I Was so Upset and Sick to My Stomach...

[tashayoung]

OK...let me set the scene for you! I had a show last Thursday night. I was just getting ready to start my demo and one of the ladies in the dining room needed a towel to clean up a spill. Vomit! Her 9ish year old son threw up. She tried to use one of my Microfiber towels and ah NO! Luckily I didn't see any of it or smell, but she wiped it up and sat back down. No cleaner used...no hand washing. So, I made it a point to pass around my Suds Pump and one of my mf towels and had everyone clean their hands just incase I asked them to be a helper. Everyone does this and I start to demo. The boy walks in the kitchen to his mother and says, "mom, I don't feel"...blah (vomit) all over her! I gag and turn around. She stands up and gets a dish rag and wipes herself off. The boy is still standing in the kitchen so I turn around with my fingers in my ears singing lalalalalalalalalalala because I will lose it if I hear it again. She has the nerve to say, "Oh my God Tasha, he's not throwing up now!" I'm thinking...not yet! She finishes wiping herself off and sends him downstairs to play with the other kids and sits back down. Did I mention that she didn't go wash her hands again? I'm amazed that she isn't leaving and taking him home. I washed my hands and I finally get through the demo and of course her name was pulled for the door prize and then she left with no order placed.

I'm upset because it was so gross, everyone gagged, and then she didn't even buy anything...WOW!!!!! Some people!

 

[DebbieJ]

Are you serious???? She didn't leave when her son was obviously sick??? She has VOMIT on her and she sits down and STAYS for the party?

Some people are so clueless.

I would have been gagging too.

 

[chefbritt]

That story reminds me of a family I know. My family owns a restaurant and I waitress there. There is a local family that comes in, this guy and his girlfriend and then his kids from his first marriage that he only gets on weekends. Well because he doesn't have them often, he likes to spoil them. One of his sons is autistic, and he buys him huge steaks and appetizers and hot fudge sundaes. It's almost guaranteed that the kid will throw up all over the restaurant every time they come in. And of course he never makes it to the bathroom. But the father just cleans him up and goes back to his seat, leaving us to clean up the mess, and then does the exact same thing the next time he comes in. You'd think he would have learned by now...

 

[ChefBeckyD]

That is gross & disgusting! I can't believe that someone would do that at a show where food is being handled! And to send her son back in a room w/ other children....didn't any of the other moms protest??? Ummm - thanks for the epidemic!

 

[tashayoung]

Oh yeah...I forgot to mention! We later found out (after the show was over) that not only did he throw up on the floor in the dining room, but all over the table where the appetizers were! She didn't mention this to us at all! The only reason we found out was because the host's son told us!

 

[tashayoung]

That is gross & disgusting! I can't believe that someone would do that at a show where food is being handled! And to send her son back in a room w/ other children....didn't any of the other moms protest??? Ummm - thanks for the epidemic!

Nobody said anything! We were all in shock!

 

[MicheleC]

Oh YUCK! I can't believe she didn't leave the first time he threw up, much less the second. How crazy!! I'm with you on having a weak stomach. I would have had a hard time keeping it together too. I'm just amazed that noone asked her to leave. Imagine being the person who had to sit next ot her

 

[chefbritt]

That's disgusting! Did that happen while the appetizers were on the table?!

 

[tashayoung]

Oh YUCK! I can't believe she didn't leave the first time he threw up, much less the second. How crazy!! I'm with you on having a weak stomach. I would have had a hard time keeping it together too. I'm just amazed that noone asked her to leave. Imagine being the person who had to sit next ot her

The girl next to her had to get up and walk in the other room. I was surprised that she sat back down next to her.

 

[tashayoung]

That's disgusting! Did that happen while the appetizers were on the table?!

Yes! I couldn't believe she didn't say anything. It was gross enough knowing that she didn't use any cleaner on the floor, but then to find out it happened on the table with no cleaner!!!

 

[jenniferknapp]

EWWWW, that is so gross, and rude!!!

 

[baychef]

The ignorance that some people have never ceases to amaze me! Tasha you deserve some kind of Pampered Chef Sainthood award!!!!

What kind of mother would do this to their child, then subject other children to this too? None of the other mothers reacted to this? I would have whipped my child out of there (whether he was the sick one or the one that had to play with the sick child) faster than than you can clean one of our pans!!! Then I would have given the consultant a big order for putting up with this.

