A Hospital Germ on the Warpath

[waif69]

Grace Voros was 85 and enjoying life, watching her family grow and taking romantic walks with the man she fell in love with 61 years ago, when she took a minor fall. She went to the hospital for an x-ray, where tests confirmed she had no broken bones. But while there, she contracted an infection no one in the family had ever heard about, ?C. diff,? and died.

C. diff, short for Clostridium difficile, is raging through hospitals, infecting hundreds of thousands of patients a year. The bacteria contaminate every surface, including bed rails, bed tables, nurses? uniforms, privacy curtains, faucets and call buttons. When patients touch these surfaces and then pick up food without washing their hands, they ingest the germ. Any patient taking antibiotics who ingests C. diff is in danger of developing severe diarrhea, leading to dehydration, inflammation of the colon and even death.

Routine cleaning isn?t enough to protect you from C. diff. Researchers at Case Western Reserve and the Cleveland VA Medical Center found that after routine cleaning at a hospital, 78 percent of surfaces were still contaminated. To kill the germ, you need to use bleach.

When surfaces are not properly disinfected, the results can be deadly. At Thomas Jefferson Medical Center in Philadelphia, three consecutive patients occupying the same room came down with C. diff. One died.

Staffs at many U.S. hospitals are woefully uninformed about what to do. One study reported that 39 percent of medical personnel didn?t know that C. diff could be spread on stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs and other equipment. About two-thirds of medical staff were unaware they should clean their hands with soap and water, because alcohol sanitizers don?t kill this superbug.

What can you do to protect yourself? Insist that everyone treating you clean their hands before touching you.

Clean your own hands thoroughly before eating. Do not touch your hands to your lips. Do not place your food or utensils on any surface except your plate. Ask family to bring wipes containing bleach to clean the items around your bed.

When you leave the hospital, assume any belongings you bring home are contaminated. Do not mix clothes from the hospital with the family wash; wash with bleach. Regular laundry detergents do not kill C. diff.

If you are visiting someone in the hospital, be careful about eating in the cafeteria or a restaurant where the staff go in their scrubs or uniforms. These uniforms could be covered in invisible superbugs. More than 20 percent of nurses? uniforms had C. diff on them at the end of a workday, according to one study. Imagine sliding into a restaurant booth after a nurse has left the germ on the table or the seat. You could easily pick it up on your hands and then ingest it with your sandwich.

Poor hospital hygiene and lax practices such as wearing scrubs in public are putting all of us at risk. That?s why I founded RID, the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths, so that other families won?t have to go through what Grace Voros? family suffered.

This write up came from AARP (http://bulletin.aarp.org/opinions/othervoices/articles/a_hospital_germ_on_the_warpath_.html).

[signseeker]

So many people die from going to the hospital...

[waif69]

Outlaw doctors not guns.

[LoudmouthMormon]

Yeah, hospitals are great places to pick up bugs. Most are standard every-day bugs, but a few are as bad as the article referenced.

We've had half a dozen hospital visits in the last handful of years. We picked up probably 3 or 4 minor things from the experience. My old boss's husband went in for something, got some sever staph infection, ended up having to have part of his clavicle cut out.

[Earthling]

In my previous job I ate at the hospital cafeteria a lot. Makes me glad I am not there any more as this hospital served their food like a buffet where people dished up their own.

[signseeker]

Food snobs don't eat at buffets.

[waif69]

I guess that makes me an anti-snob.

[signseeker]

Actually the biggest food snob I know is a lady from work. She's probably 60-ish and she will not eat ANY food that she herself did not prepare/cook. Is that UNBELIEVABLE??? They had a dinner for us at work last night - she never goes to those. When she's at a Church function (former RS Prez) she'll only eat what she brought, nothing anyone else brought. She's interesting alright. Never goes out to eat...

[Earthling]

Actually the biggest food snob I know is a lady from work. She's probably 60-ish and she will not eat ANY food that she herself did not prepare/cook. Is that UNBELIEVABLE??? They had a dinner for us at work last night - she never goes to those. When she's at a Church function (former RS Prez) she'll only eat what she brought, nothing anyone else brought. She's interesting alright. Never goes out to eat...

She's not a food snob - she's a germaphobic - afraid of germs. I know a few people that are scared of anything someone makes. My SIL (whom Mirk knows very well) takes her own silverware to restaurants but she will eat out.

