Jake wasn't feeling great last weekend. Warm forehead, little cough. He was curled up on a mattress in our room when he asked for a drink. I brought him a cup and watched him drink it. When he was done he handed it back. I took it gingerly only touching the bottom. Dropped it in the sink and then washed my hands throughly. And then it hit me. I HAVE BECOME A GERMAPHOBE!
I never believed in germs. I would tease Steve for constantly washing his hands, and he would scold me for eating off our sick child's plate. My educated reply? "You can't see them, how bad could they be!" (Louis Pasteur just rolled over).
But now I'm terrified of playing host to some disease ridden biological agent, invisible or not. Could it be the signs in every elevator reminding me that my 10 fingers are the top ten carriers of infection? Is it the manditory 2 minute hand scrub every time I walk into NICU? Or the disinfecting foam machines in every room on every hall? Maybe it is just being surrounded by sick people that makes me appreciate and guard my health in new ways.
So cover your mouth, use your own spoon, stay healthy... and I will go wash my hands again!
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalms 51:7 NLT
I wash my hands in innocence, o Lord, that I may go 'round your altar in procession - Ps 26
ReplyDeleteGerms are good! You won't be able to keep up with the apocalypse of hyper-evolving super killer diseases sweeping the globe without a battle tested immune system: I suggest starting by doing surface cleaning with one's tongue.
ReplyDeleteBarlesk Oberon, M.D., D.D.S., Esq.