Her not placing an order does not suprise me...she obviously is a few sandwiches short of a picnic to begin with!!!!

I honestly don't know what I would have done in your situation, Tasha!! I hope the host treats you with more respect than her guest did.
Ann

 

[jenwallace]

Unbelievable! I don't even know what to say...I think you handled it much better than I would have!

 

[tashayoung]

I honestly don't know what I would have done in your situation, Tasha!! I hope the host treats you with more respect than her guest did.
Ann

The host was a good friend of mine so we vented to each other about the guest. There were 7 people there, 6 ordered and her show was $450 with 3 bookings, hopefully none of them will invite the vomit lady.

 

[chef_kimmo]

I have to say I had gone out to eat once and my son threw up. I have thought about and thought about wondering why it happened - I believe he ate too much too fast. I was SO upset and embarassed I do not have any idea how that mom would have stayed. We were almost ready to leave and I couldn't. I couldn't leave the mess there. A man was sitting next to us with his 3 daughters and I was so embarassed (Oh, I think I said that) He came over and asked if I wanted some help. I didn't want to say yes but did - he was so nice. Initially when my son started it I tried to get between him and that man's table so they wouldn't have to witness it. Eventually the waitress came to help and helped us clear the table. I have to say I almost ran out of there. I went back another day and gave her a big tip. I told her I was very sorry about the mess.

We also just recently had a mom bring her son to a meeting. I didn't know she brought him when he was sick. She just said he was there because he was wanting to be with her. Well, he spewed and she intially tried to stay but eventually he wasn't happy and she decided to leave.

I cannot believe that woman didn't leave your show AND sent her child to be with the other kids. I believe I would have gotten mine out of that room.

I hope the rest of the show turned out good?

 

[baychef]

The host was a good friend of mine so we vented to each other about the guest. There were 7 people there, 6 ordered and her show was $450 with 3 bookings, hopefully none of them will invite the vomit lady.

I bet your friend/host was just as mortified as you and the other guests. I also feel bad for that poor little tyke that has that germ bag for a mother. No wonder he is so sick!
I would pack some Lysol cleaner and Purell just in case the Barf Bag shows up!!
Ann

 

[DebbieSAChef]

Yuck!
I can't believe that she didn't wash her hands but more important I can't believe she didn't leave with him.
I would have definitely said something about her removing him from the show for the sake of my other guests.
Especially since she didn't order anything, she didn't have to be there. Some people are free loaders and just want FREE food.
I would have talked it over with the host and said that it would be very unsanitary to hand out food with someone throwing up in the house. That's so gross.
Being pregnant I would have definitely made it an issue.

YUCK!! I am so grossed out just thinking about it.

Debbie

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I bet your friend/host was just as mortified as you and the other guests. I also feel bad for that poor little tyke that has that germ bag for a mother. No wonder he is so sick!
I would pack some Lysol cleaner and Purell just in case the Barf Bag shows up!!
Ann

Oh Ann - you just gave me a belly laugh!

But I feel sorry for the little guy too - how many times does he have to tell her (and show her) that he is sick before she puts his needs first??? Glad she's not my mom!

 

[chefann]

Maybe that should be the door prize at one of the bookings - a mini bottle of Purell. Then you can all have a laugh about it! And I HOPE that the GVL (germy vomit lady) is there to get the reference!

 

[Paige Dixon]

OK, I have to admit that mother was putting herself ahead of her son.

However, to play the other side, my middle son has acid reflux and he's not nearly so bad anymore (6 years old), but he used to barf about 3 times a day. He'd barf from overeating, from crying, from running, for no reason at all! I'd be so embarrassed because I didn't want other moms to think I had a sick kid at the park or whatever, but I couldn't never take him out, either!

Here's the grossest part: I got so used to it that I could usually catch most of it in my bare hands, yuck I know, but it's less embarrassing than the floor! He's also often barfed into his plate at the restaurant, I clean it/him up with napkins and have no choice but to leave the barf plate with the barf napkins in it for the waitress to take away. It's so quick, I'd never have made it to the bathrooms!

Oh yeah, the dog got really good at cleaning it up for me, too!

 

[chef_kimmo]

Oh yeah, the dog got really good at cleaning it up for me, too!

Paige, that information was a little over the top. I have seen dogs clean up stuff I would rather not see though.

I am sure that must have been stressful on you.

