On Thu, 10 Aug 2006 12:46:14 +0100, Janet Baraclough
Never! Adapt your gardening to what's possible and safe in changed
circumstances, but don't give it all up. What could you do in raised
containers, with soft-surface plants like succulents herbs and salad
veg,, and good disposable gloves?

Surely it would be simple and effective to wear cotton washable gloves
for shopping trips. I met someone who does this *every* time she steps
outside her own home (because of similar health concerns) . Her
pristine little gloves are co-ordinated to every outfit along with the
ear-rings and makeup.. She has multiple pairs to change, launder and
re-use.

A product you might find useful btw is "invisible glove", lots of
brands available but I use Dermasand. It's applied *before* any
potentially unhygeinic contact. You just smooth it on to form an
anti-bacterial skin-barrier on the hands which lasts until you wash it
off (used by many masseurs). In the UK , pharmacies stock it to the
public.

Janet.

All very good advice. I will have to see how my labs turn out this
week before I do anything. A few years ago I had breast reduction
surgery in February. That May I spent nine days in the hospital, they
operated to remove the infection and guess what it was that got in
there. Yes, actinomycete! The soil in my yard is apparantly like a
Stephen King book! The soil wants me.

It took them so long to get me off antibiotics, amoxycillin for six
months.

Then there was the time in 94 most will remember I tripped over my
late dog Ozzy and stepped right onto a cultivator and it scratched the
bone in my left foot. I was in the hospital for 6 weeks, daily
sterile whirlpool, wound care for almost 18 months and that infection
also came from barnyard animal manures and it turned out it was called
Mycobacterium abesses chealonea (spelling may be wrong) and I was the
53 person in the US to be diagnosed with it. I'm in medical books!

After the property is really weeded proper, I'm going to call in a
landscape architect and have some decks built for container gardening
and also incorporate an aviary for my little parrot, Mikabird.

Once it's all under control I may garden. I always did say that Mark
should drag me out an my belly and put a trowel in my hand and I want
to die gardening. I just don't waqnt to die at 50!

V