So, I'm pretty scared right now. Anyone else?

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by Lucifer

I found out a few hours ago that my aunt is in the hospital with Covid-19. She’s got COPD and is also battling cancer for the 4th or 5th time. Her doctor says it’s unlikely she’s make it through this. I don’t think we’ll even be able to have a wake or funeral for her.

ETA: She’s 79

I'm sorry Lucifer. Far from the same but maybe a virtual wake?


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We were suppose to be thinking about when to have my father's ashes put in the military mausoleum by Fort Dix now that the weather is getting nicer. I don't know when we'll do this now.

So far my Mom, aunts & uncle are doing OK.

[Sputnik]

I worry about Clothy's mental state when he wakes up on Nov 4th to a world partying in the streets, celebrating the end of the crapsicle's reign.

[hajario]

Originally Posted by Clothahump

Did you feel this way about H1N1 when it hit like an express train?

Shut up, you stupid fucking asshole.

[Oxirane]

Thank you, everyone, for your wishes and thoughts...he was not admitted (GOOD!) as he doesn't need a ventilator, he was given some scripts for antibiotics and an inhaler, (IANA doctor, but I thought the inhaler was not recommended??) and will be going home soon. The doctor felt confident he can make it through with drugs and continued symptomatic treatment. Most importantly, his oxygen levels are good, so he should be fine.

The good news (other that he's been evaluated in person and is heading home), is that, if he gets worse, he'll skip the triage and get admitted as he's been screened.

The bad/WTF news - they didn't test him as they classified him as having COVID-19 based on his symptoms...I get that they need use them in more questionable cases, but without the test, how can they say, "confirmed"??

I was a little concerned as to why antibiotics, but the nurse told him it was to help fend off other baddies, a prophylactic, I guess...

I don't know, I just know we feel better than we did four hours ago...Thank you again, everyone...

[Oxirane]

I'm so sorry to hear that, Lucifer...thoughts and prayers for your family...

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by Oxirane

...

I was a little concerned as to why antibiotics, but the nurse told him it was to help fend off other baddies, a prophylactic, I guess...

I don't know, I just know we feel better than we did four hours ago...Thank you again, everyone...

My understanding is basically COVID-19 makes you far more susceptible to other diseases and pneumonia. So yes, antibiotics for those nasties.

I am very happy for you and your son that he's better off than feared.

[hajario]

Originally Posted by Pure

I upgraded this to a permanent Boxing.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by hajario

I upgraded this to a permanent Boxing.

Poor Clothy, he's not a bad guy but his ignorance is strong and willful.

[Glazer]

It's not ignorance. It's hatred.

[hajario]

Please discuss the Clothy Boxing here or you can join him.

[JackieLikesVariety]

Originally Posted by Glazer

It's not ignorance. It's hatred.

it's both

I also worry about him spreading information that can lead to people making bad decisions for themselves.

excellent point, good for you and for Haj taking steps.

Oxi, I'm glad he wasn't admitting and his O2 is good.

[Flying Squid with Goggles]

{{Lucifer}}

{{Oxirane}}

Virtual hugs to you both and best wishes for you and your families

[Oxirane]

Originally Posted by JackieLikesVariety

Oxi, I'm glad he wasn't admitting and his O2 is good.

Originally Posted by Flying Squid with Goggles

{{Lucifer}}

{{Oxirane}}

Virtual hugs to you both and best wishes for you and your families

Thank you both very much!

[raventhief]

Oh ((((Luci)))) and ((((Oxi))))

[AuntiePam]

Originally Posted by Oxirane

Thank you, everyone, for your wishes and thoughts...he was not admitted (GOOD!) as he doesn't need a ventilator, he was given some scripts for antibiotics and an inhaler, (IANA doctor, but I thought the inhaler was not recommended??) and will be going home soon. The doctor felt confident he can make it through with drugs and continued symptomatic treatment. Most importantly, his oxygen levels are good, so he should be fine.

Re oxygen levels -- Amazon still has oximeters in stock. The prices have gone up -- naturally.

