Coronavirus

[beckster51]

I feel everybody's pain these days. Life as we know it has gone down the tubes. Some of us are better off than others, but nobody's life is the same, is it? I try to practice gratitude, but it's difficult at times. I have enough to eat. I have a relatively safe place to live. I am a retired advanced practice nurse, so I am grateful I am no longer in the fray. I'm lucky that I have the knowledge to understand what is going on and how to reasonably protect myself. However, I have a husband who is disabled and is at extraordinarily high risk due to multiple illnesses and is on a ventilator 14-16 hours a day. I am his only caregiver. I cannot catch this virus or he would have to go to a nursing home, which is a death sentence in itself for him. I cannot give him this virus or it would surely kill him. I have been in almost total isolation with him since March. I can only go out only very rare occasions to pick up necessities that I cannot get delivered, where I see ignorant people who think that masks are irrelevant. When a vaccine becomes available, it is doubtful that it will be effective in people our ages. So I foresee living and dying in this house. I tell myself there are worse things, because there are. But we can't give up hope! It's all we've got, and I keep thinking things will eventually get better.

 

[penelopejane]

I feel everybody's pain these days. Life as we know it has gone down the tubes. Some of us are better off than others, but nobody's life is the same, is it? I try to practice gratitude, but it's difficult at times. I have enough to eat. I have a relatively safe place to live. I am a retired advanced practice nurse, so I am grateful I am no longer in the fray. I'm lucky that I have the knowledge to understand what is going on and how to reasonably protect myself. However, I have a husband who is disabled and is at extraordinarily high risk due to multiple illnesses and is on a ventilator 14-16 hours a day. I am his only caregiver. I cannot catch this virus or he would have to go to a nursing home, which is a death sentence in itself for him. I cannot give him this virus or it would surely kill him. I have been in almost total isolation with him since March. I can only go out only very rare occasions to pick up necessities that I cannot get delivered, where I see ignorant people who think that masks are irrelevant. When a vaccine becomes available, it is doubtful that it will be effective in people our ages. So I foresee living and dying in this house. I tell myself there are worse things, because there are. But we can't give up hope! It's all we've got, and I keep thinking things will eventually get better.

I am so sorry to hear of your troubles. I’m doing deepak chopra’s 21 days of abundance meditations (free on you tube) and find it helpful. I’m doing it in a group and am being sent the tasks as well. PM me if you think that would be helpful for you.

I think the vaccine (when it comes) will protect all ages. The flu and pneumonia vaccines are effective for all ages. But I’m not a nurse like you so maybe overly optimistic.

Sending you my very best wishes and thoughts.
PJ

 

[raymondlgraham]

There are those that believe that wearing a mask does absolutely nothing to alter the infection rate of Covid 19. If this virus is aerosol driven then they might be right. If you can breath through a mask and the virus might be aerosol driven this means that the virus being .123 microns in diameter will pass through most masks. It could then linger in a room with low humidity and mild air currents perhaps for several hours just waiting to attach itself to anyone who comes into that room. Places this is more likely to occur would be places where a person might be expected to spend a considerable amount of time there, for example, a restaurant, or a hair saloon or a doctors office or a barber shop, etc. Until more is understood about the transmission of this disease it is just a guess if mask really do any good. Psychologically we might derive a placebo effect from wearing them but until hard studies are done it just a guess if they work at all but you can bet certain people will insist we wear them because they do represent control and that is what many are seeking to get from them anyway.

 

[goat soap rulz!]

Facebook has become a huge dumpster fire of hate.

I refuse to download facebook for this reason! I have never seen a more hateful group of people!

Wear a darn mask. Quit whining. Have some compassion.

YES! I see all of these videos of people SCREAMING at poor essential workers that " MY DOCTOR SAID I CANT WEAR A MASK BECAUSE I HAVE A BREATHING PROBLEM!!!"
Ok honey first of all, if you can scream, and yell, and throw a tantrum, then I think your lungs can handle a mask over your face.
And 2: If you have a breathing problem, then you SHOULD be afraid of a deadly virus that attacks the respiratory system. I mean... RIGHT?

