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  1. #1

    Default I’m about to have a breakdown.

    I’m going to try to be calm as I type this.

    So I have a dell laptop with windows 8.1, which is a somewhat old version of windows now. The reason why I still have it is because I haven’t used this laptop since 2015, due to the backlight going out. I didn’t have the money needed to get it fixed.

    Recently, my family (me, mom, sister) moved in with my mom’s boyfriend, who makes a pretty good amount of money in his job. I asked him if he could get fixed and he did.

    I had gotten it back about 5 days ago and been using it for 4. I didn’t want to touch it because I wanted to clean it first, especially because some people have the flu & more people get the stomach virus around this season. Unfortunately, yet expected, I couldn’t find ANY wipes that kill norovirus, just spray, which would damage the laptop if I used it.

    I always wash my hands after using it, especially when I’m about to eat. However, today, I sort of got careless and took a shower right after using it. I touched my nose, cheeks, and hair somewhat often. What bothers me is the fact that lots of water that rolled down my nose and cheek either touched or went into my mouth, so now I think I’m at risk. There’s no guarantee that the people who repaired it were sick or not, but I always expect the worst case scenario, that’s just me.

    However, now I’m freaking out. Because looking at my laptop, I noticed lots of dried up spots on it. There’s a small brown spot by the keyboard and lots of dried up, green-ish white spots on the keyboard and mousepad and right below the monitor. I was pretty messy with the laptop, I’d often eat and drink while using it & I wouldn’t doubt it if I had gotten food on it a good amount of times & being that I kept it on a shelf in a closet for a while since I couldn’t use it, it also could just be dust as well. However, this almost looks as if someone vomited on it & didn’t clean it up.

    I guess that’s a little far fetched, to say the least, but that’s how it looks to me. Most of the actual keyboard is somewhat clean-ish but the palm rest & the space below and above the keyboard have these spots that look as if someone just barfed on it and I’m freaked tf out!

    What would be you guys’ take on it? Would you assume I was exposed to it & have a high chance of catching it..?


    EDIT: Sorry, I tend to say some irrational things when I panic. That doesn’t take away from the fact the laptop still doesn’t look so nice nor the fact that I’m afraid I exposed myself somehow.. I wish I wasn’t like this.
    Last edited by trs12345; 11-14-2017 at 04:23 PM.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: I’m about to have a breakdown.

    I think you are really over thinking this situation. It is highly unlikely that some vomited on your laptop while fixing it, much less fail to clean it up if they did. My laptop and phone always has spots of something on them and I know for a fact no one has gotten sick on them. Just wipe the keyboard with a damp paper towel and enjoy your laptop. You are fine.

  3. #3

    Default Re: I’m about to have a breakdown.

    I want to ensure that my laptop is disinfected. As of now, I can’t find any norovirus killing wipes at any local stores. However, I do have Lysol Brand III Spray. Do you think spraying that on a damp paper towel and wiping it down would have any effect? Or am I better off ordering wipes online?

  4. #4

    Default Re: I’m about to have a breakdown.

    If you're in England get some Ecohydra hand sanitizer - it says on the front EFFECTIVE AGAINST NOROVIRUS.
    But .... You are being very analytical (I need to be more like this !) But you are gonna worry yourself way too much in a highly unlikely situation... Spots will most likely be food haha I'm guilty of that ....

  5. #5

    Default Re: I’m about to have a breakdown.

    Unfortunately, I’m in the United States. I don’t believe they sell products such as those.


    Aaaaaand I know. I’ve reached a high of anxiety that I haven’t seen since early 2011. Ever since I ate a left out salad and realized I could’ve gotten E.Coli, I’ve been super cautious. The following month, I ended up using the restroom that my uncle was using when he had the stomach virus and I was extremely scared & paranoid. 3 months later and I’m still not sick so I know I didn’t catch it, but I can’t help but feel every little thing I touch had the virus on it. Even now.

    It doesn’t help that my mom laughs and brushes off everything I say. She refuses to buy antiviral products because, in her mind, bacteria and viruses are the same thing and can be killed by the same products. She’s infuriatingly stubborn and believes she’s right 100% of the time. There is no hope of getting her to listen, which is why my fear’s been amplified so much.

    Thank you for the reply, though. You’re most likely right about it.

 

 

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