This is going to be the worst week ever

[baseballplaya12]

So i guess this stomach virus that the three counselors got is running
rampid on the camp, there were at least 6 other kids who got sick that
same night and at least 15 out of 85 werent there today. So another
reaosn for me to worry is we were playing a game tennis baseball and i
was the pitcher and one kid hit the ball and i knocked it down but it came
up and hit me in the face, im not sure exactly where but it might have hit
the side of my mouth i didnt realize it could be bad until then so i had
forgotten where it hit me. The other counselor was the one who had
been sick at camp on friday. Along with this one of the conselors who
got sick friday night was there and he ate a bagel before the campers
arrived and about an hour later he v'd it up. the rest of the day he
seemed pretty happy and fine though he did eat and drink and nothing
came up but all his campers are probably going to be sick besides the 5
he was missing. So besides that this virus is reaking havok on the camp
im sitting here freaking out that im going to be sick becasue the tennis
ball hit me in the face. Sorry for rambling but i cant deal with this much
longer.... [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img] [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img] [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]

[shiva]

baseballplaya,


You are going to be fine. Remember positive thinking. I really don't think you have to worry about the ball hitting you in the mouth. Try to relax and enjoy yourself. I know it's easier said than done, but you can get through this... and when you do, you will be that much closer to defeating your fear.

[sillygirl]

If that many people got sick the same night I really think it sounds like food poisoning. As for the kids that were out today, it was a holiday weekend and maybe a lot of families took some extra time off. Especially if they were up late last night watching fireworks. I wouldn't worry about it - you will be fine.

[baseballplaya12]

i hate to be annoying but it was for sure not food poisining that would
mean all of these people had to have eaten the same thing near the same
time and none of them did one of the counselors who became sick fridya
and was sick all weekedn v;d today how is that even possible.

[snowangel]

Baseballplayer...please try not and worry too much, I agree this would freak me out too. That is why I stay away from jobs where I am exposed to children as they carry a lot of flues. Hang in there.

[japa]

shiva is right. You will be fine, and you will get through this situation, and I bet it will help with your phobia. Do you still talk to the therapist? If you've stopped, maybe you might want to see if he or she has an opening sometime this week. I remember some months back when you were saying that your therapist was trying to have you think of ways to put yourself in challenging or uncomfortable situations to work on your phobic feelings.This type of situation would be a good one to use to work on keeping calm and is probably the type of thing you were asking people to brainstorm for you a while back.


If you can't see the therapist, try to recall the things that you discussed and the coping mechanisms you talked about with him or her. For example, what are the ways that you can calm yourself in general, and specifically, about the ball hitting you in the face. To me, it sounds as though you don't need to be worrying about that at all because I doubt it could infect you. What are some of the things that you can tell yourself so that you will believe that the ball is not a problem? What are some things that you can tell yourself to make you feel less panicked?


This is a challenging situation, but you can get through it. Edited by: japa

[baseballplaya12]

thanks alot that was really helpful, but i still cant help but be scared to go
to back to this virus infected camp...EWWW [img]smileys/smilies_10.gif[/img] [img]smileys/smilies_10.gif[/img] [img]smileys/smilies_10.gif[/img]

[japa]

No doubt that you wouldn't want to go back to work. You're being careful with cleaning things. The damn virus can't infectEVERYONE in the camp, and since you are being careful, I bet you would be a good candidate for the virus to bypass. It's all gonna work out.

[samara's on tv]

Yeah think about this as a learning situation. Although I could never be there with sick kids or knowing that someone was sick, it would scare the crap out of me. As for getting hit with a ball that was just a fluke. I played softball for many years and was the catcher...I only got hit with the ball once it nearly knocked me out...but it was just one time. I guess once you get hit you are more careful not to get hit in the future but I wouldn't worry about germs spreading that way. Take Care!


~Monica

[baseballplaya12]

now im worried about bringing it into my house all those kids touching
me all day ugh i cant do this...

[japa]

It's probably wrong to post this, but if you were desperate, you could call in sick for the rest of the week and go back on Monday. Of course, I don't even know if that would be feasible, and it might not minimize your exposure. Edited by: japa

[charzysbebe]

I really feel for you! [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]I really wish you didn't have to worry. Just keep your hands clean, and I am sure things will be ok. Charlotte

[yenn]

Hey, try not to worry too much. It could've been spread in a way in which you had no contact....it's unlikely you will get it. You're not going to be at close quarters with these kids, and you're definitely not going to be there when one of them v*s so I think you should be fine. Try to not worry too much (I'm a hypocrite I know) because worry and stress weaken the body's immune system and defences.


Take Care

[baseballplaya12]

well i called in sick todayand it seams that they already had replacement
counselors becasue so many of them were sick great!... Im going back to
therapy tonight and were going to see what he has to say, but i dont want
to go anywhere near that school again, my dad said i could come work for
him, which if i knew that i never would have taken this job, so hopefully i
wont have to go back he told me he would talk to my boss and explain
everything cuz theres no way i could...i just hope im not jinxing myself by
quitting and already having the virus...

[2jo2]

Honestly, I think I would have done the same thing. I know the feeling you're experiencing. Don't feel bad for doing it, and jinxing doesn't exist, which it's hard to believe it doesn't, but in reality, it just doesn't. You were far braver than I would have been in even taking that job, and you tried it, you faced your fear and you should be proud. I'm so glad you have great parents that understand. Consider yourself blessed. I can just hear my therapist if I were in this situation... she would most likely encourage me to quit or take the week off, because to shower yourself in your fear like that could set you back instead of bring you forward. I think you did the right thing. Let us know how things go.

