Aren't parents of infected kids supposed to be careful? Looking for good medical reason

[Anonymous]

One of my kids had the flu last week. No one else in the family got sick, and we went about our daily work, school, etc. I wasn't going to stay home from work or keep healthy kids home from school. We were very careful about sanitizing, hand washing, etc. OP, I think you really need to get educated quickly. The CDC website is a good place to start as others have suggested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP -- the vaccine takes 7-10 days to take effect. If you indeed had the vaccine a few weeks ago, then you are immune and there's no reason to avoid this woman or any gifts from her. Also, fwiw, viruses only live between a few seconds and up to 48hrs on non-porous surfaces including plastic, glass and wood. So, if those bottles had just sat for a day or two and then been washed, there would have been zero live virus.

I am 28wks pregnant and so I definitely empathize with your concerns. But, I'd urge you not to give in to hysteria. I think PPs responded strongly because throwing away things that people touched does sound a bit panicked. If you are that worried, even though you are busy -- make it a priority to get informed via the CDC website or local department of health websites so that you have accurate information and can relax a bit.

She came to my office up close & personal THE DAY AFTER she informed everyone her daughter had H1N1. That was LESS THAN ONE WEEK after I had got my flu shot.

So now I'm not hysterical. Thanks for empathizing. I'm really sorry I ever posted this questions, for all the flak I got.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She asking for opinion,and not to be ofended.

She herself is being offensive. She's only getting a dose of her own medicine.

I have been nothing but polite to the person in question, who wanted to hug me the day after she told me her daughter had H1N1. I am really, truly an extremely nice person--everyone says I am the sweetest person in the office--you are judgmental and jumping to conclusions.

Have your nasty little fun in cyberspace I'm outa here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think if you've reached the point where you think healthy people should be avoiding you for your own peace of mind, then it's time for you to stay home. If it concerns you this much, then you reallly should take the time to do your homework and call your doctor. That you have time for neither (but yet have time for this post) suggests to me you're not that worried about it and enjoy being melodramatic. And the thought of you throwing away perfectly good baby bottles makes me want to cringe. You could have easily donated those products to someone in need.

You have confused my concern completely and jumped to a conclusion. I'm not being melodramatic by asking a question on an anonymous forum. Who are all of you??? People with time to be mean to someone with a sincere question who tried to explain, but then got slammed some more.

I donate plenty of things to people in need, but not something I'm not sure of. I was not sure at the time b/c she gave them to me the day after her daughter got sick.

I hope you all feel as self-righteous as you sound. I give up on trying to have any sort of normal conversation with the nasty people here.

[Anonymous]

I think you are pretty crazy...and I am pregnant right now and also work in an office environment. If you didn't want people's honest opinion, you shouldn't have posted in an anonymous forum, and especially not here. I hate to break it to you, but we aren't all being nasty...we are being honest.

I get your concern about getting sick, being pregnant myself...but throwing a care package away and refusing to hug a person who happens to have come into contact with the flu virus is pretty rude and inconsiderate.

You just sound paranoid and superior...and not particularly nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She asking for opinion,and not to be ofended.

She herself is being offensive. She's only getting a dose of her own medicine.

I have been nothing but polite to the person in question, who wanted to hug me the day after she told me her daughter had H1N1. I am really, truly an extremely nice person--everyone says I am the sweetest person in the office--you are judgmental and jumping to conclusions.

Have your nasty little fun in cyberspace I'm outa here!

A sincerely nice person would not have acted the way you did to your co-worker. If you are "truly" a nice person, you also would understand that you have acted in a rude manner. I sincerely doubt you are "really, truly an extremely nice person" - sounds more like you are nice to people's faces and then "really, truly" act obnoxious behind their backs.

[Anonymous]

Talk to your doctor about anxiety drugs.

The virus is not nearly so contagious or potent that people who come in contact with it have to avoid others when they themselves are not sick. That's insane and nobody would go anywhere if that were the case. Hand washing is good enough. You want to be anal about it- put a thing of purell outside your office.

You're exposed to far more of the virus going grocery shopping, on the metro, into your office building every day, etc.

Your fear is above and beyond a rational level. Stop listening to the news and reading this board, you'll be happier.

[Anonymous]

It is pretty rude, inconsiderate, and obsessive to take the time to make someone feel this bad about a simple question about whether someone is contagious or not. My co-worker was not offended and we remain good friends.

Everyone who posted something saying I'm mean when I'm not, or I'm crazy when I'm not, maybe you should look in the mirror.

You've made me feel really terrible this has been an awful experience, how nice when you're 8 months pg to be shamed by strangers who jsut wont' stop or even listen.

[Anonymous]

Throwing away the care package was over the top. You're a bit too scared of this - likely you have been exposed or will be anyway.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think a lot of the moms responding here have kids already, and have dealt with so much stuff as parents, that maybe they have forgotten how vulnerable to fear one can be when one is pregnant for the first time. I have a child who is 3.5, but I remember how nervous I was about so many things when I was pregnant, worrying a lot about random things that, in hindsight and after DS has experienced so many other things for me to worry about (LOL), I would probably not worry about the second time around. Also, if I were pregnant for the first time right now, during this swine flu madness, I KNOW I would be a freaking mess, just remembering how I was pregnant. So I cut you major slack on this one.

I also think you have done all you can to be careful, in getting the vaccine, washing hands, avoiding contact, etc. Now you just need to try to enjoy the rest of your pregnancy, despite the swine flu madness.

If you are anything like me, the worry won't stop after DC is born, but so much will be thrown at you that you will get "broken in" like me and the rest of these moms. You will be just as mindful and protective as you are now, but you'll learn more and more how to structure the worry. Does that make any sense?

Congrats on your baby!

[Anonymous]

" I said I need to be careful b/c the antibodies take 2 weeks to build up after the vaccine, and it had been less than a week so I am not protected. Now a week has passed & she keeps trying to stop by my office & talk to me--I've been way way too busy so it has not been hard to avoid her, but wondering why she thinks it is OK, and want to be prepared for the next time, b/c she keeps coming back. I could just ask her if she is sure she is not carrying the virus, or I could tell her I've heard that it is dangerous to be around parents of kids who have recently had swine flu, even a mild version as she alleges it was.)"

In addition to throwing away washable plastic bottles, you continue to be afraid of this woman after two weeks passed since you received your vaccine. You asked for advice on how to avoid her and validation for your fear.

I am sorry you are so afraid, but you did not ask a simple medical question as you now claim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
She asking for opinion,and not to be ofended

She herself is being offensive. She's only getting a dose of her own medicine.

...................................................................................................................
I don't really see that way

[Anonymous]

OP even if your co worker had contracted H1N1 and was in the period where she was shedding the virus but not yet showing symptoms you are unlikely to catch it unless you are standing within a few feet of her and she coughs or sneezes. If she was in that state then she should have come down with the virus about 1-3 days afterwards so it sounds like you are safe from her. You are though more likely to catch it from touching things like doorknobs and handles, handrails, grocery cart handles, public bathrooms and other surfaces that many people touch who either have H1N1 or touched a surface with it and transferred it.