AnnieMags
20-12-08, 12:16
Dear All - does anyone else have a mounting fear of catching flu this year? I can't remember having been this bad other years, but it is really taking over these days. My boss has been down with it (not 'man-flu', from my telephone conversations with him he has the real thing) and is insistent that he is coming back to work on Monday, despite my trying to persuade him otherwise!:scared15:
I worry about catching it over Christmas and spoiling it for everyone - my son is coming home with his girlfriend and we are so looking forward to it. By the same token I worry about my son getting it and not being able to travel, or, almost worse still, not being able to work for a couple of weeks or longer, as he might get all sorts of nasty post-flu complications (he does not get paid when off sick), which means I have to help him out and my budget is already overstretched, etc. etc. etc - you see a pattern here, don't you? One fear brings another, they are all explored to their most extreme consequence and on and on it goes. Rationally I know there is every chance that none of this will happen and I will have had all this worry and misery for nothing, and even if one of us does fall ill, we will deal with it! At the moment though, there is this constant nagging worry in the back of my mind ALL the time. While at the supermarket I even quickly scan the check-out attendants to see who is looking least likely to have a cold and cough all over my groceries (oh, please someone tell me it is not just me who does this?! :)
At work I try to touch as few shared surfaces as possible (the photocopier and fax machine are scary these days) and I always leave the ladies' with a paper towel round the door handle... If anyone comes into my office and want to make a quick call from my phone - well, out come the antiseptic wipes as soon as they are out the door! The next hurdle will be coping with my boss back on Monday, possibly still infectious, three days before Christmas, plenty of time for me still to catch it - AAAARRRGGHH! I can't talk to my husband about these worries at all - he does not understand them and gets very impatient and grumpy with me, so that is just one more problem, then!
And as for norovirus - don't even get me started!
Reassurance, anyone? :D
Annie
I worry about catching it over Christmas and spoiling it for everyone - my son is coming home with his girlfriend and we are so looking forward to it. By the same token I worry about my son getting it and not being able to travel, or, almost worse still, not being able to work for a couple of weeks or longer, as he might get all sorts of nasty post-flu complications (he does not get paid when off sick), which means I have to help him out and my budget is already overstretched, etc. etc. etc - you see a pattern here, don't you? One fear brings another, they are all explored to their most extreme consequence and on and on it goes. Rationally I know there is every chance that none of this will happen and I will have had all this worry and misery for nothing, and even if one of us does fall ill, we will deal with it! At the moment though, there is this constant nagging worry in the back of my mind ALL the time. While at the supermarket I even quickly scan the check-out attendants to see who is looking least likely to have a cold and cough all over my groceries (oh, please someone tell me it is not just me who does this?! :)
At work I try to touch as few shared surfaces as possible (the photocopier and fax machine are scary these days) and I always leave the ladies' with a paper towel round the door handle... If anyone comes into my office and want to make a quick call from my phone - well, out come the antiseptic wipes as soon as they are out the door! The next hurdle will be coping with my boss back on Monday, possibly still infectious, three days before Christmas, plenty of time for me still to catch it - AAAARRRGGHH! I can't talk to my husband about these worries at all - he does not understand them and gets very impatient and grumpy with me, so that is just one more problem, then!
And as for norovirus - don't even get me started!
Reassurance, anyone? :D
Annie