The slight little problems of Immunodeficiency...

[s162216]

Well we've got this brand new, state of the art lab at Nottingham Trent University now, top of the range everything, fantastically over-complex (get the picture?)...

Pity I'm not allowed to step foot into it!

Its a Containment Level 2 laboratory which contains organisms that would not exactly agree with me if I were to get them (e.g salmonella, MRSA) and even though I wouldn't be working with them as I don't do microbiology (thank God) as they would be handled, grown etc in there there is the risk of infection and the University didn't want to let me in (probably as their terrified I might sue them if I get ill!) and said they would only let me work in there if my Immunologist would agree that there would be no risk to my health and she didn't think it was a good idea in her professional opinion. I have nothing against that as it is likely right, I'm just hoping it doesn't cause me too many problems as I am only in there a few times this year and I guess the university will just have to work around that with me.

[john]

hi sam,
when i worked at the main labs of the mrc we had containment level 4 areas on the site, and this was before i was diagnosed!!
i don't think it ever gave me problems, i know we need to be vigilant, but sometimes the perceived risk is greater than the actual risk!
much worse for me are the folk who cough and sneeze on the public transport, specially those who think they're being polite and cough into their hands, and then grab the rail as the get off!!!
winter - who needs it?
take care - john

[liz2mac]

Hi Sam, John,
Yes funny isn't it about risk and perceived risk? I worked with severely disabled children in a respite care setting. These kids were profoundly disabled and had breathing tubes which required suctioning etc. I didn't think anything of it until my Immunologist pointed out that it was probably a bad idea for me to do this..........I too am more concerned by public transport than anything else and I call these situations "germ soup", as you can almost see the bacteria floating around in a tube train!! Sam, I'm so sad that you can't do the things that you'd like to in the lab situation, so very frustrating. This sort of highlights one of the issues that we're looking at at the moment. The issue is, are we disabled or not? Abi, our HR advisor, is working on getting a user friendly piece of advice written for us on this.
Does this mean that your course work will be affected Sam? Is there anyway around doing other work to make up for that which you can't do?
Liz

[s162216]

Hi,

Its alright, their actually moving all of my lab sessions that were in the Superlab over to the Erasmus Darwin building where I am most of the the time anyway. To be honest as a Pharmacologist the Superlab isn't too important as I do very much microbiology or biochemistry like the lab is designed for and to be honest I wasn't that over-awed when I visited it on the induction day. On the other hand if I was doing microbiology I would be in trouble as all the microbiology stuff has now moved over there!

Sam

[liz2mac]

Sam you've really put my mind at rest, thank you, I was worrying about it on your behalf. How sad is that, once a Mum always a Mum? I'm so glad that you'll be able to use your talents and abilities as you wish to.
Liz