I went totally ballistic

[stella9]

I was in a meeting with someone forbusiness today and they were telling me about a horrible situation they had two weeks ago. They were traveling back from vacation and while at the airport began to v**. He said he v** two or three times before it was time to board. He said he had a fever and body aches and just knew it had to be avirus. He said the terminal agent actually saw him v** in a trash bin near the gate. He got on the plane, where he v** about 11 times during the five hour flight.


Okay folks - I lost it on him. I went totally ape-s**t on this guy. I asked him how his cabinmates liked their journey with him. He said they were really pretty stand offish and he got a little po'ed that they were not more sympathetic What did he expect, someone to ask if they wanted toswap gum with him? Here dude, have a sip of my soda?


I asked him if the airline knew he was sick? Now listen to this. The terminal agent was worried that he was drunk, but once he said he "just had a virus" she was okay with letting him board. Quite frankly, while I don't appreciate v**, I could deal better with someone v** from drink than a virus. Alcohol v** is not contagious to me or anyone else and it has a short life. The virus thing could be potentially dangerous to someone on the plane who has either AIDs, another compromised immune system disorder or is possibly going through chemotherapy. I can't believe the dingbat terminal agent who let this leper on the plane.


Today I was watching CNN about theAvian flu and they said the main, ifnot the only, way this flu will spread will beby airplane travel. Supposedly the airlines are doing everything to help diminish the spread of this potentially fatal and catastrophic influenza. First, IMO,they have to keep the projectile v***ters off of planes.


Don't get me wrong, I feel sorry for anyone who becomes ill while in-flight. We all know that sv's come on fast and strong so we cannot fault anyone who gets on board an aircraft feeling fine and the into the flight gets sick. It could happen to any of us. However, what kind of village idiot gets on a plane already so terribly sick? Worse yet, what kind of demented terminal agent nods with a smile asa Typhoid Mary (or John) boardsa five hour flight with two hundred plus passengers? Quite frankly, I'll drive.


I am seething.


Stella

[stef]

oh my god... yes i wud hav been furious too!!! firstly... how can anyone WANT to get on a plane feeling like that anyway?!! arrgh!! that is the last place id wana be if i was feeling sick... and that damn terminal agent being so unthoughtful about the whole situation??!! about others getting sick and also making the flight uncomfortable for other passengers, and a dungeon of fear for emetophobes on that flight!!! all i can say is GRRRRRR!!![img]smileys/smilies_07.gif[/img]<!--
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[2jo2]

BRAVO for letting the guy have it! I wonder what airline he flew. Sympathetic? Please.... I would love to know how many people that were on that flight ended up getting sick. All those cruise ship norwalk outbreaks started by a single person who came aboard sick. Viruses spread like wildfire on airplanes, you're cramped in a small space for hours with 200 other people! You're right about the avian flu spreading thing... how can we trust the airlines to monitor things like that, if they're allowing people in that condition on board?!?! GRRRR!!!!!

[liriodendron]

There is/was a show on A&amp;E called Airline. It's a reality show
where they show you what happens at the Southwest Airlines terminal
blah blah blah.

Anyway, they frequently deny boarding to people who are drunk but one
time a young girl with her mother was very ill and v* too and they said
it was an illness. AND THEY LET HER BOARD!



It's clear these morons don't have their priorities straight. This
makes me want to fly even less. You know we hear these oddball stories
now and then but what we hear is just a small fraction of what boards
an airplane. I actually don't blame the sick guy, what was he supposed
to do? I blame the airline for letting him board, especially when they
won't let people whoe are acting even slightly kookie on board. But I
guess we can say they deserve what's coming to them.

[donna1216]

Airplanes are DIRTY and not just SV's get passed around--all of that airplane air is just the same air recirculated, so you breathe in ALL Of those germs in the air--luckily most SV's aren't airborne, unless the "V" particles are in the air, hopefully he spent the flight in the toilet!!

[reese]

I've stayed in a city longer than I originally wanted to because I didn't feel
well. I wasn't V*ing but I had D* so I just got my room for an extra night
in the hotel and stayed. Even though I fly more than anyone I know,
sometimes I still feel a bit sick even when I felt fine before I got on the
plane. I can't imagine getting on feeling sick!!

I really can't fault the airline, though. I mean, where do you draw the line?
We are afraid of v*ing (so much so that I would get off the plane if I knew
he was sick before we took off), but there are people who would rather
have a SV rather than a cold. They can't deny boarding to people with a
cold... it's hard to draw the line.

AND.. the bird flu will be transmitted from country to country via air
travel. Not so much that it will be passed on an airplane, but it will be
come transcontinental due to the ease of traveling overseas via airplane...

