Once a month, I have a young man with physical and mental problems that I
take to the store.  I visit about once a week to be sure he is doing all
right.  He has several brothers who also look in on him and drive him
places.  But I am a close neighbor, so he often calls me before his family.
 
Recently, I took him to put his old cat to sleep that was suffering.  A few
days ago, I visited him, and he was given his brothers cat.  I examined
him, and found him crawling with fleas.  I took a flea comb, and it
crunched on fleas over and over.  The animal had little sores all over its
head and neck area.  Jim had a magnifying glass, and I could see the bugs
moving.  They were all over his white bed spread covering his couch where
the cat slept--and where I was sitting.
 
I called the brother to come over and take care of the problem right away.  I
went home feeling like I was crawling with bugs and quickly took a shower and
isolated my clothes.
 
Now Jim needs to go shopping again.  I am afraid of getting fleas from him.
He does not remember when his brother came bringing flea powder or what he
powdered.  And I am terrified of passing fleas onto my ferrets.  I just could
not deal well with that emotionally or time wise.
 
If I take this young man in my car--could he sit next to me and give me
fleas???
 
I am so afraid.  I have all these little ferrets that go everywhere.  What if
I give them fleas???
 
Is that possible???
 
Lisette
[Posted in FML issue 2784]