Sunday, February 19, 2012

Norovirus Outbreak NOT on a Cruise Ship!?

Two posts in a day? I am on FIRE. Lol ok so here's what i alluded to before; I have a fear of throwing up. The technical term is Emetophobia. And the technical definition is "an intense, irrational fear or anxiety pertaining to vomiting. This specific phobia can also include subcategories of what causes the anxiety, including a fear of vomiting in public, a fear of seeing vomit, a fear of watching the action of vomiting or fear of being nauseated."

The only part of that that doesn't pertain to me is seeing vomit and people vomiting. Well, no more than anyone else. Yes, this a common fear. One of the most common actually, but where it gets tricky is being so anxious about throwing up that it ramps up my anxiety to a level that can, and will, induce a panic attack ( which are pretty rare for me now expect in relation to this), and also increases my hospital and death anxiety.

This is one of my first "anxiety things" that showed up. It was the reason i first went to a shrink because it was so bad as a child, that i would sleep on my parent's floor in a sleeping bag because it was closer to the toilet, and also in case something happened in relation to the "throwing up". This went on for over a year. Yes, it is much better now but anytime i feel nauseous, i freak out.

Oddly enough, once i'm throwing up, i'm ok. Well as ok as you can be throwing up. Although i am convinced i have something in my throat ( tumor or something) that i can feel when i throw up and am convinced will choke me to death. I also am afraid of getting dehydrated and either dying or ending up in the hospital. Which, in case i haven't mentioned it, are equally as terrifying.

While i'm not a germaphobe ( even though i a a hypochondriac ), and most illnesses roaming around like the flu or strep don't concern me even a little, a stomach bug going around is like adding fuel to my crazypants fire. There is an outbreak of the Norovirus going around in the city next to where i work and also where i live. My charge's mom is a doctor and she mentioned it several times so we've been avoiding public places in that city. What's even scarier is that the purell stuff, doesn't work on norovirus. Yep, doesn't work. At. All.

So, on Thursday E ( the girl i nanny for ) and I went to a play date at a lovely lady's home. By the way, if she's reading this, i'm not blaming you i swear! She posted today that yesterday, Saturday, she came down with the norovirus. There is a BIG incubation period for norovirus and not only was i in her home, but i ate food she prepared. So now, i'm nauseous ( who knows if it's in my head or not ) and completely paranoid and freaking out that i'm going to get it. What i'm even more scared of, is getting the bug while driving ( a HUGE fear of mine ). And i have a long drive to and from work. This is insanely scary for me. I almost wish if i was going to get it, i WOULD get it tonight just so it's out of my system. And because there is an outbreak here of it, i probably will be freaking out daily until the outbreak is over. So wish me luck everybody. I will be needing it...

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