"Catching Something" in the Hospital - Page 6

truffle · ‎01-04-2016

I'll never forget reading some of the most dreadful posts ever by a terrible person who taunted those with the label of germaphobe just because they chose to be safe rather than sorry in order to stay healthy. In that regard, the mods are doing their job as that heinous person has been long gone,,,,,,hallelujah!!

@Noel7

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@truffle wrote:
I'll never forget reading some of the most dreadful posts ever by a terrible person who taunted those with the label of germaphobe just because they chose to be safe rather than sorry in order to stay healthy. In that regard, the mods are doing their job as that heinous person has been long gone,,,,,,hallelujah!!

@Noel7

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Thanks @truffle

"Germaphobe" has such a negative connotation to it, and it trivializes the plight of those who are only doing their best to stay as healthy as possible.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@Lorelei1123 wrote:
@Moonchilde Yes, more than likely. Obviously the vaccine wasn't around when I was a kid. To be honest, I never thought of getting it as an adult when it became available. When I was young, the pediatrician told my mom that I might have a natural immunity since everyone around me (friends/family) got them and I didn't.

@Lorelei1123, I wasn't implying that you did anything wrong. But the parents of the kid(s) who didn't have them vaccinated when they could have and should have, now that vaccine is available, are responsible for your getting chicken pox.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

I do not want to ever, if I can help it, find myself in a hospital! Adding that, over a year ago probably, I was on here and people mentioned at that time, that you shouldn't touch the magazines in the waiting room. I'd never even thought of all the germs on that. I did quit wiping off the shopping carts. We have to build up an immunity somehow. If doctors and nurses do it, we can too. I just don't trust the hand sanitizers.....it's just me.

hyacinth003 · ‎03-12-2010

As an RN, I don't believe I ever caught anything working in a hospital or other health care facility. Maybe you do build some immunity! Also, you have to be very careful working with the more dangerous pathogens.

I wouldn't worry much as a visitor unless the patient you're visiting has a known infectious disease. During my mother's last hospital stay, it felt awful to be gowned and gloved when visiting her. She had c.dificile, which she contracted by being treated for MRSA acquired in a skilled nursing facility. It was pretty crummy to be gowned and gloved up when your mother is dying. It is a nasty bug though. So she got 2 infections from a health care facility.

I think airplanes are more dangerous. My daughter always gets sick if she travels, and then I get it from her!

Wash your hands before leaving a hospital visit. I think we are more likely to get sick in the general public than visiting a hospital.

Hyacinth

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

Yes. However the WORST was at my pediatricians office. Took two of my children in for their checkups and staff was hacking all over the place. Had their visits and left. Within 24 hours, both children came down with the flu (the nasty one that was all over the news a few years back- the one the flu shot DIDN'T address). Then my husband came down with it, then my eldest...THEN me. I wound up being hospitalized due to complications. A month or so later I found out that they KNEW the staff was ill as half didn't show up due to the flu but didn't close the office until later THAT DAY (the day we had the appointments). SO many children were made ill because of that; infants, toddlers, older kids, parents.....

I DREAD going to any doctor's office due especially during flu and cold season for this reason. The staff is just as bad as patients for infecting. If I have to go, I wear gloves and a mask. Stare all you want; at least I won't be sick in a few days.

hyacinth003 · ‎03-12-2010

@SahmIam wrote:
Yes. However the WORST was at my pediatricians office. Took two of my children in for their checkups and staff was hacking all over the place. Had their visits and left. Within 24 hours, both children came down with the flu (the nasty one that was all over the news a few years back- the one the flu shot DIDN'T address). Then my husband came down with it, then my eldest...THEN me. I wound up being hospitalized due to complications. A month or so later I found out that they KNEW the staff was ill as half didn't show up due to the flu but didn't close the office until later THAT DAY (the day we had the appointments). SO many children were made ill because of that; infants, toddlers, older kids, parents.....

I DREAD going to any doctor's office due especially during flu and cold season for this reason. The staff is just as bad as patients for infecting. If I have to go, I wear gloves and a mask. Stare all you want; at least I won't be sick in a few days.

I know what you mean about pediatrician's offices! How well I remember going there with my sick child and feeling like I was in an infectious disease laboratory! The staff might have been sickened by a patient and it circled around! Sometimes it felt the same way visiting her elementary school!

Here I was working in a hospital with the worst of infections, but I was made sick by whatever my daughter caught!

Hyacinth

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

In 2008 I had surgery for thyroid cancer. I stayed in the hospital overnight. The bathroom that several of us patients had to share was not clean and I worried that I could pick something up. Sure enough, I got C-diff. That used to be a bacterial infection caused by antibiotics killing the good bacteria. Now it can be picked up in hospitals in the absence of being on any antibiotic, which was the case for me. I can tell you I was furious. Cancer surgery was bad enough but getting C-diff was even worse!

kdgn · ‎03-09-2010

All it takes is one person to get ill:

When my mom was in assisted living one of the residents went to a family BBQ. At the BBQ someone let her hold her great-grandchild who they knew was ill from a gastro-intestional bug. The resident returned to the facility and within 24 hours she was ill. She ended up needing hospitalization. However, within 5 days the facility was in lock-down, with signs at the door that basically said enter at your own risk. I think there were a total of 10 who did not get ill and they were mostly office staff who had no physical contact with residents and never left their offices.

All residents had to receive their meals in their rooms, served on disposable containers. The staff walked around with masks, gloves and housekeeping wore disposable gowns. Everyone fell ill, including my mom and then me. I was there within the first 3 days of the outbreak, work a mask and gloves, collected her laundry, used sanitizing wipes as soon as the gloves came off. I guess the germs were on the plastic bag I used for her laundry because I was ill within 24 hours myself-and I never touched the laundry. It didn't dawn on me to put gloves on as I opened the bag and dumped everything in the washer-never touched an article of clothing.

The facility itself was constantly sanitizing everything during this time. It was just plain awful. All because someone thought grandma should be able to hold her sick toddler and be just fine-

dex · ‎03-09-2010

@Noel7 I call myself that with pride.I don't care how others feel about it.I like to practice any and all safety measures that I am aware of to protect my health.

my friends are constantly teasing me sbout this but who cares...better safe than sorry.