My Ringworm Journey as someone with severe Contamination OCD - what I'm doing post-exposure

[Merlin&Banjo'smom]

First of all, this is ongoing, but I thought I'd make a thread on whats happening. Around 8 days ago I took in 2 foster kitties, one had ringworm. It took three days for me to realize, and in that time they spent several hours a day playing with my resident cats. They are now at a ringworm foster and I am doing everything in my power to help prevent my cats from getting it.

THINGS I'VE DONE
First of all, there are no vets who do anything preventative, and most won't recommend a culture or PCR unless you or your cat have lesions.
So far we are on day 8 since first exposure (17 days until we get our 21 days since last exposure).
1. we have done 2 sulfur dips
2. vacuum about every other day and spray everything down with rescue cleaner
3. last night I started sanitizing everything again with rescue I also bought a swiffer duster to use on the walls (Thanks bunnelina for all your info)
4. Everything fabric is either bagged or washed and I've been trying to wash my bedding every other day. However, since the last lime sulfur dip I have relaxed a little for my mental health.
5. I have personally been showering every night with defense soap and putting cream on anything remotely red or itchy
6. as a devout Christian I have surrounded the issue in so much prayer- Everyone I know is praying with me, it is nice to know God cares about the little things
7. I've done an obsessive amount of research - an ungodly amount. I have read everything. This has helped me with talking to vets, especially because many don't care that much about cats

Now onto the mental aspect
- First of all my mental health tanked and I couldn't move my body for around 5 days.
-If you are entering into this journey make sure you have support. Like a lot- because it is terrifying
-I have started to go to therapy wayyyyy more often and bought gloves because my hands kept cracking from my obsessive hand washing
- The prayer has been incredibly important for me - it has been the most comforting aspect in all of it.
- My counselor is available through text almost all the time and that has also been incredibly helpful

IN CONCLUSION
Today was our very first vet appointment, I found out they do not offer the PCR. The good news is we are still woods lamp negative and the vet did not find anything.
Although we are early in our journey I think the nasty fungus will have to get through an army of prayer and my obsessive cleaning.
I plan to keep updating this thread to give me an avenue of sharing my story pre-ringworm.

Additionally if any of you pray- pray we are in the clear because this is pretty awful

 

[Merlin&Banjo'smom]

I will probably write every day as a log....

 

[fionasmom]

You are more than welcome to write your experiences here and those may help others down the road. I am sorry and concerned to read that you are so upset by this though and that it is having such an impact on your life. bunnelina really is correct that you can get through this, it is not cancer, you did get the infected kittens to a ringworm foster which shows that you were able to be a lot more proactive than some other have been able to be. Many have no options for the relocation of a cat with any communicable condition, including myself. I hope that things are a little better today.

 

[Merlin&Banjo'smom]

Day 9 - 16 days or a lesion to go
Today was rough, I did all my laundry and I am currently keeping it in trash bags. I also covered my furniture in blankets that I plan to toss at the end of this journey. I will be purchasing some more
After reading most of Doctor Moriello's work I emailed her, and surprisingly she emailed me back in around an hour. I found that to be very encouraging. I now know that a PCR would not be an accurate way to detect if my cats have a microsporum infection until they begin to exibit the lesions. I continue to hope and pray that this evil scourge will pass me over, however, I am enjoying writing here.

 

[fionasmom]

I am glad to hear that she responded!

 

[Merlin&Banjo'smom]

Great news! we avoided the scurge! I think proactive care and prayer helped us avoid the rw!

 

[Joelle and the kittens]

They are now at a ringworm foster

Who are these angels who volunteer to be "ringworm fosters"?!

I also had debilitating OCD as a child/early teenager, although not contamination-related, so I can certainly empathize with that HORRIBLE feeling when your compulsions can't be satisfactorily completed (or if you even think about the possibility of them not "working" properly). Glad that you seem to have escaped!

 

[Merlin&Banjo'smom]

Who are these angels who volunteer to be "ringworm fosters"?!

I also had debilitating OCD as a child/early teenager, although not contamination-related, so I can certainly empathize with that HORRIBLE feeling when your compulsions can't be satisfactorily completed (or if you even think about the possibility of them not "working" properly). Glad that you seem to have escaped!

I have an incredible foster coordinator- she takes the ringworm babies. It is honestly such incredible work.