Are You A Germ-A-Phobe?

[MikeG-2012]

In my 20 months since diagnosis, I've gone to the extremes. First, complete germaphobic. Mask, hand sanitizer, washing hands, the works. Now, I guess my approach is CAREFUL. I sanitize toilet seats, avoid large crowds, avoid public transportation, and wash my hands frequently. If I get into a place where there are a lot of coughing people, I just avoid them, and sit/stand somewhere else, or if I can't do that, I politely leave.

OK, I work at a COLLEGE. Did that make any of you sit upright and sigh? LOL! At the office, I got permission to add an external air filter to my AC/heat vent from the maintenance people (if any of you are interested, I can tell you how I managed that in another thread), I wipe down toilets, and hip check a lot of automatic door openers (ADA access is a great thing--plus being the campus AV guy, I am usually pushing something). I am just simply CAREFUL! If any of my student assistants are sick, they know to not some to the office, or sit in the far back and wipe down everything before they leave for the day. I also have a sign outside our main office area that says: "If you are SICK, PLEASE KNOCK!" It is then that I tell folks that I am on immune suppressants. I also share that I have GPA with ANYONE and EVERYONE who asks. If I can educate people on what I have, most of them then police themselves when they are around me. So far, I haven't had a cold or flu since diagnosis, but I think that has a lot to do with my twice daily sinus rinsing rituals (3 litres, 2x a day).

So BEING CAREFUL works best for me.

MikeG-2012

[TOBEY32]

In the long run, I agree with this:
"...I can't be "on guard" every where."

And I (really!) appreciate that:
"...so David, your road is open. your future wife will be blessed. weggies-boys are sensitive and kind."

Eat your heart out, Phil...

[TOBEY32]

Also meant to say:

If there is a God surely he's watching my back when needed...

[Tom]

I've always leaned that direction, but I know more-so now that I take immune-suppressing drugs.Sometimes I think I take it too far, and hate think I get THAT worried. I'm "lucky", though, not having to host much in my home, being a single person. Many of you have spouses, children, grandchildren, etc. - so there's hugs, and kisses, and closeness, and this, and that. I put the word lucky in parentheses, because to have that stuff in one's life is definitely not unlucky. I've been too long to myself/on my own and I'm sure that's part of it.Question: How much of a germ-a-phobe are you due to Weg's?

Am I a germ a phobe? Well like you I have leaned that way but in my earlier years I wasn't on a job that furnished washing facilities so I ate my lunch dirty hands and all. I was always told that a little dirt would not hurt you, that was just away to say Man up and get back to work or what ever but I believed it After my Wegs. dx I was told to wash ,wash ,wash ,wash (breath) wash, wash, wash your hands and use hand sanitizer. Because like you I was put on immunal surppressents. I have grand kids but do not avoid them if they have colds but do not kiss and I get quick hugs if they have a cold. Like wise, I do wash my hands while fixing meals, even if the yare for me after blowing my nose or handling the newspaper as I cook meals. I don't allow my nail clippers to be used by my wife or any other and if they are and I see it I will offer to give them the clippers or other wise I will throw them away. I wont taste others food even if I am dying to taste it! Unless I get first bite with or with out my own utensil. I will shake most any ones hand but will wash before eating or cooking food. I will not use a public toilet if I see the person walk out of the stall and its the only one available. I will wash down an empty toilet in a stall when I enter it and will not use it if it is not flushed or has what I call racing striped in it, not to mention toilet paper I have to make a choice about cleanliness. A few years ago the neighbor brought me his cane to fix and he was a filthy person and had crud on his cane where it came apart. I fixed it but could not get my hands clean enough for day, I touched no food and ate toast or sandwiches with a napkin. My Sister in law stopped over one day many years ago and she pulled out her nail clippers and clipped some of her nails and I swear, one of the nails went into the coffee cup but I would not use it for more than a year as I was grossed out by it and my mother had bought it for me several years before she died and I treasured it so I couldn't throw it away. I now make sure guest in my home get a coffee in another coffee mug other than the ones I use if I am serving it and my wife knows of all of these issues. I don't think I have always been this way but as I got older I, like you started leaning toward being a germaphobe. I think with the Wegs, I have delved deeper into the problem. I think it is another symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder. I don't think its an unhealthy thing, but to the contrary, it may be a healthy thing if like us, We have Wegs and it is recommended that we wash and use hand sanitizer. Oh by the way, I will not wear someone else's hand me down socks as when some one dies they think I need socks, same with some one elses hanky, no matter how many times its been washed. Had underwear and socks given to me after a woman lost her husband. The wife said they were clean and she washed them before putting them in my drawer. I didn't care I told her if they were back in there I was going to toss them. I don't have them anymore!!! So to answer the question posed in your post, I think I am !!! LOL

[Alysia]

In the long run, I agree with this:
"...I can't be "on guard" every where."

And I (really!) appreciate that:
"...so David, your road is open. your future wife will be blessed. weggies-boys are sensitive and kind."

Eat your heart out, Phil...

you are most welcome, David
btw, speaking of weggies-boys, includes Phil and all the others around....
and may I say that weggies-girls are also sensitive and prob kind ?

[crackers]

my washing regimen is the same now as it was before WG and i don't use any hand sanitizers or body scrubs.i have grand kids who crawl all over me and kiss me on the lips.i have two dogs,who also kiss me on the lips, whose poop I clean up every day.i go to the supermarket and don't give a second thought to who may have used the shopping trolley before me.in the 7 years of WG I've had one cold which lasted about two days.i'm aware of the impact that infections can have as I've lost a few friends from here due to them but at the same time I think we can over react to the threat of them.we can get really stressed out in our attempts to avoid them but a major cause of a flare can be stress.
john.

[annekat]

I'm not overly germaphobic but do think about it with every move I make.... changing the cat box, for example, and am extra aware of anyone coughing anywhere. (Forget that I am coughing up a storm sometimes myself and must be prepared to not act like I'm coughing on people, even though it is only Wegs.) I do live alone, so that helps. I do spend time in an open air Farmers Market and handle money there, so I always have hand sanitizer with me and wash my hands at every opportunity. I'm probably not as careful as I should be, but have done OK so far.