Cross-contamination is no joke.
That is why people who suffer from celiac disease are so vigilant.
One can never be too careful.
Redditor lexxibandzz to discuss her experience and get some feedback, so naturally, she came to the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subreddit.
She asked:
“AITA for throwing away food after my boyfriend’s mom put her stool sample on top of it?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“Yesterday I (26 F[emale]) spent hours making my favorite soup.”
“My B[oy]F[riend] (26 M[ale]) bought the groceries, and I cooked it.”
“I always share my food with everyone in the house—my boyfriend, his mom (62 F), and his brother (24 M).”
“I only got to have two bowls before the drama hit.”
“I checked the fridge and saw a sealed FedEx package sitting directly on top of my soup container.”
“I asked whose it was and why it was in the fridge.”
“BF’s mom casually said, ‘Oh that’s my stool sample, I have to send it in tomorrow!’”
“She’s had major G[astrointest] I[nalissues] since a surgery and deals with near-daily explosive diarrhea.”
“The idea of her poop being on top of my food absolutely disgusted me.”
“Trying to be polite, I asked if I could move it to the downstairs fridge (which only has drinks, no food).”
“She said ‘of course,’ though she seemed confused why it mattered.”
“I moved it carefully and put it on an empty shelf away from everything.”
“Then I told my boyfriend.”
“We went for a drive and I explained what happened.”
“He was even more pissed off—he paid for the groceries, including saffron, and was upset that I now felt I had to toss the soup.”
“Even if it was technically sealed, the idea of a stool sample sitting on it was too much.”
“This isn’t the first issue.”
“Since her surgery, she’s been leaving the bathroom door open after using it.”
“The smell—truly awful—drifts into the kitchen.”
“BF already told her to shut the door, use the fan, spray, open a window… basic stuff.”
“She seemed embarrassed at the time but hasn’t consistently followed through.”
“When we got back, I sadly threw the soup away and bleached the fridge shelf and anything nearby.”
“She asked what I was doing and I explained.”
“She got defensive and said it was sealed and sterile, and I was being dramatic.”
“I told her I’m a medical assistant.”
“At my job, stool samples go in a separate fridge because even sealed packages can carry microscopic contamination.”
“Fecal matter can transmit stuff like Hep A.”
“She doubled down, insisting there was no risk.”
“Then she grabbed the sample box, licked it, and rubbed it on her face to ‘prove’ it was clean.”
“I was in shock.”
“I begged her to stop.”
“BF started yelling, saying it didn’t matter how ‘protected’ the poop was—putting it in the food fridge, on top of food, was disgusting.”
“I added that even if it were sterile, the thought was enough.”
“I asked her if she’d be fine with someone prepping her food in a bathroom—even if it was ‘clean.’”
“She didn’t answer.”
“They kept yelling, and I went upstairs and texted them to please stop.”
“I said it shouldn’t be a big deal that I threw out the soup I made, and he paid for it.”
“She hasn’t spoken to me since.”
“BF said they didn’t resolve anything.”
“Now I have to see her again, and I don’t know what to say.”
“I’m wondering: was I being too sensitive?”
“Or is it just basic decency not to put your literal stool sample on someone else’s food?”
The OP was left to wonder:
“AITA for throwing it away, even if other people in the house might’ve still eaten it?”
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Many Redditors declared that OP was NOT the A**hole.
“NTA – as a R[egistered] N[urse] and infection control expert, you absolutely did the right thing.”
“Unless she’s a doctor (which I don’t think so based on your post), she needs to shut up and listen to the person who is actually trained for that kind of thing – you.” ~ AdmlBaconStraps
“If her stool sample is positive for C[lostridioides] D[ifficile]… Oh hell nahh.”
“Might explain the smell and the diarrhea.”
“I’m sorry, but stool, especially infected stool, should have never been in the fridge.” ~ Reasonable-Check-120
“Was thinking the same thing.”
“C-Diff is instantly recognized by the smell.”
“C-Diff is HIGHLY contagious.”
“My husband got it in the hospital after surgery.”
“I walked into his room, and that smell hit me immediately.”
“It’s not just a poop smell.”
“It was – whew – intense.”
“When the nurse came into the room, she immediately cleared everyone out.”
“A rush of activity and he was moved to isolation.”