[Earthling]

Food snobs don't eat at buffets.

This wasn't a "all you can eat" buffet. It was a choice of two main dishes and a few sides but you served yourself. The food was okay and cheap - better than a frozen dinner or sack lunch every day.

You are right - food snobs don't like buffets. I'd rather have one good dish than a bunch of mediocre stuff for the same price. My dad loves buffets - we says he is going to the "Golden Trough". :l0 (46):

You can tease me about being a food snob . . . my husband gets jealous comments about the good food he gets to eat. Of course I have taught all my darling children to be food snobs too (and to cook)! :smilielol5:

[waif69]

I have learned that after living off of gov't prepared food for a number of years, including MREs and the food snobbery typically goes away. If I could only count how many times I had to eat food with a wrench, grubby paws or gloved hands... well that was a long time ago, I think.

[signseeker]

I don't know... food's become sort of over-rated for me. My ex was a food snob and it got pretty old. Fancy French stuff... whining about all but the highest-end restaurants. *snore*

I like good-tasting home-cooked meals. If the kiddo's try to cook food and it doesn't taste quite right, that's some of the best food in the world there is. And I'm teaching my kids to be thankful for the food, no matter what it is.

That reminds me of a story... :l0 (29):

I was a Girls' Camp leader one year and they had this lunch where you'd draw out of a hat to see where you were sitting. You had 1's, 2's and 3's. The 1's got the mega-food table. Lots of treats and sweets and meat and all kinds of stuff. The 2's (I drew a 2) got a bowl of rice and pork-n-beans. The 3's got a bowl of rice only. The numbers of each type of lunch were roughly indicative of the world's population - by far there were more 3's, then 2's and the least amount of number 1's.

They told us about this and how they chose the numbers, etc. and statistics about how the "world" eats every day. It was a powerful, sobering lesson, at least to me.

I remember one mother was completely beside herself because her daughter had drawn a 3 - she demanded she had a "normal" lunch and it just wasn't right or fair - on and on. I was quite shocked cuz this was a totally active mom of 7, pretty service-oriented, etc. and I was just so disappointed in her behavior and example to her daughter.

Anyhow, when I feel like whining over food, that lesson always comes back to me. I have *no clue* what it's like to live how most people in the world live. And I'm ashamed of myself for whining.:001_scry:

[ghostcat]

I have learned that after living off of gov't prepared food for a number of years, including MREs and the food snobbery typically goes away. If I could only count how many times I had to eat food with a wrench, grubby paws or gloved hands... well that was a long time ago, I think.I've never served in the military but I have eaten at many, many scout trips and campouts. It sure teaches you the value of good food and a good cook.:l0 (41):

[Earthling]

My ex was a food snob and it got pretty old.

A picky eater is not the same as a food snob. I don't like picky eaters who have a list of food dislikes. It is hard to cook for a family who can't or won't eat certain foods. Allergies can't be helped but it is still hard to cook for them.

The food snobs at my house appreciate and enjoy good food versus a large amount of mediocre food if faced with a choice. They enjoy food and try to make it better each time. They also try to make delicious and nutritious food for others. We have fun discussing a new recipe - if it is a keeper or how to make it better. The cook is never to blame - it is always the recipe's fault if it doesn't turn out. :wink5:

Now in an emergency situation you have a whole different ball game and everyone will be glad just to eat.

[mirkwood]

Yea, you are all going to die cause you are food snobs and I'm going to "acquire" some more food storage!!! :001_tt2::l0 (63):

[Earthling]

We "store what we are willing to eat". So don't plan on inheriting any food Mirk. Just plan on knowing who to ask how to make tasty food out of your storage . .. not to mention who knows how to cook up good stuff in Dutch ovens, smoke food, etc. After much testing I have a very good chocolate chip cookie recipe made with whole wheat. :l0 (46): We plan on eating very well in the "emergency".

[Toni]

Okay, yet another reason to stay away from hospitals - and definitely to not have a baby in one (not to give birth nor for any other reason).

[Toni]

Outlaw doctors not guns.

Amen and amen. They kill and maim more people than guns do, generally speaking (there are some good doctors out there).


Speaking of food snobs. I have heard of raw foodists making meals that are delicious - even making cakes with icing and such. I have not tasted any nor tried any. I would like to try making raw food dishes (salads don't count) after this juice fast is over.

