Are you a germophobe?

[NuclearNed]

Normally I try to have a lot of common sense about doing things to not get sick, but lately I've lapsed into bacterial/viral paranoia. What is the reason, you ask? Its twofold: I always, always get sick during Christmas, and in one week I'm going on vacation to Las Vegas. I don't want to be there sick, again, like in previous years. It sucks being in Vegas and being too weak to get out of the bed (its happened - I also spent some quality bed time during my Hawaii vacation due to illness). I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired during most of my vacations.

So here at work I've been reduced to things that make my coworkers look at me a little funny. Like for example, I'm opening doors with paper towels (so as to not touch the door handles). And I'm really into obsessive-compulsive hand washing. We also have a nice little table of holiday goodies that the ladies are bringing in daily, which I'm avoiding like the plague. And in general, I'm staying in my office and not being social.

Have I gone too far???

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Have I gone too far???

Possibly, but to be on the safe side, I'm not touching this post with my 10 foot pole.

 

[meltdown75]

i have to admit that within the past few months i have held on to my paper towel that i use to dry my hands in the bathroom until i return to my desk. i also use it to avoid touching door handles.

it's only here that i care about this. the cleaning staff here is brutal - judging from the streaks all over the office furniture, they use dirty rags to wipe stuff down.

i have also witnessed people strolling right past the sink after doing their business, refusing or just too lazy to wash their hands.

so basically i think of my office as a scummy environment. i won't even mention the booger bandit stuff that i have posted about in the past.

i'm guessing this will be debated on the basis of "if there's something out there that will make you sick, you're going to catch it anyway blah blah blah" but i'd rather be safe than sorry (laid out in bed snuggling with a box of tissues while periodically doing pulls of NyQuil).

 

[IronWing]

Stay away from kids and parents. Kids are the worst vectors going.

 

[serialkiller]

Nope, not at all. I do the samething.... but everyday, not only winter season. I try to never touch door handles, especially bathroom ones... its pretty disgusting to see majority of the men you work with to not wash their hands after using the restroom. Washing your hands and gargling is always a good thing to do to decrease the chance of bacterial intake.

Recently I started getting sick alot... its pretty ridiculous, having a cold 2 times in a matter of couple months is just not right... I realized its probably because I stopped doing all the "healthy" things I used to do in college. But now I have straightened up and have started up with my "healthy" ways. Here are things that tend to help me stay fit and sick free....

1. Work out daily - 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weights.

2. Vitamins - 1 one-a-day mens tablet, and 1 garlic tablet. (studies have shown garlic to help prevent colds... the one a day tablet also contains zinc, which also helps your immune system).

3. Eat healthy - Lots of green and all sorts of other veggies. (FYI: The 1 piece of iceberg lettuce that comes inside your jumbo jack has no nutritional content what so ever). Drink lots of OJ to get your Vitamin C!

4. Wash hands frequently(but not obsesivly, did i spell that right), gargle with listerine when you get home.

This should somewhat help out to a certain extent. Good luck, pm me if you have anymore quesetions.

Jorge

edit: Try to socialize more, no point in hiding in your office.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Anybody who uses a paper towel do open doors is Obsessive Compulsive. Nothin against yah Ned, but I would say you have gone too far.

 

[meltdown75]

oh yeah - and OP - the mini bottles of Purell are great to have in Vegas. They sell them in packs of 6.

 

[FoBoT]

no
you will actually build up a better immunity by embracing the germs and welcoming them

having a week off being sick at home sounds really appealing right now

i am the type that doesn't call in sick, unless i have the flu or something like a 3rd head growing from my side, so getting a few days to stay in bed sounds nice

 

[DefDC]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Anybody who uses a paper towel do open doors is Obsessive Compulsive. Nothin against yah Ned, but I would say you have gone too far.

I used to be an obsessive handwasher... Maybe 20-30 times a day... Just kinda outgrew it. However, I'm heading back that way due to people at work not washing their hands after using the bathroom. One of the executives is that way, and he once came straight from the bathroom to my cube and was using my keyboard. Augh!!!

So, I've started doing the towel thing too....

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Anybody who breathes is Obsessive Compulsive.

fixed for maximum blanket-ability.

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
Normally I try to have a lot of common sense about doing things to not get sick, but lately I've lapsed into bacterial/viral paranoia. What is the reason, you ask? Its twofold: I always, always get sick during Christmas, and in one week I'm going on vacation to Las Vegas. I don't want to be there sick, again, like in previous years. It sucks being in Vegas and being too weak to get out of the bed (its happened - I also spent some quality bed time during my Hawaii vacation due to illness). I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired during most of my vacations.

So here at work I've been reduced to things that make my coworkers look at me a little funny. Like for example, I'm opening doors with paper towels (so as to not touch the door handles). And I'm really into obsessive-compulsive hand washing. We also have a nice little table of holiday goodies that the ladies are bringing in daily, which I'm avoiding like the plague. And in general, I'm staying in my office and not being social.

Have I gone too far???

Eh I work in a hospital....sometimes I get a little freaked about some of my patients, especially since i work in an inner city hospital.....the past 4 times at work i've had a patient with dessiminated herpes zoster + HIV....lots of handwashing coming out of that isolation room. And I had a bacterial meninigitis patient last week too...Hep B/C is rather common too and HIV, TB quite often too, it's just a matter of good hand washing(you dont have to be crazy about it tho....i do cuz i have to wash hands after patient contact ) As a note I haven't been sick once so far....just relax, eat right, practice good hygeine you'll be alright.

P.S. At least you dont have to worry about getting Clostridium difficile from your job Nasty bug it is....and very resistant to treatment