[baseballplaya12]

Well...since ive been home all i can think about is the possibility that i
have brought this virus into my house and infected the rest of my
family...I know that isnt likely but the kids were touching me all day and i
had nowhere to wash my hands i came home and did it but i still touched
things on the way, like my car stereo and my phone and the door handle
so today i went and lysoled (spray) everything that i might have touched
or been around im having trouble sleeping becasue all i can think about is
if i touched my face and iroll over and my mouth is on the spot where my
face was...Its brutal...Does this lysol spray really work because im never
sure if it actually does...

[shiva]

Baseballplaya,


Do not at all be hard on yourself for calling in sick. I know I would have done the same thing. But, you are home now so try really hard not to think about whether or not you've possibly been exposed or exposed your family. Maybe think of a topic that you like to think a lot about on a positive aspect (music, sports... etc.) and everytime you find yourself thinking about what if's, then make yourself think really hard about your happy topic instead. See how that works. I don't blame you for cleaning everything, I would be too.

[japa]

It's fine that you called in sick. I think it was probably for the best because, like you said, there were already so many out sick that the people in charge expected it. Is this just a summer camp? To me it seems strange for the camp to keep on functioning (I know - it must be the profit factor) even though so many are falling ill. It should shut down for a week to allow the virus to die out. I mean, let's think about it. Yeah! Fun! Cool! I'm a kid going to summer camp. But now, I'm a kid going to summer camp and catching something (not a baseball) there. Seems to defeat the purpose of a camp, which is to spread fun and friendship, not an epidemic. They should treat it like the plague in England in the sixteenth century - then, they would shut down the churches and theaters, so that there would be no public congregation of people to transmit the plague. (o.k. o.k. so the plague was deadly, fine whatever)


Anyway, even facing up to things as far as you have is good, and I am sure it'll help you. Being around almost a whole camp full of sick people is a huge challenge. Maybe next time you will be able to find something a little less intense but still helpful for exposure lol.


shiva's right about trying to do something that you enjoy to take your mind off things. From what you described about others campers and counselors getting sick, it sounds like it's a rapid onset, so you probably would come down with something quickly. You'll be o.k., and hey, you're out of the cesspool of germs. Edited by: japa

[Eternity]

You wont catch it. Youre emetophobic, we almost Never catch viruses. If we do we almost Never get sick from them, something can cause someone else to be terribly ill, n all we'll feel is a bit rotton for a few days. It is actually the brain that controls the v* center, and if youre desperate not to get sick, you wont (with the obvious exception of very serious stuff) but its only a littlea virus. Look at how its affecting other people. It really isnt all that bad, and you can consider yourself about 10 times more resilliant than they are (emet does have its uses) You will be FINE, Id put money on it.
I have Never got sick from a virus in my whole life, and I have been exposed plenty. Ive lived with kids for years, spent most of my life in education. My bodys in crap condition, Emet has to be the reason for this resilliance, I dont have much else going for me in the way of protection :P Im horribly disgustingly unfit. We're stronger than other people that way- more resilliant. Edited by: Eternity

[baseballplaya12]

now my stupid brother decided to eat ice cream... and he decided to drop
it on the floor pick it up put it in the cup, and almost eat it before i
stopped him, i dumped out the ice cream and rinsed the cup with water
for like 2 seconds and gave it back to him...and then he filled it up and
ate out of it...so now i cant help but think hes bound to get sick even
though thats irrational

[japa]

All the stress is getting to you. Don't worry about your brother. You can tell that you're stressed out because you keep creating some new things to worry about. Try to push the thought away.

[sillygirl]

I agree with japa - you have to relax. You have removed yourself from the situation. You will be fine. Viruses cannot live outside the human body for long so even if you did bring anything home, I'm sure nothing is still survivng. If you were going to get it you probably would have been now. It seemed to spread pretty fast so I really think you are probably in the clear. If you keep pancking you are going to feel just as bad as if you did have it, so try to relax. Think positive. You can go work with your dad now, you don't have to go back. You don't have to be exposed to it anymore. Take care of yourself so you can fight off anything that ever does come your way. I hope this isn't sounding harsh, because I don't mean to at all. I am kind of going through the same feelings right now. I haven't felt too great for the last few days (and I'm pretty sure it's due to my poor eating habits lately) but I have been in this downward spiral. I keep panicking which only makes it worse. We both need to sit back, relax, take a deep breath and realize that we are going to be just fine. Summer is too short to waste it worrying - soon it will be winter and we will have plenty to panic about. [img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]

[baseballplaya12]

Im starting to think that the sickness was spread at the local waterpark
where all the camps go to swim, this is because this sickness is
apparently going around at more than one of the camps, so i think that
the incubation period would have to be a little more than three days
because the kids began to get sick friday night and they were at the
waterpark tuesday...I dont know if that makes any sense but thats what it
seems to be.

[shiva]

That actually makes a lot of sense to me. I have heard a lot about that lately. People are supposed to shower before swimming, but no one ever does it seems. Despite all of the scary media hype I have been letting my daughter still swim in the public pool at her day camp. Scary..... But yeah.. what you came up with makes total sense to me.