Sunday, July 29, 2012

#72: Wash your hands often

Is there any explanation to this resolution? I scrub the crap out my hands since chemo. I bring hand sanitizer with me everywhere. My colleague who used to criticize me for not washing my hands before and after every meal now commends me for sanitizing my hands even after using the ketchup bottle. Bacteria lurk everywhere, and thanks to treatment I am now able to see commonly used objects as the germ-infested petri dishes they are.



Hand hygiene is not only a way to protect myself against illness, but it also protects others. Taking the time to thoroughly cleanse my hands is respectful and considerate of the health of others, particularly people who are immuno-compromised. I appreciated the efforts others made to regularly wash or sanitize their hands around me when I was one of those vulnerable persons.

Yesterday, while out on a long bike ride, I washed my hands in the washroom twice. Yes, twice. The first wash rid my hands of greasy dirt, and the second got in all the nooks and crannies. Afterward, my hands were mine again, instead of some foreign, potentially infectious objects.

But if you're not entirely convinced, go see Contagion. You won't stop washing your hands for a week.

No comments:

Post a Comment