When and Where do you Wear Mask/Gloves?

[traceyn11]

Just wondering for those of you with low counts - when and where do you wear mask/gloves?

When I was in the hospital last week with diverticulitis, the int med doctors that were treating me said I should be wearing a mask pretty much all the time - even in my house as long as family members and pets were present.

Then I saw my hematologist on Monday and he said no only when I was in a crowded place like the movie theater. He said he wanted me to try to keep as normal a life as possible and okayed me to go back to work this week. He said my levels were pretty much unchanged from before I started chemo and ended up in the hospital.

Also when I was in the hospital, half of the nurses/aides didn't wear masks or gloves when they came in and the int med drs. never wore them.


I realize the hematologist probably knows the most, but the differing medical advice is confusing.

So when do you wear a mask/gloves?

Tracey

[Marlene]

in the doctor's waiting room, hospital halls/waiting room, elevators in medical buildings, ER's, when changing the bandage and flushing his hickman port (both of us would wear a mask then), and outdoors if any construction was going on in the area to protect against molds. When he had zero white cells, anytime he was out in public, which was rare.

If I got a cold, I would wear the mask at home. At Hopkins, the nurses wore masks during cold/flu season, when they had a cold and when they did maintenance on his hickman.


We too found that the doctors and other medical professionals, outside of hematology, did not follow/adhere to mask wearing protocols. John would have to ask them to wear one and to wash their hands too. They are very inconsistent with infection control still. And it's becoming a bigger problem with anti-biotic resistant infections that are spread in hospitals.

He never wore gloves though. Washed his hands a lot and use hand sanitizer.

I don't feel you need to wear one when you are in your hospital room. I assume they gave you a private room? Nor at home with family members.

[traceyn11]

Hi Marlene,
Thanks for the input. I was in a private room and was told just to wear a mask when I was walking the halls. I am just surprised that there was no absolute protocol for wearing masks and gloves.

I think I will just start wearing a mask when I am out of the house just to be on the safe side.

[Faye R]

HI
I also wondered when I should wear my mask have all ways well nearly all always wore a mask out in the public. Take yesterday for example had the mask in my bag not on my face was at haematology getting bloods taken, to be signed off for my 10th round of Vidaza, there were sick people in the waiting room coughing all over the place and no masks felt very vulnerable, always wear one when having Vidaza in the hospital the nurse there advised me to do so. When I was in a room on my own the cleaning ladies don't wear masks that scares me as they are often coughing all. My haematologist told me ages ago wear a mask when you feel it is necessary. We have put in place a notice outside the door of our home that no one is to come in if they have been around sick people. I also went back to work got sick that was the end of going to work for me as the so called work mates didn't really care, came to work with the flue so be careful there, they just don't understand. We had to readjust our finances it can be done.

[traceyn11]

Hi Faye,
This last time when I was in the hospital with C-diff Colitis, I insisted that everyone that came in wear a mask. One of the nurses finally put a note on my door that said everyone must wear a mask.

The worst offenders - some of the doctors!

Since I have been home this week, I have worn a mask whenever I go inside a building. You are right, people just don't understand.

Sorry to hear you had to quit your job - but I get it - people don't want or can't take sick days and come in sick.

[Tominftl]

I also asked my doctor about wearing a mask. He said not unless I go to super crowded places in flu or cold season. I see very few people in the waiting room with masks or gloves also.

[robsp]

I think the article bellow is interesting if you have neutropenia.

Neutropenic Precautions Demystified
http://www.clinicalcorrelations.org/?p=745

You have in your body 10 times more microbial cells than human cells. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbiota ). When you are with neutropenia these bacterias that live peacefully, for instance , in your gut can go to other parts of your body and cause infections because your immune system is not working normally.

The majority of infections in neutropenic patient are caused by bacterias inside his own body. I do not remember where I read, but something like 80% of infections are caused by these bacterias that are already inside our body.

[traceyn11]

Originally Posted by robsp

I think the article bellow is interesting if you have neutropenia.

Neutropenic Precautions Demystified
http://www.clinicalcorrelations.org/?p=745

You have in your body 10 times more microbial cells than human cells. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbiota ). When you are with neutropenia these bacterias that live peacefully, for instance , in your gut can go to other parts of your body and cause infections because your immune system is not working normally.

The majority of infections in neutropenic patient are caused by bacterias inside his own body. I do not remember where I read, but something like 80% of infections are caused by these bacterias that are already inside our body.

Robsp - The infectious disease specialist just told me the same thing on Friday. I had a bout of colitis and had to be admitted for a few days so they could give me IV antibiotics. I asked him if it was caused by a reaction to something I ate and he said no, they thought it was caused by the bacteria already in my own body.