It wouldn't hurt for your son to have a meter. A reading can be reassuring, or it can be confirmation that he needs to go back to the ER and that he needs to be admitted. Telling the nurse "My O2 level is 84" is more informative than "I'm feeling more short of breath."

[Oxirane]

Originally Posted by raventhief

Oh ((((Luci)))) and ((((Oxi))))

This has certainly been one hell of a day...in one hell of a time...

[Helena]

Oxi and lucifer, shit.

[Oxirane]

Originally Posted by AuntiePam

Re oxygen levels -- Amazon still has oximeters in stock. The prices have gone up -- naturally.

It wouldn't hurt for your son to have a meter. A reading can be reassuring, or it can be confirmation that he needs to go back to the ER and that he needs to be admitted. Telling the nurse "My O2 level is 84" is more informative than "I'm feeling more short of breath."

Wow, great idea, thank you!! I'm ordering him one right now. Should be like a thermometer, every household should have one.

[Jaglavak]

Originally Posted by Oxirane

The bad/WTF news - they didn't test him as they classified him as having COVID-19 based on his symptoms...I get that they need use them in more questionable cases, but without the test, how can they say, "confirmed"??

I think the deal is, soon there will be a much cheaper and faster test that only needs a finger stick and gives results in 10 minutes. So they diagnose based on symptoms now, and later on after the rush they can call him back and check for antibodies.

[hajario]

Originally Posted by AuntiePam

Re oxygen levels -- Amazon still has oximeters in stock. The prices have gone up -- naturally.

It wouldn't hurt for your son to have a meter. A reading can be reassuring, or it can be confirmation that he needs to go back to the ER and that he needs to be admitted. Telling the nurse "My O2 level is 84" is more informative than "I'm feeling more short of breath."

I just ordered one because why not. How do those things work? You just plug your finger into it. I was ignorantly expecting something that you blow into.

[Jaglavak]

It shines an infrared LED through your finger onto a phototransistor and then something something.

[hajario]

Originally Posted by Jaglavak

It shines an infrared LED through your finger onto a phototransistor and then something something.

Good enough! It sounds like a cool gadget anyway.

[Rat Diva]

Your fingertips have lots of capillaries. It passes a light beam through your blood stream and measures the amount of light transmitted; poorly oxygenated blood absorbs light differently than oxygenated blood.

ETA ninja'd by whatever something blah blah.

[Oxirane]

Originally Posted by Jaglavak

I think the deal is, soon there will be a much cheaper and faster test that only needs a finger stick and gives results in 10 minutes. So they diagnose based on symptoms now, and later on after the rush they can call him back and check for antibodies.

That's what I'm thinking, the military will probably be one of the first to implement that when it is available and he will be tested at some point...

[Sunny Daze]

I'm sorry to hear about your aunt Luci.

Originally Posted by Oxirane

Thank you, everyone, for your wishes and thoughts...he was not admitted (GOOD!) as he doesn't need a ventilator, he was given some scripts for antibiotics and an inhaler, (IANA doctor, but I thought the inhaler was not recommended??) and will be going home soon. The doctor felt confident he can make it through with drugs and continued symptomatic treatment. Most importantly, his oxygen levels are good, so he should be fine.

The good news (other that he's been evaluated in person and is heading home), is that, if he gets worse, he'll skip the triage and get admitted as he's been screened.

The bad/WTF news - they didn't test him as they classified him as having COVID-19 based on his symptoms...I get that they need use them in more questionable cases, but without the test, how can they say, "confirmed"??

I was a little concerned as to why antibiotics, but the nurse told him it was to help fend off other baddies, a prophylactic, I guess...

I don't know, I just know we feel better than we did four hours ago...Thank you again, everyone...

There are a few types of inhalers (meaning drugs, not brands). Do you know what kind he got?

My sister ended up being diagnosed with pneumonia (and likely COVID-19) from home. They had her talk to various folks on the phone, wrote her some scripts, told her to isolate and come in if she got sicker. She recovered after several days. She's a teacher, so she could have gotten it at school. She had also recently returned from a trip to Paris, so she could have gotten it from travel.

My parents are elderly, with underlying health conditions. My mom is going a bit stir crazy, and getting depressed, but they are both rigorous about maintaining isolation. Other than taking my dog to the vet, we have been rigorous as well.