“His hospital door had all the protective gear hung in it.”
“Before anyone entered his room, they had to suit up.”
“He had to stay in isolation at the hospital for 10 more days because of the infection.”
“It’s not something to mess around with.” ~ LadyLu-ontheLake
“Was thinking the same.”
“C-Diff is very contagious.”
“In general, it’s apparent she’s being tested for something, might be C diff, might be something else, either way, her fecal matter could infect others in the house and she’s just casually leaving the bathroom door open and letting those smells (bacteria) waft around the house.”
“Hopefully she’s employing hygiene tactics for her skin and clothes while she’s denying contamination all across the home.”
“Forget the soup.”
“NTA for throwing that literal s**t out, I’d be concerned about doorknobs, light switches, and really any other surface she comes into contact with.” ~ FickleVirgo
“Yeah no, she was raised in her barn. 🤦🏾”
“She can rub her sterile poop all over herself if she wants, but she needs to have enough basic manners to respect other people’s food. NTA.” ~ NatashOverWorld
“NTA. The thought of it is gross, but you have no idea how well she physically handled it all while she was packaging it up.”
“You just have to watch some people in the kitchen with raw meat to realize how unsanitary and clueless people can be about contamination.”
“I wouldn’t trust anyone who then goes and stores it on top of food in the kitchen.”
“That’s so gross!” ~ Jessiphat
“NTA. I have taken a stool sample, and it was by far the most disgusting thing I have ever done.”
“It was mine and when I dropped it off at the lab, I just looked at the people at the hospital and apologized because it was horrific to me that someone had to open and test that sample.”
“The thought of that sample anywhere near any food is so disgusting to me.”
“Just a thought, but I have noticed that as my M[other]-I[n]-L[aw] has gotten older, she has gotten less hygienic.”
“I have wondered if it was a cognitive issue as dementia and Alzheimer’s runs in the family.”
“When we would bring it up, not flushing the toilet after pooping, for example, she would get very defensive.”
“She also would throw dirty utensils back in drawers, and I watched her scratch and rub all in between her toes and then try to touch me, which grossed me out.”
“I’m not saying the boyfriend’s mom has dementia, but if she was hygienic before, and this is new, it could be something else going on.”
“Depression, something with the medical issues, etc.”
“But you are not in the wrong for throwing it away.”
“I think most people would have done the same.” ~ Florida_Flower8421
“NTA. That’s just gross.”
“‘She doubled down, insisting there was no risk.’ – sure, there was no risk, it was perfectly safe, that’s why she was sending it to be lab tested. Right.” ~ Gennevieve1
“NTA… it’s poop, period. It does not belong near food.”
“Poop has never belonged near food, no matter the amount of protection and barriers.”
“I’ve already seen a professional who knows more about this than anyone confirm it’s the right thing.”
“Even if it wasn’t, poop never needs to be near food ever.” ~ alematt
“NTA. That is f**king disgusting.”
“That’s the only way to put it.”
“She is a very gross individual, and any person with sense would never do this.” ~ EchoMountain158
“NTA at all.”
“She’s old enough to know better.”
“You did the right thing by disinfecting and throwing away the food she placed her feces package on top of.” ~ BorderlineTG
“NAH. The sample was not on the outside of the container.”
“It was sealed.”
“She didn’t do anything wrong.”
“And she did not wreck your soup.”
“And you were grossed out, so you threw the soup out and bleached out your fridge.”
“Seems extreme and unnecessary to me, but if that’s what it took to make you feel OK, then OK.”
“Not sure why this had to turn into a big thing.” ~ ScarletNotThatOne
“Obviously NTA, but this part ‘Then she grabbed the sample box, licked it, and rubbed it on her face to ‘prove’ it was clean. I was in shock. I begged her to stop.'”
“It was f-ing hilarious.”
“Her mind snapped, what reaction did she expect?”
“‘Oooh wow, I didn’t realize until you licked it, thanks so much, let us all hug’ lol.” ~ xmac
“I want to throw up, that’s just a level of nasty I can’t deal with, it’s just too early.”
“NTA, get her out ASAP.” ~ Traditional_Award286
My goodness, that was an intense story.
Reddit is with you, OP.
Poop in the fridge would be an issue for a lot of people.
Your BF’s mom may need to rethink her actions.