# I have TB;I think I'll go to Europe



## atltournant (Apr 24, 2007)

I will be the first to admit that sometimes I get immune to the bad things in the world.So much news coverage of suffering only goes so far before I block it out.

But then a story of sheer human stupidity comes along and I just shake my head.

As the name implies,I live in Atlanta and it's been in the news about the bonehead lawyer with TB.I find it amusing that his family specializes in personal injury and divorce,though.I hope the honeymoon was worth it,because he's looking at up to two years in Federally enforced quarentine.It doesn't take much imagination to see that marriage circling the bowl.

Obviously,I am not a doctor,but I associate TB with something that is bad,syptoms or not.Like herpes or HIV,it's something that should make you take pause and think about things.

Every once in a while,there's a big scare in a school somewhere because one student has it.TB kills only 1,500 people in the US yearly compared to third world countries where it kills hundreds of thousands,but it should still be treated with precautionary measures.

He was advised [not "ordered!] to wear a mask on the plane.He didn't.Vanity? Stupidity? Reckless disregard for others? Yup.

am I crazy or is that not common sense?

Sure,he had no symptoms,but he HAD IT and was advised to not travel....he defends himself by saying he was not "ordered" not to travel.
 Freaking lawyers.....

Had this guy never heard of Typhoid Mary,for God's Sake?

Now,I understand him not wanting to be quarentined in Europe...but to evade officials by driving back into the states thru Canada [after slipping through the crack security of the airport in Prague AND the Canadian/US border!] and expose more people along the way? Granted,the chances of contracting it,even on the planes,is small...but people who were minding their business got dragged in so this twit could have his honeymoon.

They had a picture of the happy couple: typical young,clean-cut Southern couple from money,resplendent in their stereotypical Anne Klein/Polo outfits.And her daddy just happens to be a microbiologist at the CDC specializing in TB! Gee,where was the fatherly advice,huh?

It probably fell on deaf ears because his daughter had spent a lifetime whining and stomping if she didn't get her way.I'm just speculating that she was gonna have her wedding and honeymoon come ****,high water or TB

"Oh,no fever and you feel ok?Great..get your butt on the plane!"

I understand the whole wedding day/honeymoon planning and expectations..but TB would kind of make me have changed my plans,and I wasn't going to Greece!

So,my question is,who pays for this Federally enforced quarentine? Just curious.With the lawyer,he can't be held criminally responsible,but I'm sure he'll be in civil litigation with a lot of people down the road depending on his health [ and if they contracted it].

And if one of the innocent passengers has it,who pays for them.Feds? Well,it would all come back to the taxpayer/insurance premiums anyway,so maybe I answered my own question.Think about your family and one income gone for two years...I would hope there would be some sort of compensation for them.

Screw the lawyer who went on the trip in the first place,though.It sounds cruel,but if you are that selfish and ignorant to do what he did,I can't feel badly for you.There's an old saying that works for this:

"You want sympathy? Look in the dictionary between s**t and syphillis"


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## allie (Jul 21, 2006)

I've been following this story on my local news. My thoughts are he is a selfish spoiled brat and his new wife is apparently the same. How insensitive to other people! Stuff like this just infuriates me. Spoiled little rich kids thinking they have to have their way no matter the risk to others. Come on the honeymoon could have waited!

I remember as a child (6 or 7, I'd guess), my great uncle was very sick. The doctors thought he had tb. We had visited him recently so everyone in my family had to go to the county health department and have a tb skin test. When we visited him, we had to wear surgical masks. Turns out he didn't have it but the doctors advised that everyone in contact use safety procedures in his presence. 

In the nursing home where I worked years ago, they were not allowed to tell us if a resident had tb, aids, etc. I was very close to my charge nurse and she called me aside one night to warn me to be careful of one of my residents. She said nothing was confirmed yet but she might have tb so not to let her cough on me or breathe in my face. Fortunately, it turned out she didn't have it but my nurse said she'd have felt so bad to know something like that and not tell me. The chances of me getting it and taking it home to my husband and young toddler were too great to keep it secret.


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## oldschool1982 (Jun 27, 2006)

Possible nominee for this years "Darwin Award"!?!?:suprise:

Actually I believe we have the winner and with only 6 months left on the year.


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## aprilb (Feb 4, 2006)

...who HE got it from?

April


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## atltournant (Apr 24, 2007)

From what I've heard/read,he's pretty much been all over the world in the past 6 years [must be good money in family ambulance-chasing].They are looking at a trip he made to Asia for a charity event,but who knows where he picked it up from.
Diseases that spread through microscopic saliva droplets are not to be fooled with!


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

I wonder how many people he kissed at the wedding and infected....


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

My wife and I just got back from a trip to Europe and this story really bothered me. You never know who your getting on the plane with and the air is recirulated which makes the air you breath even worse.


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## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

My friend was diagnosed with epilepsy a few years ago. His neurologist was legally bound to report it and his license was revoked immediately. Why can't this apply to passports?


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## blade55440 (Sep 9, 2005)

I can understand not telling somebody if a resident has aids as long as they follow universal safety protocols, but not informing that a resident has TB in a nursing home is unwise and unsafe if you ask me. You're dealing with elderly people who are dealing with an immune system not quite up the snuff like ours is, and I'm sure there's at least one or two with a horrible immune system in the place.

One disease isn't airborne, the other is... I'd take caution to inform people of the airborne one.


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## atltournant (Apr 24, 2007)

Anneke,

Sadly,his passport WAS red-flagged....he just managed to slip on by....more than once and in more than one country!

Nice to know that security is so carefully observant.

But in defense of poorly-trained and understaffed security people,it has got to be difficult looking out for ONE person out of thousands that walk through customs in a day.I'm sure it has to be more complicated than "Okay,here is his picture,what flight he's coming on and what time".

It's not a fool-proof system [a'la science-fiction retinal scans or fingerprint matches]...as long as people are doing a task,there's going to be errors.


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