I don't know if it's because I was a historian by training, or because the situation is just terrifying, but I am the queen of stress and panic right now. We are so very fucked. I feel grateful to live in CA, but I worry. A lot.

Stay as safe as you can everyone.

[Borborygmi]

Sending good thoughts to Lucifer and Oxirane and their loved ones, and best wishes for all us right now.

[SmartAleq]

I'm sending my virtual to Luci and Oxi too--chins up, guys!

I ordered in a pulse oximeter and a thermometer weeks ago and the oximeter is very reassuring--they used one on me when I was in the hospital with the PE and being able to just look down to make sure I'm alive is very comforting. Mine also checks heart rate so that's good too. Pulse oximeters really should be standard equipment in any home first aid kit.

The inhaler thing is tricky--I think the problem is that some steroidal inhalers will increase production of two specific cytokines that are a big issue with the COVID virus. Normally cytokine release is a good thing, means your immune system is working, but some viruses cause cytokines to go into hyperdrive which results in the patient basically drowning internally. Hence the ventilators. So non-steroidal inhalers won't provoke this reaction when a steroidal inhaler might.

[Jaglavak]

A friend just bought a little tabletop humidifier for his place. He already has a HEPA filter dealybob. Am thinking of doing the same.

[SmartAleq]

I've heard anecdotally that a drop or two of tea tree oil in a humidifier is salutary for a cough and congestion.

[JackieLikesVariety]

Originally Posted by Jaglavak

It shines an infrared LED through your finger onto a phototransistor and then something something.

gives your pulse and the percent of Oxygen in your blood. needs to be over 90%. if it reads low, warm up a finger and take it again.

Originally Posted by Jaglavak

A friend just bought a little tabletop humidifier for his place. He already has a HEPA filter dealybob. Am thinking of doing the same.

adding humidity in the PNW. such times we live in!

[Mr. Plumbean]

Best wishes to your mother Lucifer.

I don't know how Clothy can defend his POV when over a thousand people a day are dying right now from Covid and the number is getting bigger. It's also a fallacy that nobody made a big deal about H1N1, if you go back to read period sources you will find it emerged in a similar way with public health professionals urging people to be safe and a bunch of fatheads laughing it off. One of the reasons it was no big deal (in retrospect) is precisely because we listened to the professionals.

[Dragonlady]

Originally Posted by SmartAleq

I've heard anecdotally that a drop or two of tea tree oil in a humidifier is salutary for a cough and congestion.

And I've heard it can be highly toxic for housepets - meaning dogs and cats. (Because nothing can be taken for granted around here.)

Just check before you use it, please.

[SmartAleq]

Huh, well looky that, and it's not alone either. Maybe only use the tea tree oil under a towel in a basin of hot water rather than in a diffuser.

I don't do any weird oils and if my house is smelling winter funky I put some orange peels and a cinnamon stick to simmer over the stove.

[Glazer]

After simmering the cinnamon sticks you can strain add a little sugar for a nice tea. The cinnamon sticks will work for several pots of tea.

[eleanorigby]

My goodness, reading this thread from just this morning was like a very long road trip and back again. Yay for "only inhaler and antibiotics"!

I'm sorry about your aunt, Lucifer.

I feel both sorry for Clothy and enraged by his mindlessly spouting of Fox News talking points. The swine flu had its version of panic, but was quickly controlled for the reasons given. The Ebola scare was also almost as panicky, but was also quickly tamped down due to swift and coordinated, EFFECTIVE action by the Obama administration. I truly dislike people who have selective memories. I can pity Clothy in the abstract, but am past being able to deal with him and others like him anymore. I don't know Pure (hi!), but I appreciate the move.

Each day is a roller-coaster.

[stormie]

Originally Posted by Oxirane

Thank you, everyone, for your wishes and thoughts...he was not admitted (GOOD!) as he doesn't need a ventilator and will be going home soon. The doctor felt confident he can make it through with drugs and continued symptomatic treatment. Most importantly, his oxygen levels are good, so he should be fine.

