I throw up every single time...

[wolftracks]

Just an idea, but could it be well water and something that's in it that they have become used to?

I wouldn't take bleach along, but I'm sure there's somewhere you could go get it after you get there. The wipes are a good idea. I wouldn't hurt their feelings and just start wiping when I walked in, but since there are other family members there, maybe you could all go in and clean top to bottom as a holiday surprise. Just do it without upsetting them. Heck even get someone to take them out for a day while a few of you go to town in there.

 

[StarLover21]

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They do, but we have tried not drinking the water...

 

[itsy]

I agree with bringing some tubes of Clorox wipes and disinfecting EVERYTHING. It's too bad you have to eat the food.... You could take one for the team and be the "head disinfector." Just clean everything like an obsessive compulsive person. When your extended family asks why you're acting like that, you and your immediate family can tell them that you're recently OCD, and you have to do it in order to feel "right."

Maybe you could eat tons of honey while you're there and hope that the anti-bacterial properties are killing bugs inside of you, too.

 

[CluckyJay]

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[Carols Clucks]

Quote:

Holy cow!!!

Doesn't she get sick too??? Might be time for the "FDA" to send her some food warnings in the mail and a notice about ecoli outbreaks in her area.....

 

[stilldeb]

Quote:
They do, but we have tried not drinking the water...

If their well is contaminated, it would involve more than just not drinking the water, it would involve not consuming anything that is made with or comes in contact with the water.

Can you guys stay someplace else, since you get sick everytime?

 

[justbugged]

Quote:
They do, but we have tried not drinking the water...

If their well is contaminated, it would involve more than just not drinking the water, it would involve not consuming anything that is made with or comes in contact with the water.

Can you guys stay someplace else, since you get sick everytime?

Good point. You shouldn't even brush your teeth with the water. My dad learned that the hard way in St. Thomas.

So even washing the dishes will need to have bleach in the water. Maybe you could take a water sample to the County's Health Dept. and have it tested. They should be able to do the test for free.

 

[Mattemma]

If it is the water you could take a Brita pitcher and/or add drops of GSE to the water. Wipes for the surfaces. I don't think it could prevent the puking,but some Lifeway kefir daily could help kill any bugs in the gut. My mom has an allergy attack if she is at our place long.Dh gets a stomach upset if he drinks coffeee made with my mom's public water.

Staying somewhere else is an option though expensive.Me, I would try to clean the house from day one,and then wipe daily.Hopefully the relatives would appreciate the cleaning rather than be insulted.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:

Holy cow!!!

Doesn't she get sick too??? Might be time for the "FDA" to send her some food warnings in the mail and a notice about ecoli outbreaks in her area.....

she gets sick too.. and every year she claims it's the flu...

funny .. we haven't had the "flu" at thanksgiving since we stopped eating her turkey

 

[Carols Clucks]

I was thinking about your situation and had the following thoughts:

First, it will only hurt the elderly relatives feelings if you go there and start bleaching/cleaning everything in sight unless they ask for help.

Second, the bleach in their septic system might end up causing more trouble for them and for your group over the holidays.

If I was your family, I would ask the other relatives that go to this family gathering and see who all is getting sick. If it is everyone, then the cause is something at the property, BUT it could be that some one attending the event is the one that is bringing something that everyone eats and gets sick too. Look at how the foods are transported, maybe some one else thinks that the back of the car is cold enough for that vat of potato salad.

If it is just your family, it could be something you are transporting or some place that you stop for food on the way.

Check your elderly relatives pantry, they might have something that should be refrigerated and they do not realize it and have been keeping it at room temps.