Semi-unnecessary freak out mode...ebola

gsancho

So talk me off the ledge, or tell me I'm not crazy if I want to get the f*ck out of dodge...

I live in Dallas.  I wasn't too worried about the ebola stuff b/c they say it's not that easily contagious and everything was further north from us.  Then we learned that the health care worker who is the latest to fall ill lives 5 BLOCKS away from us.  WTF!  They've been passing out flyers about safety, and they sanitized sidewalks (I think b/c she would walk her dog around the neighborhood?).  I went grocery shopping 2 blocks away from there on Friday!  AND a guy that works in our building lives in the same small apartment complex as her.  I'M FREAKING THE FUCK OUT!

I know I'm kinda over-reacting, and just need to breathe.  It's just way too close for comfort.  I almost want to saw screw it and drive to Houston to see my mom for a bit, but I know that's crazy talk...

1220winterbride

I can only imagine. I 'm so sorry that is happening so near your home, the reality is you probably haven't been affected but damn that is quite scary and nerve racking! I'm anxious just watching it on the internet.

pblge

That is close to home!! I honestly don't think you need to worry at this point unless you think you came into contact with either individual. If the area personnel in charge of containment don't get their sh!t together soon, however, I would move.

Regan1976

Breathe in, breathe out. Only touch necessary things. And for god sake don't lick anything.  :P

Now seriously, CDC is taking extra precautions because everyone is so worried. She more than likely contracted the disease because of a small slip up while she was taking off her gear. The nurse in Spain now admits she may have touched her face while she was getting out of hers. Ebola does not live long outside the body, so unless you were in very very close proximity to the infected nurse WHEN she was contagious, which likely didn't start until a week or more from exposure and she was exhibiting symptoms, you and everyone around you will be fine. This nurse was identified right away when she went in for help so her time outside while contagious is likely very limited. In fact it seems that they caught her early in the process and are just taking extra care. 

There are simple precautions you can use if you are truly worried. Wear gloves you can dispose of after being in public places. Do not touch anything resembling blood, bile, mucus, saliva, vomit or feces. Unfortunately a face mask will not do you any good if someone else sneezes on you, these are only effective if absolutely everyone wears one to prevent further transmission. If you do come in contact with something questionable wash your hands right away or use 60% alcohol wipes. 

The biggest factor is staying calming and taking logical precautions. Please don't confuse the common cold or flu for ebola. I'm not saying don't go to the doctor but putting extra stress on yourself when your sick is bad anyway.

southernyankeegirl

I can totally understand why you're worried. However, Ebola is only contagious once you are showing symptoms. Ideally she was quarantined promptly so the risk is minimal.

Use hand sanitizer liberally - never touch your hands to your face when outside your house unless they've been washed with antibacterial soap or sanitizer. Honestly, that should be more than enough precaution to prevent any possible risk, even if there's any other unidentified patients out there.

gsancho

Thanks!  Like I said, I know I'm kinda over-reacting...I just couldn't believe it was literally on the street behind us.  News crews are everywhere, the mayor is walking around the neighborhood to reassure people...it freaks me out!!  I threw away all the produce I bought Friday at the grocery store by her place, and I'm not walking my dog by there.  I guess that's all I'll do for now...

MrsLolaSky

I'm sorry that it's so close to you, @gsancho!

I agree with PP--thankfully, Ebola is not as easily contagious as the flu, and from the news sources, it sounded like the nurse was taking her temperature every day and showed up in the ER the moment she noticed a low-grade fever, so that's comforting. 

But I hear you on having fears…. My DH is a physician that often works the ER in a big medical center. No Ebola in my state yet, but I keep worrying about what would happen if someone with Ebola would show up in his ER  

ksgsmu

gsancho  I work a few blocks from Dallas Presby so I totally get your concerns.  I have been bringing my lunch so I don't have to go out and eat around this area etc..  My best friend is a nurse at Baylor Dallas and she said that their Labor and Delivery is swamped with women who are refusing to give birth at Presby.  I  don't blame them I don't want to either!

gsancho

@ksgsmu Yes!  I think about that a lot...thank goodness I'm at Baylor.  Hopefully it all dies down and doesn't spread to other hospitals. 

mdiblasi10

I am so sorry it's hitting so close to home. I don't blame you at all for freaking out, especially as a pregnant woman. I'm in CA and I've still been worrying about it. It's scary. I'm glad you are giving birth at a different hospital. I would just continue to be cautious and I'm sure everything will be okay. 

ksgsmu

gsancho  they have found out her name and there is a pic on yahoo.com... I don't know her or have seen her around this area but since you live in that area you might

gsancho

@ksgsmu A few people at the office went to school with her or are acquaintances with her.  Apparently all her social media is blocked, so none of them had any idea.  Crazy!  She's younger, and I don't recognize her or her dog...so I've never met or seen her.  Hopefully it's early enough to where she'll be fine.

LO95

ksgsmu said:

gsancho  I work a few blocks from Dallas Presby so I totally get your concerns.  I have been bringing my lunch so I don't have to go out and eat around this area etc..  My best friend is a nurse at Baylor Dallas and she said that their Labor and Delivery is swamped with women who are refusing to give birth at Presby.  I  don't blame them I don't want to either!

I was just going to suggest not eating out...But then I thought, well, unless you're harvesting your food and hunting, I guess at some point you have to trust that there are other people handling your food!

I don't think you're paranoid at all. I'm pretty sure my anxiety issue would cause me to lose my shit and drive my DH up the wall.  Fingers crossed that this mess gets under control quickly.  It's very scary --- let alone being pregnant!

