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Across the Fence:  I was in trauma room  |
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Patsy
True Blue Farmgirl
592 Posts
Illinois
USA
592 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 23 2006 : 4:50:46 PM
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You almost lost me. Let me start at the beginning.
In a women's group I attend, a lady came in a was really sick. She was coughing like crazy and her nose was running like mad. She had to have had a fever but came to group anyway. Everyone was backing away from her and I should have left but I decided to stay. I am very susceptible to germs because I breathe thru a trach tube and don't have the nose and throat filters from germs that most folks have.
So on Thursday, I started coughing like mad. Coughed so hard I vomited and was running a pretty good temp.
When I woke up on Friday, I had no voice and I noticed that my chest was kind of tight. As the day went on, it got tighter. I could not talk, could not breath, I couldn't even cough. My cousin took me straight to the emergency room and they put me in a trauma room and started to work on me. By God's grace and after a two hour albuterol treatment and many steroids my lungs opened up. I could talk and breathe and even cough a little bit. They kept me overnight but I was able to come home today. They determined it was severe asthma flair up due to a virus I had caught. From guess who?
Now my question is, do I tell that lady what happened to me or do I keep my mouth shut and just leave the next time she comes in sick. It has happened before. I had to have caught it from her, I hadn't been out in public or around anyone else that had been sick. I try to be sooooo careful because of my condition. And the timing was just right as to when I got sick.
Let me know your opinions. Thanks.
Blessed are those who love the soil,
Patsy
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katiedid
True Blue Farmgirl
601 Posts
Kate
West Jordan
Utah
USA
601 Posts |
Posted - Dec 23 2006 : 9:30:41 PM
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Patsy...How scary for you!! I am so glad you are well enough now to be home for the holiday! I have a supressed immune-system too, and have gotten sick this very same way...
I don't think I would say anything. As hard as it is for you to be sick, and I KNOW how tough it can be to be sooo careful, most people would NEVER willing make a friend sick..
I think, if you tell her, she might make her feel so bad she wouldn't come to your club anymore.
Maybe someone in the group's leadership could make a sort of general announcement and ask that if anyone is sick please stay home..
It is really hard to stay home and miss out on fun because sick people don't stay in! But, you know the old saying "all's well that ends well"
I hope you continue to feel better, Merry Christmas!
Kate
my new blog http/www.theknifemakerswife.wordpress.com |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
Posted - Dec 23 2006 : 9:35:50 PM
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I think I would say something. It is a problem we have everywhere. STAY HOME if you are sick. You have emphasize it to everyone. With you it is literally a matter of life or death. People have to be made aware! I suppose a general announcement would be ok but they generally don't mean anything to the person who needs it. My opinion. MB
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
Posted - Dec 23 2006 : 9:48:57 PM
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I must say that if it was me..I think I would in a very nice way though... explain to the entire club the fact that being exposed to sicknesses brought in by other club members exposes you to a much greater risk than it does a person with a healthier immune system, and ask in front of the entire group if they could in the future keep this in mind as due to the last episode you very well came close to losing the battle against a sickness.
of course do not point fingers or name names, but do try to get the point across that it is not fair to other members to expose them to germs if one knows that they are indeed ill.I must say that it is important for others to know this and nothing that you should suffer in silence about, I do think that you should be verbal about the issue instead of just keeping mum, but verbal in a nice and mannerly way.I met a woman recently that made no bones about telling me that she had had multiple organ transplants, and due to this fact she would not be shaking my hand or standing close to me during the time that we were communicating, as she had a weakened immune system..she was not embarrassed about stating these facts and made it clear that I was to respect her wishes, which of course I did, we were able to communicate effectively about her art work(she was a pottery artist) and I actually admired her spunk and willingness to still try and show her art work and communicate about what she loved despite her conditions with her immune system, etc.
I was not offended in any way.
So therefore I really don't think that you should play the meek card or the quiet card, but speak up for yourself in this regard.
Knowledge is something that will cause others to think not just about themselves, but about others too, and it could just be that folks need a friendly reminder to think of others a bit more often.(in this case..your sistuation)Best of wishes to you. (this is just my honest opinion and not meant to be different or cause a debate, but this is something very important to your health and something that those around you should be made aware of and not expose you to germs thatcould very well make you extremely ill, that in my opinion is very ignorant acting individuals and actually if they already know about your limitations..I must say..a bit uncaring..but if they are not aware of your situation..well..it is time to inform them)..again..of course be friendly about it.:0)
Good luck.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ |
Edited by - Tina Michelle on Dec 23 2006 9:50:21 PM |
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ponyexpress
True Blue Farmgirl
320 Posts
Sandy
Kirkwood
Missouri
USA
320 Posts |
Posted - Dec 23 2006 : 9:58:17 PM
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Patsy, I'm so sorry you had this awful experience, but certainly happy that you are on the mend. You mentioned that this had happened before...I assume you meant that this person had come to meeting obviously ill.
Perhaps a compromise between confronting her and saying nothing would be, if it happened again, that you would leave, but tell someone in a position of responsibility (the group president, moderator, etc) that you were leaving because you couldn't risk another illness. Mention that you had become seriously ill following a previous meeting when you had been around other members who were obviously sick. If this particular person were within earshot, so much the better.
The group leader could then take the initiative to comment about the need to protect ourselves and our friends by staying home when not feeling well. That would be her call, I suppose.
If you were to say something directly to her, she would either feel very guilty or very defensive. In either case, it may make relationships within the group a bit strained -- you know how group politics can work.
The best you can do is take care of yourself, and hope that others are equally considerate.
Sandy in Missouri
I'm at that age where I need my own warning label! |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Dec 24 2006 : 08:29:44 AM
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Oh patsy I am so glad you are okay! How scarey.
Jewelry, art, baskets, etc.
www.willowtreecreek.com |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Dec 24 2006 : 10:06:18 AM
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Patsy, how awful, glad your feeling better now. Its a hard decision to make but all I can say is, search your heart for the right answer.
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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Patsy
True Blue Farmgirl
592 Posts
Illinois
USA
592 Posts |
Posted - Dec 24 2006 : 3:00:37 PM
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Thanks for all the advice. This gal has come in sick before and the next week others said they got sick. I will probably speak to the group leader and see if there isn't something she can do. Everyone does know my health problems and we have another lady that has immune problems too. But I will hold my tongue (help me Lord) and see what happens. But one thing I do know, I will not stay if she comes in sick again.
Blessed are those who love the soil,
Patsy
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Across the Fence: I was in trauma room |
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I was in trauma room
