Fun With Sepsis.

Poor hand-washing likely led to spread of rare infection at Royal Alexandra Hospital

"Poor hand-washing rates in Edmonton and Alberta hospitals contributed to the spread of multi-drug-resistant bacteria that infected several people and likely played a part in the death of a Royal Alexandra Hospital patient. 

"Joffe said Alberta Health Services is investigating why the originally infected traveller wasn’t immediately isolated in emergency and why hand-washing rates among staff at Edmonton hospitals is a dismal 43 per cent, compared to a provincial average of 50 per cent."

Come on, people, let's aim high. Let's shoot for the stellar average of 50%, not an abysmal 43%.

Fucking hospitals, man. In a study, the World Health Organization determined that in one year alone, "Hospital-acquired sepsis and pneumonia claimed 48,000 lives, led to 2.3 million extra patient-days in hospital and cost 8.1 billion dollars." All because people won't fucking wash their damn dirty hands. One doctor decreed that these infections "could be prevented by improving hygiene in clinical settings." YA THINK? Sweet feathery Jesus.

I have a great idea! Instead of a dismal 43%, or the you've-got-to-be-kidding-me average of 50%, let's really get crazy. Let's shoot for, I don't know, washing your hands 100% of the time?? 100% of the time you use the bathroom. 100% of the time you change diapers or wipe tiny butts. 100% of the time you pick your nose. 100% of the time you handle raw meat. 100% of the time your hands actually get grimy. 100% of the time you treat or touch patients at a doctor's office. 100% of the time your hands need washing, period. It's just not that hard. It's NOT THAT HARD.

Why can't people just wash their hands? Fuck 43%. Fuck 50%, for that matter. I hate people. I hate them in the face.

BIRTH TRAUMA: Jo Style.

My friend Ches asked me this:

I'd like to hear about the births of your babies and how you felt staying in the hospital. Was it stressful? Or did you not even care because, you know, you just gave birth and all. :) Did you obsessively watch the nurses/doctors to make sure they washed and hand sani-ed before they came into your room?


Oh boy. This is a great question, and MAN does it bring back memories.

So, in a nutshell, I spent the entire time in the hospital freaking the fuck out.

Because of germs.

And to make matters worse, I had to stay in the hospital a full three days. That was a lot of hours of freaking the fuck out. Because of germs.

First of all, I printed out a sign and hung it on the hospital door: "All visitors: Please wash your hands when entering."

Oh yes I did.

Second, before giving birth, I had used Lysol wipes on things like the bed railings and tables and such.

Bag of Lysol wipes:

Third, I repeatedly Purelled my hands while in labor. WHILE PUSHING MY BABY OUT.

This is me, rubbing my hands together briskly for 30 seconds.

I also had good old Sani-Hands everywhere. 

Like, everywhere.

I watched every doctor and nurse like a fucking hawk. Only about 1 time in 400 did a nurse ever use hand sani upon entering, even though it was right on the wall. Kind of like my bathroom at home.

It made me CRAZY that they didn't use hand sani. But I was too chicken to speak up.

Even during the fraction of the time that they did use hand sani, they would come in and use the computer to check my stats, etc, and that keyboard and mouse had been handled by people who hadn't cleaned their hands, so it was kind of pointless.

They'd also use pens and stuff, and I would cringe and think, "Do you know how filthy that pen is? And now you're going to touch my hours-old baby?"

At one point, the nurse came in and said she was about to give my baby her first bath. I asked, "Do you usually use the sink for that, or a basin?" She said they always use the sink. The sink where people had been washing their dirty hands. Where I'd brushed my teeth and spat. Etc. I said "FUCK IF YOU'RE DOING THAT WITH MY BABY, BISH"  "I'd really prefer it if you used a basin."

She complied.

When Maya came to visit, I washed and Purelled the very skin off her hands.

But isn't this precious?

Maya even got into the swing of things using Sani-Hands to wipe off everything she deemed germy.

I was also concerned about the doctor not wearing a mask during the birth, but I guess that wasn't a huge deal.

I was impressed, however, when the doctor asked the nurse to take his glasses off the top of his head and put them on for him, instead of him touching them (glasses are among the filthier things in this world):

I sure hope there is no vaj showing in any of these photos.

So this just shows you a portion of the anxiety I went through. Then I had to contend with visitors and being afraid that people had colds, etc. Everything about everything about being pregnant and giving birth made my OCD go haywire.