The good news (other that he's been evaluated in person and is heading home), is that, if he gets worse, he'll skip the triage and get admitted as he's been screened.

YES! So good to hear! Even the skipping triage part, but no getting worse. I forbid.
Thanks for the update, I am very glad for you and the family.

I know I joke around a lot but it is because I am trying to give people a lift, however brief and tiny. @Lucifer, I hope your family has a good outcome. I'm very sorry this has hit you.

Here's to all our families.

[Guinastasia]

to Luci and Oxi.

[Karma]

Lucifer and Oxirane, Best wishes to you and your families.

[Rebo]

I wasn't online yesterday, and I'm sad to find out about Luci's aunt and Oxy's son. :hugs: for the both of you.

Thanks for boxing Clothy.

Everyone is still fine in my family. I talked to my brother in California yesterday and they're all doing great. Well, his stepson is out of work because he's in the restaurant/hotel business, but my brother and SIL can afford to help him for as long as needed. So that's good.

This damn thing is so scary. I decided I'd go to the grocery store yesterday since I haven't left the house in two weeks. I was armed with gloves, a mask, and bleach wipes. I had to take off the mask about halfway through! I couldn't breathe! Then when I got home I cleaned every single thing I bought. It was exhausting.

I'm glad I went though. Today they're saying don't even go to the store for the next two weeks.

[Mr. Plumbean]

My mother in law was in a TCU two weeks ago and since then we've learned there were covid infections there. She's not quarantined at her regular assisted living facility. She's 92 and has been in the hospital two times already in 2020 for other things so it wouldn't be great if she got this shit.

[Sputnik]

Hey NAF, you still online with us? How are you doing?

[Pleonast]

Originally Posted by NAF1138

Anyone want to tell me I'm not alone here?

Not that I have specific reasons to be scared.

Well, some, my wife got sick about 2 weeks ago, roughly 5 days after we started self isolating anyway. She had a dry cough and a mild fever, body aches, fatigue, flu like symptoms. At the time you had to have a 104 degree fever to get a COVID test and her fever was only ever up to 100.1 (and only that high for about 24 hours, mostly it was around 99.5) so we were told to consider her presumed COVID and stay home monitor things and have her get lots of rest and fluid. In about 5 days she felt much better. She still isn't exactly well and today shes coughing again, but it's been cold and damp and she has had a couple of days of insomnia. Things are probably ok. She's in her 30s and generally healthy and ALWAYS takes a long time to fully get over a chest cold thing. So...still. It's nerve wracking.

Me and my daughter, neither of us have been sick that we are aware of. So that's good. And this is the start of week 4 of almost total isolation for us, so if we were going to get sick, we probably would have. I work with seniors for a living and the county I live in was one of the first ones in Pennsylvania to have a serious COVID outbreak so we self isolated as soon as they shut down schools. Which brings me to the second reason I am scared, I have no idea what the hell is going to happen to us financially. We own an insurance agency that works with seniors. I am rapidly trying to learn how to do my job by phone rather than in person, tricky at best, but my whole client base is under attack by this thing AND today I started getting calls from people who want to cancel their policies because their part time jobs that they had been keeping to make ends meet are being eliminated and their insurance policies seem like extravagant extra expenses now. Never mind that this is precisely the wrong time to drop your life insurance. I get it, you have to eat. We have savings, and money coming in from work that I did before things went weird. But the future is, for the first time in a long time, totally unclear to me in terms of what is going to happen to my business.

So, financially we are in super uncertain times. But, realistically, probably ok. My wife is sick, but also, realistically probably ok. But when you are home alone with nothing but your own thoughts and reportage of the MOST horrible extreme circumstances going on in the outside world, things can start to feel terrifyingly bleak.

So...today, I'm scared. Yesterday I was pretty hopeful, tomorrow who knows? How about you all. How's the GBB holding up?

These are scary times, and it's reasonable to be scared. There's a health threat to everyone and there's economic uncertainty at all levels. Even people who aren't affected directly are going to be impacted indirectly. There's no escape from these disasters.

