Any germophobe knows that OCD is going to bring pain at one point or another. Sometimes the pain is mental; other times it is physical.
I can think of at least two times in the recent years that my mother has been rushed to the hospital with unusual symptoms. After the medical staff was sure that she was stabilized and tests had been performed, I was allowed to go in and see her. She was naturally upset in such circumstances and in need of comfort and reassurance. I am really good at verbal reassurance, but even in this extreme situation, I struggled with her need to have a loving, comforting touch. I knew that the only solution was to use my “designated hand” method. My right hand is usually the one that gets assigned the “dirty” tasks, and my left is reserved for touching my own face, getting something from my purse, and driving home.
These occasions in the hospital were especially trying. One would think that no place on earth is more sanitary than a hospital, but that is not the case. I have seen nurses place trays lined with pill bottles on top of soiled linen containers. Is it any wonder that so many patients acquire infections during their stay? To me, everything in a hospital is teeming with germs, much more so than practically any other public place. So, imagine my horror when my mother asked me to get a wet washcloth for her to place on her forehead. The germs in that place were bad, but wet germs feel so much worse than dry germs. And I had to get the cloth, turn on the faucet, and squeeze it out with only my designated dirty hand. There was lots of mental pain that night. I felt submerged in filth, and then there was the guilt from not simply being able to put everything aside to take care of my mother.
Then there is the physical pain. Most compulsive hand-washers have the felt the pain of dry, cracked, bleeding hands. Owing to my use of disposable gloves, I have not felt that pain in several years. Now I am facing a different problem with my hands. I have my rubbing alcohol-filled spray bottles that I rely on constantly every day to keep my sanity. Every time I feel I have come into contact with something dirty, I have to spritz. If it’s something particularly bad, I have to spray myself or an object many times. This system has worked well for me for a long time.
Now I am having a problem with the bottles. I have used bottles from a few different companies through the years, emptying or using the contents, then refilling with the alcohol. Gradually, one by one, each of these companies has ruined the bottles for me by making the spray nozzle (the important part for me) extremely stiff. When one company did it, I moved to another. I had several options, so it wasn’t a big deal. But now all of them have stiff nozzles, and I have been stuck with them for four or five months now, and my fingers are hurting. Even after a night’s rest, I wake up and they feel arthritic (at least I’m guessing that’s how it would feel). It’s mainly the fingers on my right hand since I use them much more than the left. Sometimes the pain shoots up my forearm, too. How do people with arthritis function? This is certainly making me empathetic towards them.
Do any of you germophobes have a similar problem? Do know of someone who sells a bottle with a nice, loose nozzle? The companies that have let me down include Heritage Store, J.R. Watkins, AuraCacia, HomeHealth, and Starwest Botanicals, so please don’t recommend any of those. I used to buy plain, unmarked, empty bottles also, but they are ruined now, too. Four ounce bottles are the perfect size, but I am willing to give a little on that to ease the pain. I am seeking suggestions, so don’t hold back.
Here’s to a pain free tomorrow!
