I thought faire crud was the black goop from inside our noses after a weekends outings

ah ha! Mebbe that's what hit me last night....?

It hit the Blackpoint Faire back in ... ummm... '92 and was rerrered to as "Lot Rot" because it mostly hit crew and others who were on site all week.

"Gastroenteritis" is the technical name for what you're probably describing.

When a particularly nasty bug gets into your digestive tract, your body launches it back out...of both ends. 'nuff said.

There are generally two distinct phases to the malady.
In Phase One, you are generally afraid you're going to die.
In Phase Two, you're afraid you're not.

Onset is usually rather quick, usually within 24 hours or sooner of orally ingesting someone else's cooties, and the only blessing is that the worst symptoms usually go away with equal speed, theough the fatigue from the ordeal lasts a bit longer, and is exacerbated by heat and dehydration. For instance, like dancing on hot days, and not drinking enough water.

Prevention is rather simple:
1) WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE YOU EAT
2) DON'T STICK DIRTY HANDS INTO "COMMON" FOOD BOWLS
3) WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE PUTTING THEM IN/ON/AROUND YOUR MOUTH
4) WASH YOUR HANDS

Things like the alcohol-based gels are good, but make the effort to find water and soap before meals, and use it. You should be scrubbing your fingers and hands for the length of time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday To You" or The ABC Song" before you stop scrubbing.
(If I hear anyone humming either song while washing their hands, I promise not to point or make fun. Bless you for not spreading cooties.)

Faire is a magical place.
But bacteria only halt for plain old boring 19th-century science.
Soap and water is your friend.

This PSA Message brought to you by the Coalition To Stomp Out Faire Crud.

I havent heard about it going around Military yet. I've got some sort of coughy lungy nose stuffy wanna be cold or maybe allergy combination thing I'd like to get rid of.

Being sick during faire SUCKS

Oooooohhhhhhhhh I don't want to hear this!

Yeah, I had a bout starting last Monday, but rallied through with a milder version that lasted about 4 days. Just Sunday back to "wanting" to eat. See? Tha's what we all get for collecting meal cards! The county put a hex on us!!

BUT.....

The same vicious set of symptoms were going around here at work a few weeks ago, so maybe the meal cards are not the source. Huh?

I've also got the upper respiratory bug - started coughing after the smoke plume blew across fairesite last week, came down with a cold during the week and then still had the cough all weekend long, Great, beefy coughs full o' lovely phlegm.

"And the maaaaaaast of a phaaaaaaaalic....*hackcoughchoke*"

Pregnancy alone can cause enough dehydration concerns.

And those with auto immune disorders, like mine, or other immunity issues, have to live in some fear of catching every little bug that comes along. My family knows, and will attest, that I not only get it more easily, but I get it the worst of the whole family, grandchildren included.

Voodoo.

far be it for me to say..........but its most likely the watter fowl poop mixed in with the pulverized dirt that we are injesting.I live pretty much in the dirt/dust so my tolerance is pretty high. but like the man said wash yer hands,wash yer cups,and stay outta the community food bowl.there are those that dont wash thier hands.

This is fargin' war!

Oddly enough, my husband just picked up that movie and was watching it earlier today. :)

Get well soon!

If you dont believe in voodoo you wont get sick...Ohhh dont drink the damm water...trust me