FishyMom

Hang in there.. I don't live as close as you do to her but I am in Dallas. It freaks me out too and honestly I have to distract myself when I do think about it because the anxiety gets overwhelming. It sounds like they are doing a better job on containing the situation this time than they did with the first one. I am here if you need to vent or just need to be talked into a calmer state. Feel free to PM me if you want.

Grateful&Thankful

My DH is traveling to Dallas for the Cowboys game this wknd. He has been dying to go to a game at the new stadium since it opened (we live in the northeast so he'll be flying) & he planned this trip quite a while ago. I'm so happy he's getting to go but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit nervous! 

gsancho

@Grateful&Thankful The stadium is great...I'm not even a Cowboys fan and I love going.  Not sure where he's staying, but the stadium is kinda far out from Dallas.  The airport may be crazy, but that'll be about it.

FishyMom

@Grateful&Thankful‌ the good thing about your DH situation is that Dallas is VERY spread out. So your DH probably won't be near anywhere close to where the Ebola folks have been (with exception to the actual airport, but it's been over a month since Duncan was there). But in the same breath I will say that my DHbis traveling Thursday and I may have bought him some hand sanitizer to use constantly while in/on/around the airports.

Grateful&Thankful

Thanks for the input ladies! I want him to have the time of his life because he is such a die-hard fan. The timing just stinks!

MKateG

I have even been nervous about giving birth and the babies and I being in the hospital. They haven't brought Any ebola pts to our local hospital yet but they say they are preparing to incase the cdc which is only 45mins from here needs to. I really hope they don't tho ill be a nervous wreck in hospital with my babies!

kmc84

@MKateG‌ even if they do bring Ebola patients to your hospital, rest assured that NO employee who sets foot in L&D or post partum units will have been near contagious patients of any kind they keep those nurses squeaky clean!

dp21

My unit is going to be the designated ebola unit if we were ever to get an ebola patient.  My managers are going to meetings starting this week to put protocols in place.  Hopefully after this incident, hospitals will be more prepared to properly screen patients and handle cases.  Definitely makes me nervous being a nurse for me and my co-workers.  I know chances are slim, but are real.  Reality is, flu season is probably more dangerous to us to right now. 

gsancho

Yeah...that one's about a mile or so away from me.  I'm back to freaking out.  Based on the area, I would guess she's also fairly young  

Pintobean39

My husband came home the other day from work and was telling me about a meeting they had about Ebola and what would happen if they had a patient come in with it. I honestly don't think hospitals really know what to do yet, this is new to them. I think these 2 cases are making everyone realize they need to get their shit together just in case. This will help if there are any future cases.

Personally I'm not concerned. The only 2 patients that have contacted it were hospital employees that contacted it from a patient that they initially didn't know had Ebola. It's not contagious like the flu it wasn't contacted at the grocery store or any public places. I honestly wouldn't be concerned unless I was a hospital worker that came in contact with the patient.

KT416

Ugh, I'm really sorry. It must be hard when it's a confirmed case so close to home. I wasn't too concerned either until their was a suspected case in my town, so then I started to pay more attention.

Grateful&Thankful

Ugh. Now there's a possible case right in my backyard. It's being reported that one of the Yale researchers whom just came back from Liberia on Monday is being treated for Ebola-like symptoms. They have not officially confirmed his diagnosis yet. I just don't understand why he wasn't quarantined as soon as he came home as a precaution :-/

Grateful&Thankful

@hbanana18 I'm in CT too. This is all getting out of control. I'm about to seriously limit my public interaction! I'd be nervous if I wasn't pregnant but because I am, I'm even more nervous. 

Lady2010

I know that there is such a low risk of contracting it (greater chance of getting the flu) but I am still a little anxious.  DH travels a LOT and will be in Dallas for 2 days next week.  And I am flying this weekend and next weekend.  I just bought a travel sized hand sanitizer for DH (and one for myself).  And told DH be sure not to touch ANYONE.

gsancho

Yeah, when the head of CDC says she shouldn't have flown, then we learn they cleared it, then they said fever has to be 101.5 to be contagious, now they say 100.4...they don't even have their shit together.  

Even at a town hall meeting last night, there were several reps from the CDC present and one said the virus was only active 7 hours outside of the body, but another admitted that some studies show it can be several days.  

I still don't think it can be that easily contracted - just look at Eric Duncan's family that was living with him and they never got it.  But I feel like everything the CDC and the hospital reps here say warrants a giant eye roll.  

daydreamernyc

@gsancho‌ I would be a bit nervous too (I know that's not helpful but if you have all that activity outside your door, that's nerve racking)

I thought I heard the CDC was considering consolidating the treatment of future cases to 4 hospitals. Is that no longer the case?  I hadn't heard about the Yale students yet, that's scary!!

southernyankeegirl

gsancho said:

Yeah, when the head of CDC says she shouldn't have flown, then we learn they cleared it, then they said fever has to be 101.5 to be contagious, now they say 100.4...they don't even have their shit together.  

Even at a town hall meeting last night, there were several reps from the CDC present and one said the virus was only active 7 hours outside of the body, but another admitted that some studies show it can be several days.  

I still don't think it can be that easily contracted - just look at Eric Duncan's family that was living with him and they never got it.  But I feel like everything the CDC and the hospital reps here say warrants a giant eye roll.  

It does seem to be at its most contagious when the patient is dying with lots of fluids expressed - those who handle the bodies of Ebola victims in Africa are the most likely to contract the virus, more so than those treating the patients.

Still, scary! And getting some straight no-bullshit answers would help ease the panic that people feel they're being lied to (which I don't think is the case - I think there's some confusion and mixed messages, but not intentionally lying).