We need spring.

I'm the weirdo who is terrified of germs. I've always been a bit of a germophobe just because I hate being sick so much, but since having Cole and him being diagnosed with asthma triggered by viruses, it's blown up. Add in this pregnancy, and I probably actually need to be medicated for how much anxiety cold and flu season causes me.

If I hear that someone we were just around is sick, I panic, thinking about how long ago we were together (were they germy then? did we sit near them? did they interact directly with Cole? do I remember washing my hands? why can't I remember if I washed my hands!?), worry about what they might be sick with and what symptoms to look out for (is it stomach related? fever and respiratory problems? what do I need in the house?), and swear up and down that it's the last time I am stupid enough to hang out with people/go to church/go shopping during cold and flu season. Someone is always sick, and others just don't seem to be as worried about it as me, so they don't bother warning us, or even give two thoughts about it (no shit, they aren't as worried as me, I'm insane! But please for the love of all things holy, if you are sick, stay home and cancel plans with people; don't go to the store, or church, or come to my house!). I went out with a sinus infection twice this weekend, and even though I had been on antibiotics and I knew that I was not contagious, I felt weird about being out while sick. I find it incredibly ridiculous that the local hospitals have people stationed by the entries to question visitors' health status. If you are sick, you should NOT be visiting people in the hospital. Where is the common sense, people?!

If I'm exposed to a bug that's stomach related, I'll refuse to eat any foods other than toast, soup, and rice, because I don't want to "ruin" a favorite food by getting sick after eating it, which makes for a very boring week of meals for us. And I make sure we have crackers, soup, and gatorade, just in case we catch it.

If it's respiratory, I pray harder than ever that Cole does not get it. He is already held hostage by his asthma. Our social kid isn't allowed to go to nursery to play with the other kids all cold and flu season, and we skip playgroup, and make no plans with friends. It's boring and lonely. Cole getting even a cold means a week or more of no sleep, round the clock nebulizer treatments, him coughing til he vomits on you, and having to pay for extra doctor visits and medications, all the while having the respiratory thing yourself, but not getting any rest to get over it. And the whining. Oh my goodness, the whining. Plus it's just absolutely terrifying to watch Cole not be able to breathe. Completely and utterly terrifying.  

Basically, I'm an anxiety driven crazy person during cold and flu season. I don't see that changing, since Cole's asthma is going away any time soon. So please, think twice before you go out if you're sick. For the sake of all the crazy asthma moms out there (and the not so crazy ones who still don't want to see their child struggling to breathe).