Was this unreasonable of me?

No, it was NOT unreasonable of you.

They had a potentially serious illness that was contagious to you! Even if getting chicken pox is more of a "nuisance" it could have kept you out of school, work, etc. and also continued to spread the illness.

Your friend behaved very badly. She was right to be annoyed at the "situation" but NOT to be annoyed at YOU for something that was beyond your control.

No, this was not unreasonable. Chicken pox affects people differently. It can result in severe scars, and actually kill, and I don't understand why no one has been inoculated. They didn't have the vaccine when I was a kid, but they do now. Also, it can affect people a lot worse the older they get. Plus, after having chicken pox, you become susceptible to shingles later in life and THAT is seriously painful. And then there's the whole issue of people you might come in contact with whether you've had it or not. It's a highly contagious illness. Your friend is selfish and unreasonable, and seemingly quite ignorant.

Chicken pox is no big deal to a child, but to someone who is older they can actually cause permanent damage, I think they can make you sterile if you did not get them as a child, so no you were correct for not going.

Your friend is not much of a friend if she acts that way, A good friend would have called you and told you that they had the pox and that she would understand if you didn't want to help, even if you had already had the chicken pox, after all you were doing her a favor not the other way round. Your friend sounds very self centered and childish.

Your friend is a complete and total jerk. You should not have just voluntarily exposed yourself to a disease for her convenience. This "person" is too selfish to have friends. Don't even waste your time trying to explain it to her; she sounds to egocentric to understand. Just forget she exists.

You dodn't say how old you are, but chicken pox is not a harmless little bug when you get older. Regardless of age, the blisters and itching and illness is a lot to go through. When you are an adult, it is a very serious disease with many potential complications. I had adult chicken pox and, while the blisters and 105 degree fever went away after about a week, it took me months to get over the general ill, exhausted feeling that it left me with. (For example, it was two months before I had enough energy where I didn't need a break between taking a shower and brushing my teeth.)

Never mind that I had to be monitored years later for possible permanent damage to my heart.

So no, you were very smart not to go to her house. I am sorry she turned out to be such a selfish animal.

You weren't being unreasonable at all. You should never be expected to expose yourself to an illness just because your friend needs the help, had plans, etc. Besides, I thought I read in your post that she wanted you to HELP with the kids, so how can you be ruining her plans? Did she plan on going out and leaving you with them?

In any case, getting chicken pox when you are older is much worse that getting them when you are young. Luckily, I got them when I was young, but my boyfriend wasn't so lucky. He got them when he was 25. I remember going to take care of him and how bad his symptoms were. He had a horrible fever where I had to help him out of bed, really itchy, and really achy. He was not having fun.

And even if you did have the chicken pox before, the virus doesn't leave your body. It just gets deactivated. The illness can resurface itself as Shingles, which has worse symptoms than chicken pox. Actually my boyfriend's mom had Shingles and that is how he got the chicken pox. Not fun at all.

So your friend is really the one being unreasonable and I hope she realizes this and apologizes to you for acting like a diva. I hope I helped you here. Take care.

Any reasonable person would have suggested you do not go round, as the children had chicken pox.

It was not you who left her in the lurch, but the children's parents. She has no right to take it out on you. Ignore the rant, you do not have to explain or defend yourself any further.

No - you were correct in not going round - believe me I caught chicken pox as an adult and its not very nice at all I was very ill and my friend ended up in hospital with it. It is VERY contagious to people who have not had it before. You did the right thing - I'd show her these answers the selfish old sod.

You were right. If you have not had the chicken pox, you would have exposed yourself and probably gotten them. She was unreasonable in her request and should apologize to you for her behavior.

My husband got the chicken pox when he was in his late 20s and was really sick for about 2 weeks. Needless to say, I was pregnant at the time and did not see him very much during that time because I was afraid for my child, even though I had had them when I was a child.

You are right she is a controlling bit*ch, and you are probably well rid of her. Not only because you don't think you had chicken pox, but just to leave sick children so she could go out sounds wrong to me.

Now on the adults getting chicken pox; my sister did at 28 years old and nearly died. Additionally, you could bring them around others. Don't you back down one inch, you were 100% within your rights.

If you were as calm, cool, and collected as you make yourself out to be, then you were not in the wrong, however I know how difficult it is to "carefully explain" etc., when someone is calling you a baby and ranting and raving at you.

No, you shouldn't be expected to help baby sit kids w/ chicken pox.