[tcsarah]

You see this is what terrifies me about travelling to countries where we need to fly. I've only ever flown to Paris before and since I'm in England it was a super short flight. My fiance wants to go to America and Canada, but I know I would panic big style about: a) getting a virus - as I know many people do because of the germs in the recirculed air b) feeling sick or somebody else v*ing near me. You have to sit next to strangers too, I just don't know what I would do if they started v*ing mid flight.

[shiva]

I've been on a plane before while a sick kid was traveling. The flight attendant told me something to the effect of "don't worry, he was sick before he got on the plane". Luckily it was only an hour long flight... Thank God, I don't know how much more I could have taken.


But I think that most of the general public does not care whether they get a sv or v* or what. So I can see why no one cares (but us people when sick people board planes. Still, it is pretty sick..

[hippychick]

I know I'm an emet and all but if I was throwing up there is just NO way I'd be out in public even if it meant spending another night in a hotel, I mean who WANTS to be travelling when they feel that ill and don't know whether they will V*. I know that people are not emets and don't think the same way but I cant ever imagine even before I was emet wanting to be around other people while I was ill, hell even if I have a cold I just stay in my room because I feel too crappy to be around others lol

[spilled_milk]

I've been on a plane before when some kid was sick. Luckily it was only a flight from puerto rico to boston, only a couple of hours, and i had all of my friends. I think he was motion sick though. I totally know your feeling though: why would someone get on aplane if they're sick? And, i think i'd get off if some one was v*ing that badly&gt; in fact, i'm going to spain this february on an exchange, which is about a 10 hour flight from boston (i dont know if this counts the time change or not). Although i really want to go, if i see someone v*ing before hand i think i'll get off. lol!


I'm sorry that you ahd to hear that man talking! Some people share way too much info.


&lt;3 Anya--

[japa]

The colds they can't deny boarding to. But the sv people seem a lot worse because they have major bodily fluids coming out all over the place. And who knows? They could need further medical attention while on board, and who is going to give it to them?

[tayda]

Man, who would even want to fly when you're V*ing?! I think this guy like can't stand to not get attention! I mean, most people aren't talking about illnesses that they had 2 weeks ago... especially something as personal as that!


Yuck! I totally agree... I don't think that anyone who is really s* prior to getting on the plane should be permitted! Poor flight attendants!


I don't think they allow people to fly while drunk b/c it may have some health effects or be potentially dangerous.

[stella9]

I agree that some people don't mind sv or v. However, most people do, even the non-emets. No one want so be on vacation/holiday or away on business sick because someone was sick on the plane and got on knowing they were. Also, we assumev*** sicknesses are a sv. While most of the time it is, it could be a parasite and/or bacterial infection. I posted here once about a news show that talked about the spread of these type of infections. There are some airlines, like Virgin, that will not permit anyone who they suspect is sick (not a headcold) on their flights. The terminal agents can absolutely turn them away at the gate. Due to deregulation of the airline industry in the States, it is difficult for the terminatl agentsto make determinations on who flies and who doesn't.

[liriodendron]

I've changed my stance on this issue.

It's the airlines' job to get travellers from point A to point B
without crashing and that's it. They don't have to answer to you about
gastroenteritis, they have to answer to their shareholders if there are
any left. If they don't want to keep sick passengers off the plane,
that's their prerogative.



Instead, I now blame the government. It's their duty to keep us safe
and healthy and hell even in China with the SARS outbreak, they were
not letting people board trains if they had a temperature (which they
measured remotely with infrared thermometer guns). And if I'm not
mistaken, the keeping of drunk passengers off airplanes is an FAA rule,
not the airline's personal preference.



I still can't totally blame the passenger in this case. If I suddenly
fell ill like that, I wouldn't be able to even think straight. This is
different from going in to work or preparing cold cuts for everyone to
sink into, this is sort of like, "I'm on my last clean pair of
underwear, I checked out of the hotel, I returned the rental car
and I have to get home and I could infect just as many people by v* all
over the airport or in a hotel or taxi. I really don't know what
I'd do. It could be TEN days or more before v* or d* stops completely.
That could wind up being an expensive illness.



So fly at your own risk. If you get sick from an airplane which I've
heard happen, you can blame a lot of people but ultimately, it's you
who makes the choice to fly. And that's one of the many reasons why I
choose not to.






Edited by: liriodendron

[reese]

AMEN!

[tayda]

liriodendron- you make a very good point. I don't fly either... and I wasn't crazy over taking the T and train.. (for fear of s* reasons... but I did) Just wanted to say..

[japa]

Well, I believe that it is the responsibility of the sick person not to expose others to his sickness whether it is a cold, stomach virus, or whatever it may be. For some reason, (probably capitalism) our culture (U.S. at least) doesn't really teach that much.


