Is my family at risk for this disease or is it completely unrealistic?

[ScaredMumof3]

I have feared mice my entire life, but as a teenager when my bedroom became infested with mice, I learned about the disease called Hantavirus- a rare virus that some mice carry in their feces. When particles are inhaled by those messing with the mice/feces, it causes a severe respiratory infection that is very fatal. My hypochondria is absolutely debilitating, and after that I refused to touch anything in or even ENTER my bedroom. I had to buy and entire new wardrobe and give up everything in my roomI still can’t walk in that room almost ten years later even though I know it’s kmpossible to catch now. It was that severe.

Fast forward to today. I was visiting my father’s home which is in the countryI live it Indiana where hanta it rare. I know the facts. But it doesn’t help me. He has an outside cat. There was a dead mouse on the pathway up to his door. Panic. My children had been there playing outside around the mouse. My father had kicked another dead mouse to the side with his shoe and walked around the house. Panic. His house keeper came out and SWEEPED the mouse to the side- a big no no because it releases potential hanta particles in the air. I could speak. I couldn’t breath and I almost fainted right there. I had to awkwardly excuse myself and load my kids in the car. I’m panicking now on the way home to immediately put my kids in the shower and Lysol their shoes and my entire car. I am TERRIFIED. My number one phobia come to life. Face to face with what could by my entire family’s death. I can’t get ahold of my therapist and I’m terrified hyperventilating. Am I absolutely out of my mind? Can anyone offer words of comfort?

[nomorepanic]

You are fine - you really can't catch it like that.

[Scass]

How are you now a day later?
This sounds like such a crippling fear for you. You mention a therapist, and I’m really glad you have someone to talk to.
Look at how little fear your Dad and housekeeper had? They must deal with this all the time.

You can’t sterilise your car and kids clothes every day, and you need to be able to visit your Dad, so how can you move on from this?


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[ScaredMumof3]

How are you now a day later?
This sounds like such a crippling fear for you. You mention a therapist, and I’m really glad you have someone to talk to.
Look at how little fear your Dad and housekeeper had? They must deal with this all the time.

You can’t sterilise your car and kids clothes every day, and you need to be able to visit your Dad, so how can you move on from this?


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I’m not sure how to move on from it. My father recently had a very bad stroke and is finally at home again after months of rehab, and I am one of his primary care takers as well so it’s even harder knowing I will HAVE to go back, very soon nonetheless. I absolutely hate myself for this entire situation. I hate it. And I know self loathing isn’t the way to go, but it’s difficult to not turn to that. I’m still to anxious to touch almost anything. I can’t touch the floor or anything on the floor right now out of fear of some sort of contamination from shoes being tracked in. I have hardly eaten since yesterday morning due to this fear. I’m losing it. I know realistically that there have only been around 700 cases in the last 25 years in the US. It’s absolutely ridiculous for me to obsess over this. But I feel if I don’t obsess over it, that’s when I’ll catch it. Awesome “logic” right


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[ankietyjoe]

The most important thing I see in this post is to stop showing your kids the anxiety, and panic reactions to something which is 99.9% sure to be entirely harmless.

This is one of those situations where you need to fight your instinct to check, and tell yourself it's going to be fine.

As long as you're 'checking', nothing anybody says here will alleviate your anxiety.

[ScaredMumof3]

The most important thing I see in this post is to stop showing your kids the anxiety, and panic reactions to something which is 99.9% sure to be entirely harmless.



This is one of those situations where you need to fight your instinct to check, and tell yourself it's going to be fine.



As long as you're 'checking', nothing anybody says here will alleviate your anxiety.



Trust me, I know this. It’s been years since I’ve been this bad. I just seem to have hit a particularly rough “relapse” of this fear/the anxiety that comes with it and I’m trying to handle it the best I can. My children know and understand my anxiety as I am very transparent with them, but also try to not let it show. If that makes any sense. This isn’t an everyday occurrence here. I’m always paranoid of damaging them when instances like this do happen. But I’m doing the absolute best that I can at the moment.


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[Scass]

I’m not sure how to move on from it. My father recently had a very bad stroke and is finally at home again after months of rehab, and I am one of his primary care takers as well so it’s even harder knowing I will HAVE to go back, very soon nonetheless. I absolutely hate myself for this entire situation. I hate it. And I know self loathing isn’t the way to go, but it’s difficult to not turn to that. I’m still to anxious to touch almost anything. I can’t touch the floor or anything on the floor right now out of fear of some sort of contamination from shoes being tracked in. I have hardly eaten since yesterday morning due to this fear. I’m losing it. I know realistically that there have only been around 700 cases in the last 25 years in the US. It’s absolutely ridiculous for me to obsess over this. But I feel if I don’t obsess over it, that’s when I’ll catch it. Awesome “logic” right


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Please don’t hate yourself. You’re doing well by talking about it and voicing your fears. That’s very brave in itself. I don’t mean to sound patronising by saying that either.

You can do this. Your Dad needs you, you can do this. You will be fine and your kids will be fine. That stupid disease is not going to get you.
Keep breathing, make a mantra, eat, relax.


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