Germaphobic Average Jane

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For the past several weeks, I’ve felt as though I’m living in a twisted version of "American Gladiator" where I’m the contestant and the gladiators are people with horrible, contagious illnesses who are constantly popping up in my path to possibly infect me.

I managed to avoid my husband’s flu, so I’m hoping my immune system is in high gear. However, I spent yesterday traveling to a city that’s known to be in the throes of a flu outbreak with a travel companion who has the flu. Did I mention the cab driver who coughed and hacked (no pun intended) all the way from the airport to our destination? I feel doomed.

The good news is that I had a flu shot this year. Also, I’ve been washing my hands like Lady Macbeth. Of course, now my hands are so chapped that they’re probably more vulnerable to germs than they would have been otherwise.

I absolutely cannot afford to get sick right now. On Saturday alone I have a fundraiser luncheon (tickets still available at the door!), a hair appointment and an awards show to attend. It’ll be exhausting enough for someone who’s well, much less someone who has the plague that’s going around.

Besides sleep, good nutrition and adequate hydration, all I can do is keep my fingers crossed. I hope that’s enough.

Comments

5 responses to “Germaphobic Average Jane”

February 14, 2008

super des

I love the Macbeth reference.
Be strong! Be the one that doesn’t get sick!

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February 14, 2008

Jennifer

My fingers are crossed for you.
Out, out, damn germs.

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February 14, 2008

Karl

Steer clear of da sickness!
Happy Valentine’s Day.

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February 14, 2008

laurie

This is just enough to make me squirm:
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/12-places-germs-lurk

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July 10, 2008

Greg

There is a LOT you can do! I’m diabetic, we are more prone to infection, so I take all kinds of steps. Like Purel. I don’t like the sticky feeling Purel leaves, so I carry a bottle of isopropyl alcohol in my truck and rub it all over my hands whenever I’ve had to use a public restroom. I pour it on my toothbrush every time after brushing, too. Can you imagine not washing your forks and spoons every time, just rinsing and putting away? Same thing. When traveling, I use this stuff called Room Shocker I found on Amazon that totally gasses a room. You set it off and get out of the room for 3 hours. I may be a germaphobe but I’n not a drink-o-phobe, so I’ll often spend the 3 hours in the bar, or going to lunch or dinner. When I come back, the room is totally germ free. We always run our dishwasher on full-blast hot, steam finish and heated dry. Screw the envronmentalists, I want sanitized dishes and flatware! I’d like to use our good silver for everyday meals, but my wife draws the line on that. Silver kills germs. They make disinfectants out of it, and any doctor will tell you REAL silverware is a good means of mitigating germs around food. I could go on and on, but I need to get back to work. Let me just give this keyboard a little schpritz of Lysol…..

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