Dodging the Germ Factory

Germs around someone with a compromised immune system are seriously no joke. Someone who is otherwise incredibly healthy can go into a complete tailspin after as little as one uncovered sneeze goes in their direction. Being entrenched in the world of PsA we all know this, we honor it and do everything we can to not expose our loved ones to the ‘creatures’ that make us sick.

Even with that in mind, are we slacking in that department? How much caution is too much? I’m blessed with an incredible immune system (knock on wood), I rarely get sick and can have my little niece and nephew climb all over me when they’re sick and I won’t even get a sniffle. Even with that gift, it doesn’t mean I’m not bringing those germs back to my best friend who isn’t so lucky thanks to PsA. I worry about this all the time. Every time she gets sick I do an internal re-tracing of what I’ve been up to trying to ensure I’m not this century’s Typhoid Mary.

I’ve always been an avid hand washer, germaphobe and all that, but even I have to take things another step to protect people I care about.

Limiting traveling germs

If I’ve been around sick kids, I need to make it a point to change my clothes as soon as I get home and take a quick shower if I’m going to be seeing my friend with PsA that day. My job puts me in a ton of public places with lots of random people. I need to make it a point to remember that and take steps to get rid of residual germs before going to hang out with my friend especially if we’re going to be in close proximity like sparring or sharing popcorn at a movie.

Sometimes a little education goes a long way

We can only ultimately be responsible for our own actions to keep our loved ones safe from germs, but we can also help educate others and even be a little forward in the name of health on behalf of those we love. I have no qualms about telling a good friend they are uninvited to hang out with us until they feel better. I’ll explain it’s because of our friend’s compromised immune system, but I don’t really want them around either.

Respecting other's boundaries

When my nephew was born he had to undergo more than five surgeries in his first year of life. This left the whole family in a state of trying to avoid germs at all costs. His mom went so far as to quarantine the family from all but a few necessary relatives and I don’t blame her a bit. To this day, if you are at the airport or a hospital you aren’t allowed to come in the house until you’ve showered and changed. Is this extreme? I don’t know, but who doesn’t want to feel clean after a plane trip and why tempt fate unnecessarily?

We have to respect the boundaries our loved ones set for us to protect their health. If my allergies are acting up, but my friend is nervous it might be the one time it’s actually a cold and she wears one of her face masks around me for a week. I’m not offended. I get it. Other loved ones may take it personally, but that’s their issue to fight.

Finding the right words to explain

The only advice I try to give my friend on this issue is to not be afraid to speak up and remind people, especially when I’m not around to say, “Back-Off.” She has to realize she’s not being rude if she declines to hug a loved one because they’re coughing. A simple, “I’d love to hug you, but my immune system is really beatdown right now so I’m staying away from everyone,” should work. If that seems too much why not turn it around with, “I think I might be coming down with something, don’t get too close.” They don’t need to know that “something” is what they could give them.

Germs are everywhere. They’re part of this crazy life we live and it’s impossible to enjoy the world without some exposure to it all. All we can do, is do our part to eliminate where we can. Help our loved ones with PsA by running interference on friends and family, keep some masks on hand at our own homes for them if they need them, respect the wishes of their boundaries without question and keep washing up whenever we can!