I spoke to my hairdresser on Friday morning while I was getting my hair cut. He said, "well, I have to call a client and tell her please not to come in. She has meningitis, but she wants to get her hair done. She told me, 'I'm on the tail end of it."


I was like, hell yeah, call her. The sick person should not be going to get her hair done or flying on planes or getting on trains. Stay home and get better.


Then the hairdresser talked about another salon he worked at in which he was one stylist out of 20 who did not fall ill with mono when a woman came in to get her hair cut (she had mono). One of the stylists caught the mono and couldn't shake it. The state put her kids in custody of the grandparents, and she ended up missing six months of work. She had to go on short term disability. The salon had to be shut for three days and sterilized by a company that does that. Sick people should feel some guilt over the thought that they can cause this type of harm to people.


I guess I don't agree with liriodendron about how the person will be too disoriented not to get on the plane. And the vomiting part of a stomach virus is not going to last for ten days, so go back to the hotel, and hang out in your room until it's done. Reschedule the flight. At least you won't have bodily fluids going all over the place when you sit on the flight next to someone. This is what the person should do out of courtesy, but most probably would not. It would be nice if sick people chose to think of others before themselves by not going out in public, but most people don't.


Of course, flying is a choice, but so is any other type of interaction with the outside world. I've never had any problems with getting sick from flying, not even a cold. And I've heard contradictory information about the whole recirculating air and sickness, so I am not convinced that it is that big of a risk. The person with the stomach virus could be sitting in the cubicle next to you at work or in the seat next to you on the train, in line with you at the supermarket. There's really not much sense in singling out flying as a special risk.I am saying all this because I am concerned thatpeople are going to freak out more than necessary about flying.

[reese]

I work in a salon, and we have to post a sign at the door that says, "If you
are sick, please do not come into the shop. Please call and reschedule
your appointment. Thank you!" People will come in regardless of how they
feel. They come in with fevers and all....

I think there has to be some kind of line drawn as to how much we limit
our activities when we are sick. We can't expect everyone to completely
shut down when they are ill... I've definitely given people the business for
being at work when they have sv*.. so I suppose there isn't a right
answer. I don't want sick people around me, but by the same token, you
just can't expect for people not to live their lives because they are ill.
Someone on an airplane that is sick might not have been able to get a
reservation for the hotel, or perhaps they just really needed to get home
to their family.

I was ill on my way home from Japan. I had been sick all week with n* and
dry heaving. It turned out to be anxiety, but we didn't know at the time. I
still had d*, but when it was time to go, I had to leave. I wasn't about to
let everyone who I was with leave and stay alone in a strange country
where I didn't know a word of the language, how to get around, where
anything was, etc. I had been sick for 9 days and there was no way to
know how long it was going to last. I just wanted to go home.

[shiva]

My therapist told me that if it bothered me that much I should wear a surgical mask. I guess that's always an option... I chose to take the risk instead of wearing a mask. But, I don't think it is any more a risk than doing anything in public. Sickness can and does happen anywhere. The important thing is that we don't let that ruin our lives. I know it's hard...

[japa]

Well, sure, there has to be a balance about when to go out and when to stay home, when to travel and when not to. What I am saying is that I don't think there is much of a balance right now. I think the scale is tipped in the direction of people who go out and do whatever in public, without considering the consequences to others. I am a single woman, so I am going to have to go to the grocery store or drug store when sick sometimes, but I will try to limit it.The reason that you have to puta sign on the door of the salon is, I think, because most people's default response is not tolimit their own public interactions and travels when they are sick because it might inconvenience them. They don't think how it might inconvenience others to catch what they have.


The problem is to me that there is not enough emphasis on shutting down when sick in U.S. society. It's the whole heroic, "I had to be at work. I'm so dedicated to this company and my job." Or, "I won't give in to sickness" types of attitudes. Blah! Let's shut down when we're sick, be sick, and get better instead of running ourselves ragged and exposing others at the same time. The world will continue on while we recuperate, and we can get back to business when we're better.

I was ill on my way home from Japan. I had been sick all week with n* and
dry heaving. It turned out to be anxiety, but we didn't know at the time. I
still had d*, but when it was time to go, I had to leave. I wasn't about to
let everyone who I was with leave and stay alone in a strange country
where I didn't know a word of the language, how to get around, where
anything was, etc. I had been sick for 9 days and there was no way to
know how long it was going to last. I just wanted to go home.

Edited by: japa

[japa]

deleted double postEdited by: japa

[liriodendron]

It's the whole heroic, "I had to be at work. I'm so dedicated to this company and my job." </font>

Um... You talkin about these here United States?

