What would you do if your friend constantly passed ilnesses on to you?
By Loverbear
@Loverbear (4918)
United States
September 27, 2009 1:49am CST
I have a dear friend, but every time she goes to see her husband's relatives (who have small children)she comes home and within a week is sick. Of course the children showed the signs of being sick, but she was still all over them the whole time. I don't begrudge her the visiting or loving her nieces and nephews, but I do really resent the fact that she doesn't warn me about the children being sick when she visited.
I have asthma, lung problems, and a history of other illnesses. I am ordered to have a flu shot every year because I am so high risk! I gave her a ride home from class the Monday after she visited the children and of course she got sick...and she coughed and spread the germs in my enclosed car. I am sick right now, fortunately it isn't as bad as some of the other times she passed illnesses to me.
I am VERY careful, washing my hands with anti bacterial soap, staying away from large crowds, getting the various immunizations, and eating properly and getting plenty of rest. I am very resentful that I have to be sick because of someone else's stupidity! 
The last time she was sick and needed a ride to the doctor, I informed her that she HAD to carry a handkerchief or something to put over her mouth when she coughed so I wouldn't catch what she had. It didn't happen and within a week I was soooo sick and in bed hoping like crazy I wouldn't end up in the hospital!
How would you feel? I am going to grab a huge bunch of masks from the doctor's office and carry them with me just for her! It's either she uses them or she frickin WALKS!!!!
The last time she was sick and needed a ride to the doctor, I informed her that she HAD to carry a handkerchief or something to put over her mouth when she coughed so I wouldn't catch what she had. It didn't happen and within a week I was soooo sick and in bed hoping like crazy I wouldn't end up in the hospital!
How would you feel? I am going to grab a huge bunch of masks from the doctor's office and carry them with me just for her! It's either she uses them or she frickin WALKS!!!!2 people like this
8 responses
@sblossom (2168)
•
27 Sep 09
It’s very sad if your friend passed her sickness to you. I have no experience like that. I wonder if you know it would happen you should tell your friend your worry and what you think she should do by herself. I suppose nobody would like to pass sickness to another one.
Really feel sorry for your situation. Maybe you should ask doctor what you should do to avoid it if you have to meet your friend. Also your friend should ask her doctor to see what she can do to avoid something like it happen.
1 person likes this
@IMEzekieL (498)
•
27 Sep 09
Why not go to the same doctor together with your friend? I think it would be much better that way.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
27 Sep 09
That's the thing with Young kids in a Household,their immune systems are still developing and they tend to catch everything that's going around,unless they've had an immunisation shot already..but I'm surprised that your Friend is able to catch these bugs from them and then is prone to passing them on to You!
It seems You're doing all you can to protect yourself,but as long as She's riding around with You after visiting the kids,You're at risk from Her..As a Friend,She should be considerate enough to make other lift arrangements when this seems to have happened more than once! If Your Health is in such delicate balance,She Should understand not to endanger you..Hoping some new arrangements for You two works out!
It seems You're doing all you can to protect yourself,but as long as She's riding around with You after visiting the kids,You're at risk from Her..As a Friend,She should be considerate enough to make other lift arrangements when this seems to have happened more than once! If Your Health is in such delicate balance,She Should understand not to endanger you..Hoping some new arrangements for You two works out!
@xbrendax (2662)
• United States
28 Sep 09
Funny you should mention that because I have a good friend and when ever I go to visit her and her grand children are around, I get sick, and even when her grand kids are not sick! I am so sick and tired of it! Does any one know why this happens? Lately my sisters grand kids get me sick too!
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
28 Sep 09
I did some research about getting so sick after my friend has visited her in laws and their children. I discovered that small children's immune systems are just developing and they are open for every illness that passes by. Combine this with the fact that kids don't always wash after coming in contact with other sick children or children that might not be showing that they are sick (this can happen at school, on the school bus, nursery school, day care, or just playing with their friends)...then they come home and still don't wash...and touch glasses, kiss mommy, use door handles and more. Then the adults come along and unsuspectingly touch the door handles, faucet handles, toilet handles or just happen to be there when the children sneeze or cough and bingo!!! We've got the "bug". Also, as we get older our immune system isn't quite as good as it was when we were younger, and if we have problems like asthma we are more susceptible to illnesses.
The first thing I HAVE to do is see the doctor and get my flu shot as soon as I am over this illness. Then I need to lay down the law to my friend and carry a supply of surgical masks that the doctor's offices provide so she can strap one on if she has been in contact with children that might be sick.
She finally called me today, she has been sick since last Monday, so I am positive who passed it on to me!
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
28 Sep 09
On one hand, you want to help her out, nut on the other, you need to keep your own health in mind. The next time, I would suggest carrying a can of Lysol with you and let her see you spray everything when she gets out of your car. She will undoubtedly ask you why you did that, then, just tell her that you really want to help her, but everytime she gets sick, she gives it to you so you have to protect yourself due to your own health problems. Maybe this will make her think twice. I think that the mask idea is a good one too, but I would wear one too if I were you. YOu may even want to be wearing one when she gets into your car just to make a silent point to her. Then, I would still spray with Lysol as soon as she is out of the car. That would be a statement that she would have to take notice of.
@Thebraggingman (275)
• New Zealand
27 Sep 09
um this is a bit strange that you get sick every time from one person. Maybe refrain from so much contact with them. instead of taking them to the doctor make them catch the bus and get other people who are more fortunate than to have asthma and lung problems. This is very hard to avoid though considering germs live everywhre and some sicknesses can be spread before symptoms are witnessed in the body.
1 person likes this
@IMEzekieL (498)
•
27 Sep 09
What would I do? Consult a doctor, definitely! But regarding of friendship, my friend and I would still be friends of course.
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
28 Sep 09
I won't end the friendship, as I have stated I will carry a supply of the disposable surgical masks so that if she has something communicable that she can keep the germs away from me. I will be consulting my doctor, but there isn't too much left to do except let the illness run its course. I do plan as soon as I am well to get my flu shot. I wasn't able to get it any sooner, and now it is a bit late except that it will protect me from future bouts with it.
I do know that she was the one who passed it on to me. She admitted that she was feeling a bit "under" the weather a week ago, and she fought to do her normal activities this past week. She just didn't "THINK" to mention it to me.
@Jennlk84 (4205)
• United States
27 Sep 09
Yikes..that would be really annoying! It sounds like she's sick a lot! Maybe suggest she gets a flu shot. Talk about how much they've helped you in the past and maybe it will talk her into it? IF she's sick a lot, she'd really benefit from that. And I can't imagine she enjoys getting sick. I work with children and flu shots help me so much. Last year I didn't get sick ONCE!