*sigh* some people really get on my nerves... Like makes me want to punch them in the face... repeatedly LOL!

We went to the hardware store about a week ago, because my mom wants to paint the cabinets. we have a small little family owned hardware store. They are sweet people. But literally NO ONE was wearing a mask. I won't lie, if nobody was in the store, id take mine off, because they are a bit annoying, but when someone walks up to me, I'm going to put it on! If they are respecting me by wearing a mask, then I will respect them!

Kind of a funny story though, my mask had a little piece of string on the inside, and it kept going up my nose and tickling it. We were in the toilet paper aisle and I sneezed, and everybody moved away from me so fast! I am not a shy person, so I was like "Hey yall, it's fine! There's a little rebel piece of string trying to crawl up my nose!" Everybody gave out a little chuckle lol! That's all people need right now. Human interaction. GOOD human interaction!

 

[beckster51]

I am so sorry to hear of your troubles. I’m doing deepak chopra’s 21 days of abundance meditations (free on you tube) and find it helpful. I’m doing it in a group and am being sent the tasks as well. PM me if you think that would be helpful for you.

I think the vaccine (when it comes) will protect all ages. The flu and pneumonia vaccines are effective for all ages. But I’m not a nurse like you so maybe overly optimistic.

Sending you my very best wishes and thoughts.
PJ

I re-read my message, and I guess it sounded like I was whining. I didn't mean it that way. I was just trying to convey that everyone is struggling and that all struggles are different, but nonetheless, struggles. My husband always says there are no minor illnesses if they are your own, and I think that applies to many things in life.

Thanks for the recommendation for the meditation. I have meditated off and on for years, but I find it difficult to meditate lately. I just need to deploy some discipline! I will look it up on youtube.

Older people have less responsive immune systems in general, and that is why the high dose flu vaccines have been developed. The regular flu vaccines don't create much of an immune response in older populations. They do activate your immune system to a degree, which helps, but they often don't create the mass of antibodies that are specific to the viruses represented in the vaccine. It may be awhile before they have an effective Covid-19 vaccine that works for us old grunts - LOL. Nevertheless, I will take it whenever it appears and hope for the best.

Thank you for your kind words and thoughts, PJ. They help!

 

[Adobehead]

I dunno. This might be out of my skillset. I do quilting, never followed a hat pattern before lol.

You can do it! Necessity is the mother of invention, and you are creative to begin with or you wouldn't be here. I hope you get relief.

 

[Catscankim]

I would suggest that you think about getting one of those adapters that let's you fasten your mask on the back of your head. If I had to wear a mask all day, my ears would be so sore that I could not wear my glasses. The skin behind the ears is so tender! You could probably make them yourself or find them cheaper. This is just the first version I found when googling. Just a thought.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/792742803/mask-extender-set-of-5-button-adapter

I guess somebody else donated boxes of these clips today. I grabbed one and i must say that it is brilliant!!

you cant use it for the n95, but they dont go behind your ears anyway. Its the surgical mask on top that bothers me.

Thanks for the suggestion, i might not have grabbed one if i didnt see your post

You do have to fiddle with it a bit getting it on, but its worth it!

We are out of Rapid covid tests again. They used to take 30 minutes for results, The new “rapid“ takes 4 hours.

My er doc tonight (who freaks out about everything) called me and says...”i know bed 20 is listed as covid precautions, but shes really not. I think she has a PE so i need you to take her right away” (we usually wait for the test, or treat the like covid if its a real emergency).

ok, so you have her in a covid room, she desats to 50% on room air, and you placed her under isolation precautions, so im not supposed to treat her as covid why? She did not pass the front door because the screeners determined she was a covid risk.

Because of a hunch And/or you dont want to wait for the now 4 hour test.

Basically shes risking everybodys health because she wants to rule out something else while we wait for this other test to come back.

Of course her PE test was negative, and of course she had ground glass opacities, and OF COURSE her covid was positive. Glad i went with my gut. I was so mad...