I think it's because they used up all their sick days for trips to Miami.

[liriodendron]

My therapist told me that if it bothered me that much I should wear a surgical mask.

Screw that, you gotta get one of these...



It's a biosuit!!



LOL

[img]smileys/smilies_05.gif[/img]

[japa]

Yeah, that was sarcasm I was using. It's hard to convey on a computer. But sometimes people are not really dedicated to the company or the job, but they want to LOOK like they are to the boss.

It's the whole heroic, "I had to be at work. I'm so dedicated to this company and my job."

Um... You talkin about these here United States?
I think it's because they used up all their sick days for trips to Miami.

[hippychick]

Yeah I know what you mean Japa it happens here too. My sister has had a chest infection/fly type thing for a week. She refuses to stay off work, she refuses to not go out and party and as a result she is still very sick because she just won't let her body rest, not to mention the other people she has made sick by doing this, whereas if she just took 2 days off and stayed in bed she'd probably feel a hell of a lot better. Why must we keep going when we are sick? Our bodies are telling us not to.

[hollyjean]

im at uni at the moment and there is a stupid rule that if you miss a practical or workshop session, you loose 5% of your final grade for the module for each session you miss! i really hate this because its just making people come in sick. Im doing biomedical science and one of the modules is microbiology so you would think that the other students on my course would have some sense of hygiene but they dont! Theres this one guy who leans into people when he coughs and doesnt cover his mouth so he goes round coughin over everyone!

[crimgoddess]

Holly- if the person brings in a medical certificate, they are usually off the hook. Im a TA at my University, and I know that you can miss an exam or lab because of illness- you just need proof (ie- doctor's note).


As for flying while ill, here are my thoughts. I am a student, get student assistance, and manage to save up every few years to be able to take a really nice vacation. When I went to France a few years ago, the day I was supposed to fly back I was really nauseous, and really didnt want to fly.....but I also didnt have the cash to pay for a hotel room, get another train ticket to the airport (bought it onsale so no cancellations or rescheduling), or pay the rescheduling fee for my flight. What was I to do? I just bit the bullet and took my chances on the plane. At least if I was sick I would ride most of it out in my own bed and not another continent. (And I was....had the shakes and was dizzy for a few days). Some people have the luxury of being able to fly another day or change their plans....some don't, and can't be expected to.


I agree with Shiva when she says:

My therapist told me that if it bothered me that much I should wear a surgical mask. I guess that's always an option... I chose to take the risk instead of wearing a mask. But, I don't think it is any more a risk than doing anything in public. Sickness can and does happen anywhere. The important thing is that we don't let that ruin our lives. I know it's hard...

Also....someone else said that the airline's responsibility is to get you from point A to point B without crashing. I agree. They are not doctors, and should not be in the business of deciding whether someone's cold or flu is too severe for them to fly. Alcohol is one thing, the person puts themselves in that position....if a person is sick it's not their fault. If that is a severe point of worry for you, I would do as Shiva's therapist suggested and don a mask- they make some pretty ones now after the Sars outbreak in Toronto


*amber*

[liriodendron]

I'd REALLLLY like to see someone try to board with a surgical mask.



I would be *VERY* surprised if they let someone get on board with one of those.

[crimgoddess]

I'd REALLLLY like to see someone try to board with a surgical mask.

I would be *VERY* surprised if they let someone get on board with one of those.

I've seen it. Flew from the Ottawa airport at the same time a flight was leaving to go to Toronto (once again, during the whole Sars thing....god I hate it when things get blown out of perspective). Two or three people boarding were wearing surgical masks, and although they got a few looks, the boarding agents didnt bat an eye.


LOL- and people in masksarent even the strangest thing I have seen at the airport.....


*amber*

[samara's on tv]

I understand why people have to fly sometimes when they are sick but it still makes me mad. I do know that once on a vacation...years ago...my sister got sick, really sick V* and D* and everything. We actually changed flight reservations and left two days later then we were supposed to. I was glad for that because I had to sit next to my sister on the flight and if she had been V*ing I don't know WHAT I would have done.


I also remember this one time we were flying to Hawaii and someone on the plane got sick. I never actually SAW the person who was sick, I just knew there was someone sick because the flight attendant came by and asked if we were using our air sickness bags and then she took them. I didn't get sick...well I did get sick (No V*ing but I ALWAYS get sick when I go on trips...weather I take an airplane or not)


Like someone said, it IS the airplane's job to get you from point A to point B without crashing. They really can't be monitoring all the sick people that get on or off the plane...but personally I wouldn't fly when I'm sick, I'd find a way to hold off on it if at all possible.


~Monica