[waif69]

If you do it (raw food dishes), keep us informed. Certainly, I am not the only other person on the board who would interested in a non-nutcase review of such concepts.

[LarnaE]

That reminds me of a story... :l0 (29):

I was a Girls' Camp leader one year and they had this lunch where you'd draw out of a hat to see where you were sitting. You had 1's, 2's and 3's. The 1's got the mega-food table. Lots of treats and sweets and meat and all kinds of stuff. The 2's (I drew a 2) got a bowl of rice and pork-n-beans. The 3's got a bowl of rice only. The numbers of each type of lunch were roughly indicative of the world's population - by far there were more 3's, then 2's and the least amount of number 1's.

They told us about this and how they chose the numbers, etc. and statistics about how the "world" eats every day. It was a powerful, sobering lesson, at least to me.

I remember one mother was completely beside herself because her daughter had drawn a 3 - she demanded she had a "normal" lunch and it just wasn't right or fair - on and on. I was quite shocked cuz this was a totally active mom of 7, pretty service-oriented, etc. and I was just so disappointed in her behavior and example to her daughter.

Anyhow, when I feel like whining over food, that lesson always comes back to me. I have *no clue* what it's like to live how most people in the world live. And I'm ashamed of myself for whining.:001_scry:

We had the same lesson with our YM and YW except one of the groups had no food at all. We also had a speaker that talked about world hunger and charity. The amazing thing that happened with our group is the ones that had food took food from their plates and gave it to the ones that didn't, So everyone ate about the same. This is different than the obama plan because they were not forced. They just volunteered. It was a good lesson.

[signseeker]

Okay, yet another reason to stay away from hospitals - and definitely to not have a baby in one (not to give birth nor for any other reason).


Uhh... you're joking, right? :nosmile:

[Toni]

If you do it (raw food dishes), keep us informed. Certainly, I am not the only other person on the board who would interested in a non-nutcase review of such concepts.

Thanks for the compliment. :thumbup: I do know plenty of "nutcases" who were trying to live naturally like I am trying to and I have yearned for "real" LDS people. Well, I'm finally getting to know a few.

I'll probably take one of the recipes I have (in a raw food book) and see if I can make it. It won't be for a while, though. If I do go raw, I expect it won't be all at once. I still am not so sure that squash (which I love) would taste good raw.


We had the same lesson with our YM and YW except one of the groups had no food at all. We also had a speaker that talked about world hunger and charity. The amazing thing that happened with our group is the ones that had food took food from their plates and gave it to the ones that didn't, So everyone ate about the same. This is different than the obama plan because they were not forced. They just volunteered. It was a good lesson.

That is so cool!! A Zion in the making!


Uhh... you're joking, right? :nosmile:

I was actually thinking: "not having a baby there if a dangerous germ was on the warpath". You wouldn't want your baby exposed to something as bad as this one sounds like, I think. Perhaps a birthing center? This is one reason I think women need to be prepared for any eventuality - and without fear. I think you'll be all right. (hugs)

[Earthling]

Come on Signseeker - remember our pioneer ancestors and all that rot . . . I mean all that inspiration! If they tell the story at church of the woman having the baby in the wagon in the rain one more time . . . I hate that story! Now before some of you stone me - remember my GRANDFATHER was a pioneer - walked here at age 3 with the Mormon wagon train. They did just fine as most did - I just hate it when they make it sound like everyone was destitute and dying - it wasn't the case. Hugh Nibley said they were so thrilled to get away from the persecution they were like kids just let out of school. Now that is a different viewpoint!

[signseeker]

Yeah, I guess I reeeealy like modern technology when having a baby. Two of mine needed foreceps and two were "almost" c-sections - like they came in and told me to prepare for that, mentally. My first doc said anything over 7 and 1/2 would likely be a c-sec. It's hard to tell how things might have been... I don't have easy births, though. Poor little things come out all beat up.

[Toni]

If they tell the story at church of the woman having the baby in the wagon in the rain one more time . . . I hate that story!

Wait! I thought it was "having a baby by a log in the rain"

Well, with God anything is possible, anywho.

I'm glad to see a positive perspective by someone on the pioneers coming across the plains and so forth. I'm sure it wasn't all doom and gloom or they wouldn't have survived. After all, they were just as human as we are.