She later saw me in the er...omg i hope you had an n95 on for bed 20, she came back positive. I lost it on her.

AND i should add that if i did not treat her as covid, i would have scanned numerous patients after her.... i was furious.

 

[beckster51]

I guess somebody else donated boxes of these clips today. I grabbed one and i must say that it is brilliant!!

you cant use it for the n95, but they dont go behind your ears anyway. Its the surgical mask on top that bothers me.

Thanks for the suggestion, i might not have grabbed one if i didnt see your post

You do have to fiddle with it a bit getting it on, but its worth it!

We are out of Rapid covid tests again. They used to take 30 minutes for results, The new “rapid“ takes 4 hours.

My er doc tonight (who freaks out about everything) called me and says...”i know bed 20 is listed as covid precautions, but shes really not. I think she has a PE so i need you to take her right away” (we usually wait for the test, or treat the like covid if its a real emergency).

ok, so you have her in a covid room, she desats to 50% on room air, and you placed her under isolation precautions, so im not supposed to treat her as covid why? She did not pass the front door because the screeners determined she was a covid risk.

Because of a hunch And/or you dont want to wait for the now 4 hour test.

Basically shes risking everybodys health because she wants to rule out something else while we wait for this other test to come back.

Of course her PE test was negative, and of course she had ground glass opacities, and OF COURSE her covid was positive. Glad i went with my gut. I was so mad...

She later saw me in the er...omg i hope you had an n95 on for bed 20, she came back positive. I lost it on her.

AND i should add that if i did not treat her as covid, i would have scanned numerous patients after her.... i was furious.

Glad the mask extender worked for you. Hooray! Small victories. And you are smart to treat everyone as positive until proven negative. I can't imagine why anyone in the ED wouldn't. Keep using your brain, Catscankim, even when those around you get careless.

 

[GemstonePony]

One of my sisters went to the Emergency Room with COVID symptoms, including low oxygen. She was told by the doctors there that she could assume it was COVID based on her symptoms. However, her symptoms were not considered severe enough to be life threatening, so she did not qualify for hospitalization or a COVID test. She was told to go home and quarantine with her family, including a 2 year old who was born with half his heart missing (that's why she had equipment to check her oxygen levels in the first place).
That was a couple months ago, she's been symptom free for a while, and fortunately nobody else developed symptoms.
At this point the only numbers I pay attention to are the death toll above average, because I don't feel like I can rely on the other numbers.
I had a virus with a lot of COVID symptoms early in the year, but nobody in the US was testing for it then. I didn't feel like spending $200 for a Dr. tell me to go home and drink fluids (I'm 27), so there's nothing in my medical records indicating I had symptoms for an antibody test, either.

 

[Catscankim]

They tell you to self quarantine at home unless your symptoms are severe to save beds for bad cases. Things are different every single day, and with every patient. We dont even have covid rooms available right now (even though our commercials say we do).

in the beginning there were hardly any covid tests. Then they were widely available, now we dont have any again.

but i thought you could get an antibody test if you thought you were exposed. But that could be todays rule and not tomorrows....everything literally changes daily.

 

[GemstonePony]

Oh, I absolutely understand the reasons for it all, but those reasons still impact the numbers. I'm not mad about the stuff I posted, I'm just sad because I'm the type of person who really likes crunching and being able to rely on numbers. I mean, there are a LOT of things I'm pretty mad about, because -ya know this is the wrong thread and I'm not starting the right one- but I understand nonexistent and limited resources.

 

[Catscankim]

We have a pediatric emergency room in our hospital. I got an order for a kid who was listed under covid isolation precautions. The nurse called me to reassure me that he was anything but covid...the test triggers the isolation order.

So i told her, i just scanned FIVE super sick actual covid patients and have another one on the way, then i need to get my room cleaned and its going to be at least an hour, especially if this kid isnt covid...im not comfortable bringing him in my now contaminated room. We have two scanners, but the other one was waiting to be cleaned as well.

