Barf & Poo Bug!!!

Gross. Someone in your family brought home the Barf & Poo BUG.
Its going around like crazy around here! Adults and Children are getting it, and I know a lot of friends and family who have had it around Christmas. My son and I got it in early December.

So....Lets here it.

You've got a bug. You can't hardly move without feeling like you might barf. Unfortunately, you are gonna feel like that for at least 24hrs. You might have watery, frequent, poo (I call it poop soup) and/or you may be blessed with Barfing too. Theres not much you can do at this point. Eating is not really an option, and drinking may be limited to just sips (Sips!) of water or electrolyte filled drinks such as Gatorade or Pedia-Lytes. Gatorade has sugar though, and your stomach may not like that.
Stay near the bathroom, you're going to be a regular customer. Fold a towel in front of the john for your knees, and tell your family to use a different bathroom for awhile. Do not try to take any anti-diarrheal meds, as this will pro-long your Bug. The bug is eliminated through your avenue of...elimination. Let your stomach rid you of it, and let it fly. Also, Tylenol and especially Ibuprofen would be very irritating to the stomach, so avoid these if possible.
Important: Wash your Hands really good after you use the bathroom. Like really wash them, and maybe keep hand sanitizer near your sink too. You are very contagious, and your Bug would love to jump on your family members. Not a good Christmas gift, people!

As you start to feel like it, reintroduce foods and drinks. Water and low-salt crackers are a good place to start. For some reason, I think McDonalds sounds then good for once in my life. The coke must do it for me. But, to prevent dehydration..water is great, too. Try a little food and see!

So, once your poop soup and barf have decided to flee...there is some serious clean up involved. It took me about a week to gain an appetite back. I didn't miss those 4lbs I lost though! You may not feel up to this, but someone needs to do it.

Good Ideas: Disinfect surfaces....
Spray aerosol disinfectant on your couch (where ever you hung-out).
Disinfect the toilet and the sink (handles too) and the light switch.
Hot wash the hand towels.
Hot wash your sheets, especially pillow cases.
Hot wash your uniform (the sick clothes you wore for 2 days straight).
Disinfect the kitchen; sink, handles, fridge, counter tops.
Vacuum the floors.
If possible, open some windows to let in fresh air.

The moral of the story is...
There's nothing you can do to stop the poo, but you can prevent your loved ones from getting it too. :)