How I cope is to mitigate the risks I can. For me, that means working the long shifts to cover those who can't work now. And helping the community as best I can--calling family and neighbors to see how they're doing, paying the maids and the gardeners whether they can work or not, getting take-out from the mom&pop restaurants we used to go to. Keeping my kids entertained and educated.

And put everything else out of mind. Worry doesn't increase the quality or quantity of one's life. For me, that means no video news and limited audio news--they increase the emotional intensity too much. Instead, I only read the news. Also, take time for oneself and the family. Talk, play games, watch old movies together, etc. Use this gift of time wisely.

[Glazer]

Stay well Pleonast. Welcome back.

[Dazzling White Diamonds]

Originally Posted by Pleonast

Worry doesn't increase the quality or quantity of one's life. For me, that means no video news and limited audio news--they increase the emotional intensity too much. Instead, I only read the news. Also, take time for oneself and the family. Talk, play games, watch old movies together, etc. Use this gift of time wisely.

So well said... this last bit made me tear up. Thank you. <3

[NAF1138]

Originally Posted by Dazzling White Diamonds

So well said... this last bit made me tear up. Thank you. <3

Agreed. This is one of the good things that is coming out of all of this. I am getting to spend a ton more time with my family. I was already pretty lucky in this regard, but it has been really nice. We have watched a ton of movies and I am helping her learn to cook (she made blueberry muffins yesterday with no help at all and they turned out perfectly. She's only 10, which is pretty impressive).

From what I have read the very slow recovery my wife is experiencing isn't unusual. It just really sucks.Mostly shes just very easily fatigued now. But still no fever and no coughing, or very little coughing and as long as she isn't trying to do anything more active than going downstairs she's totally fine. So, progress, I suppose.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by NAF1138

... We have watched a ton of movies and I am helping her learn to cook (she made blueberry muffins yesterday with no help at all and they turned out perfectly. She's only 10, which is pretty impressive).

From what I have read the very slow recovery my wife is experiencing isn't unusual. It just really sucks.Mostly shes just very easily fatigued now. But still no fever and no coughing, or very little coughing and as long as she isn't trying to do anything more active than going downstairs she's totally fine. So, progress, I suppose.

Cool on the blueberry muffins. I feel like that is about when my daughter started baking and making mac & cheese and such things.

Sounds good on your wife's recovery. No fever is great and lesser cough is good.

[Glazer]

Glad to hear she made it through the worst of it and is on the mend.

[SmartAleq]

I've heard the long recovery period is pretty normal too, that seems to be pretty ubiquitous amongst the accounts of the recovered. Glad the missus is doing well, and your daughter will thank you in years to come for passing on cooking skills because that's the gift that gives back for a lifetime. My mom had several long term illnesses when I was a youngish teenager that required me to step up and learn how to shop and cook for the family and although I resented the holy fuck out of it at the time I have to say the experience has served me very well for decades.

My daughter, almost son in law and I are perfect points on the continuum of fear--she's a frontline grocery worker who is keeping herself protected but who sees her employment as a gift of service not only to the customers but also to her more medically fragile coworkers. ASIL has savings and worked in restaurants so was an early victim of the layoffs and he is taking isolation to new heights. He stays in the big camper trailer in the backyard and only hits up the house for showers, usually when my daughter is at work. He doesn't want to get anywhere near any germs at all and is a fierce hermit. Me, I'm in the middle--I've been self employed in a home based business for years so this level of isolation is pretty normal for me. I still have to go out on occasion to handle work business but it's almost a relief not to have to invent errands for myself to do in order to prevent spending weeks without seeing another human being up close. The kids live next door so we meet up out front to keep our social distance and play with the dogs and I chat with the neighbors from across the yard and that pretty much satisfies my need for interaction. I do miss visits from my BFF though, phone conversations and texting doesn't really fill that void.

[Wolf Larsen]

We've had an oximeter for a long time and when Mrs. Larsen and I got whatever the hell it was, we checked it, but level was in the high 90's, so didn't get all that worried.

Lotta sadness going on right now all over the world. This is going to take a while to get over in a lot of different ways.

[SmartAleq]

Found this on reddit, thought it was apropos of this thread. Spoilered for sheer size because I'm lazy and don't wanna resize it.