it's freaking everywhere!!!

[ruhligv]

I'm constantly between my hometown and my boyfriend's house (where I'm staying until I finish my internship). It's about an hour drive. Anyway, friends from both places are constantly uploading fb statuses about a horrible GI bug lasting 2 days with constant v*. I also am interning at a hospital and daily I hear about staff coming down with it. I feel like it's inevitable and I'm freaking out!!! Help!!!

Also, my brother's wife in NY had an sv two weeks ago. He finally JUST caught it this week. How is that possible?

[jessica.leigh]

Hi ruhligv,

So yes, apparently SV's are running rampant right now. I'm in Austin and they've been everywhere around here! Here's the good news:
My boyfriend (who I live with), his son, his son's older brother (different mom), and 2 of my boyfriend's bandmates got it all within the SAME WEEK and I didn't catch it because I just used proper hygiene and made sure I cleaned everything well with bleach! You CAN avoid it even when it is all around you!

I bet your brother and his wife got it from separate exposures! After my boyfriend and his son were s* at my house I waited 2 full weeks before using the bathroom where IT happened, but then went back to using it like normal and didn't catch anything! I had bleached, but still, I think 2 weeks is long enough that I bet they didn't get it from each other...

Just make sure you are washing your hands, and I tried to only eat things that I didn't have to touch for a few days. When the boys were s* at my house I also didn't prepare or eat food in the house unless I brought home take-out and had plastic utensils from the restaurant!

You can get through this yucky season!

[ruhligv]

Thank you Jessica, it just seems like its worse right now than it's been all season! I hate it! Ready for summer! Thanks for your encouragement, I'm trying to be sure not to touch my face or anything but I'm still paranoid and anxious by the end of the day. Its exhausting! I guess you're probably right that they were exposed separately.

[AnneG]

OMG. I feel the same way. Who thinks it's funny or entertaining to post this stuff on FB? I am freaking out!!! I have been washing my hands and using Lysol wipes on everything at work. I think I am going to take a FB break because I can't stand the descriptive illness reports. ARGH!!!

[Anie]

Yes, it's pretty scary!! I was hoping it would be over by now but it looks like it's not over yet...
I once read that the virus can be alive for up to 12 days on hard surfaces. So if it's not well cleaned, it can be picked up. I don't know if it's true though.

[ruhligv]

It's kind of a sick thing about Facebook though... like I hate that they post about it, but I want to know if it's going on so I can be extra careful... but then I'm mad because I'm such a wreck over it lol It's really a vicious cycle! I really hate the ones that just say they are sick because then I am like okay, with what? But such a relief when it's respiratory or whatever. Ugh. Life of emet.