 

[SilverCeladon]

Are you kidding me? If that were my son I would have taken a catalog and gone home. Some people just don't care!!! What gets me is that she let her son go and play with the other kids!!! Nope, if I were there I wouldn't let my son near her sick kid and I would have left.

 

[Miss Cori]

I dont even have kids but I know if I did there would be no way they would be playing with him. What kind of parent lets their sick kid suffer like that. Oh my gosh. I havent even had my first show yet I should really stop reading these scary stories. There is no way I could have sat through that. Every time I wouldve looked at her through my demo I would have gagged.

 

[DebbieJ]

Reflux or food allergies was my thought at as well. My friend's dd had an undiagnosed dairy allergy for a long time. She used to projectile vomit. She did it at her own b-day party after eating cake.

So maybe the kid wasn't sick. But it sounds like this mom did nothing to properly clean up, did not wash her own hands, didn't explain anything if it indeed was reflux, and didn't apologize!!! Others were obviously offended by her and the vomit (getting up and leaving the room, gagging) and she did nothing.

That is what gets me.

 

[sillylittlechef]

My daughter has reflux and spends a lot of time throwing up also, luckily not at anyone else's house (yet!) But if she did --- I would definitely explain to everyone within hearing shot so no one would think I was a terrible mother letting my sick child play with other children. and to give them the peace of mind that my child isn't going to make their child sick. BUt this isn't what it sounds like. It just sounds like a really strange person.

 

[janetupnorth]

Each may have its own medical case, but if he had something that is chronic, she should have been courteous enough to explain it to the host and guests and also to keep him as a guest in the house where he wouldn't throw up on others or others property. (Let me qualify with saying that I would take my child home immediately!)

Regardless, and as a mom, I've been thrown up on and would catch it and then clean up...bodily fluids are bodily fluids...all are to be treated as if contaminated no matter what the case. You were a saint for trudging through the show! I wouldn't have been able to bite my tongue in that case and would have rolled into "medical person" mode and lectured on the proper cleaning/cleansing and care and caution not to contaminate food.

Did this boy by any chance have peanut butter for dinner...????...ok, sorry, bad joke...my son is still recovering...

...and Purell as a prize - I'm thinking BLEACH!

I am so amazed (and amused) at the stories everyone encounters. PC should write a book on crazy consultant experiences.

 

[pamperedharriet]

That story reminds me of a family I know. My family owns a restaurant and I waitress there. There is a local family that comes in, this guy and his girlfriend and then his kids from his first marriage that he only gets on weekends. Well because he doesn't have them often, he likes to spoil them. One of his sons is autistic, and he buys him huge steaks and appetizers and hot fudge sundaes. It's almost guaranteed that the kid will throw up all over the restaurant every time they come in. And of course he never makes it to the bathroom. But the father just cleans him up and goes back to his seat, leaving us to clean up the mess, and then does the exact same thing the next time he comes in. You'd think he would have learned by now...

Brittany:

Which restaurant is it? Is it in Ossippee or on Rte 16?

 

[SillyChef]

I don't think the major issue was the kid barfing. I mean yeah, nasty and all, it is still a "natural" thing to do. I think the REAL problem is the Nasty lady. I mean seriously, how could she NOT wash her hands? Get him cleaned up or something? Regretfully bow out and say that she has to go home to take care of him. That is the hugest part of this whole story is HER being a gross adult and not having enough brains to do what she is supposed to do and take care of her child (sick or not)... Being a consultant putting on the show, I would have asked her to leave. Esp. sitting back down with chunks on her. HELLO there is everyone else's FOOD here!! Oh well if she hated me afterward, I would have had everyone else grateful that I didn't let her stay! YUCK!

 

[dannyzmom]

Oh gross gross gross gross gross!!!!

 

[Teresa Lynn]

When my oldest son was 4 I was pregnant with my daughter and had a 2 year old we were at Fantastic Sams for their haircuts. As I was paying my son threw up at the door (he was trying to get out to the trash can on the sidewalk without me) I was trying to comfort him, clean up the front door pull the rug outside (I offered to take it to the carwash and wash it) They asked us to never come back and we were regulars there. He wasn't sick the rest of the day I think he had hair in his mouth and gagged on it. We both have weak stomachs.
My husband used to make me cover the "accodents" with an upside down laundry basket so the kids didn't accidentally step in it and cover it with towels until he could get home. It was easier than cleaning up after 2 of us!!