and being jan/feb. This is all I think about...

Anyway, sorry this is so long...just wanted to say I feel the same way.

[HeatherC]

Hi Ladies! I am in this boat too!

My son is 2 and had one SV in his life. V* only really scares me if it is due to a SV. (I am scared of both myself and others V* from SV.) When my son caught the SV, I was terrified. I was shaking and having a major panic attack, but I was alone and did what I had to do (my mom eventually came over to help me for a bit.) Luckily, I was nursing and he overcame it very quickly.

I am absolutely TERRIFIED for the next time it will happen. Like the rest of you, all of the families we know have had it and post alllllll about it on facebook. The SV has even made the local news a couple of times lately. I am scared to leave my house, to interact with other families, to touch anything, to breathe, to talk about it, I am just all around scared all the damn time. It would only be a slight exaggeration if I said that I take the temp. of people who come into my house. I definitely antibac anything that they anyone who comes into my home touches.

I am a stay at home mom now, but I am going back to school to finish my Bachelors in the fall and my son will be in child care. I have been having daily panic attacks just thinking about it. If I could keep him home forever I would. Which is terrible. My emet is so bad for him, which only makes me feel worse. I had to take some paperwork into the child care center last night, and I thought... it looks so cute and clean in here. Then on my way out, I caught the strongest whiff of V*. UGH.

I have until the fall to get my emet together. I start seeing a counselor and hopefully I will start making some headway in this severe phobia! I pray for the best for all of you ladies too. I think as moms and emets we really have a tough time. I am thinking of and praying for all of you emet mamas!

[luvs2laff75]

When i was pregnant (and i was also scared to have kids because of morning sickness and sick kids), people always told me it's different when it's your own kids who are ill. I do find that I can wipe her snot and clean her diaper fine, but I am still terrified of SV's. Even when my baby is healthy, when I "fly" her in the air to play with her I always think (I hope she doesn't v* because it will land on me). I would be better cleaning it up if I knew I couldn't catch it... and I certainly don't want to jinx myself but if it were to come into my house, I think I would prefer to be the first one to catch it, because the sheer terror worrying about it is the worst.

I am seeing a therapist for anxiety ever since I had my baby, and she sorta looks at me like I'm nuts about this. She just doesn't understand it. She has helped me try to train my brain though (and she would probably suggest I NOT be on this message board dwelling on stuff... catastrophizing as she would say).

Sigh... can't wait for summer!

[lauren.nicole]

I totally understand!

I mentally obsess over people posting about V*ing, especially if I have just recently seen them. I will spend days thinking about it. It is hard not to.

[PearlescentAngel]

GOD I know about the FB thing. I went to a New Years party at my boyfriend's house friday and YESTERDAY one of his friends pipes in on FB "Oh by the way I got a sv, so yeah everyone who was there is probably gonna get it"

I literally screamed through the house "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?"

USUALLY it's people I don't see much who post things like these. Generally my female friends who have kids. I don't see them much because they're busy with their kids or live too far away.

Not this guy. This guy I'd just seen three days prior and apparently the day after is when he came down with it. Luckily we're a pretty obnoxious group and if anyone got it they would have probably thanked him for it in colorful language by now. Knowing this, I obsessively checked FB all. Day. Long. Continuously asked my boyfriend if anyone at his house had gotten it to the point where I think he might have wanted to throttle me, called everyone I knew asking them if they thought I was going to get it, all of which said "probably not", and thus far have not gotten it. And I even ate from the community potato chip bowl the next morning (I was totally sleep deprived, I would NOT normally do this)

No one else has gotten it either.

I feel your pain. It's hard to tell whether I'm glad I know or if I'd rather it just sneak up on me.

[Ktina78]

OMG it just gets worse too! Everyday someone different posts about it. Everytime I see a post "home with a sick kid" I always comment something like "Get the humidifier out" just to see if they say "oh yeah that's a good idea" or "nah that won't work its a sv" LOL Because I just want some sort of peace of mind, of course I don't get it, it always seems to be the sv and that leads me to obsession. Everynight I wonder if I'll be that mom. I don't know how people do it so blahzay. Like the one girl on my FB who's kid got sick over 20 times, almost in the same post she was posting about some deal on museum coupons. I was like "HOW CAN YOU THINK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!" lol.

Anyway is it worse this year or is it just me. I don't think I saw ANY sv posts last year and nothing touched anyone in my family last year and this year I am so scared I can't escape it.