Finally i get this kid. Mom is a jerk cause shes mad that it took so long. Im dying in my ppe, and shes yelling at me.

i says ma’am, it took so long because i needed to sanitize the room. Shes like Well i BETTER NOT catch corona while trying to get us tested for corona.

Isnt that the statement of the century. Stay home lady or get tested at a drive through.

 

[DKing]

@Catscankim do you know how long it is taking for results for your tests down in Florida? My daughter and her boyfriend were tested on Monday and won't have results for another day or so. That seems like a really long time to wait for something like this, or am I wrong?

 

[Catscankim]

@Catscankim do you know how long it is taking for results for your tests down in Florida? My daughter and her boyfriend were tested on Monday and won't have results for another day or so. That seems like a really long time to wait for something like this, or am I wrong?

Our hospital Rapid tests were taking only 30 minutes. We ran out this week, so now we have this other in-house test that takes 4-48 hours to process. From my understanding (and i have asked lots of questions today), is that it takes 4 hours to process, but they do it in batches. You might be part of batch #1, or batch #3 etc... Batch #3 will be 12 hours as opposed to the first batch. It took me a minute to process this, but i came up with, if you only have one soap mold then you have to wait 12 hours to unmold your soap before you can make your next batch of soap lol.

This isnt the same as the send out test that goes to an outside lab...which takes days, but is more accurate for some reason. So if its taking days for you, you have a send out lab. Personally, if i had a swab shoved up my nose, i would rather have it right the first time with the good test even if it meant that i had to wait longer. I dont know what the difference is between the two tests.

edit....also remember that i work in radiology. I just ask lots of questions at work. But im not an expert

 

[DKing]

Our hospital Rapid tests were taking only 30 minutes. We ran out this week, so now we have this other in-house test that takes 4-48 hours to process. From my understanding (and i have asked lots of questions today), is that it takes 4 hours to process, but they do it in batches. You might be part of batch #1, or batch #3 etc... Batch #3 will be 12 hours as opposed to the first batch. It took me a minute to process this, but i came up with, if you only have one soap mold then you have to wait 12 hours to unmold your soap before you can make your next batch of soap lol.

This isnt the same as the send out test that goes to an outside lab...which takes days, but is more accurate for some reason. So if its taking days for you, you have a send out lab. Personally, if i had a swab shoved up my nose, i would rather have it right the first time with the good test even if it meant that i had to wait longer. I dont know what the difference is between the two tests.

I too would prefer the more accurate test as well! Hopefully they are both fine but there has been a big cluster of cases in our city due to tourists coming for the Canada Day long weekend. Over 70 so far confirmed, but with test results taking several days to determine, I have to assume it is significantly higher now. I will feel better when she is able to tell me she has a negative result!

 

[Catscankim]

Do they have symptoms?

 

[DKing]

Do they have symptoms?

My daughter has been really tired and sleeping a lot but she is also emotionally worn out by her boyfriend currently so it could be just that. It is more her boyfriend that felt like he was coming down with something viral, but it might be in his head too. He also ended up having a massive panic attack and had to go to the hospital for a few hours until they could calm him down. He has some mental health issues and they seem to be getting extra triggered right now. He works in the downtown core where most of these cases originated so his imagination might be causing him to over analyze everything he is feeling. My daughter never told me what he felt were his symptoms, just that he felt he was getting sick.

 

[Cosmo71]

I live in a small, rural town. Cornonovirus seems imaginary to me even though my 91 year old aunt got it and recovered. I live in a tourist area and people are still coming in droves though they waited until June instead of May to start touring this year. I am concerned about my child returning to school in the fall and am unsure what I will do when the vaccine is available. I feel like people, companies and the government are using the coronavirus to push their own agendas and it is frustrating...but perhaps it is everyone just doing what they feel is right to be safe because I am so remote...I just don't get it.

 

[Misschief]

@Catscankim do you know how long it is taking for results for your tests down in Florida? My daughter and her boyfriend were tested on Monday and won't have results for another day or so. That seems like a really long time to wait for something like this, or am I wrong?

I do know that here in Kelowna, some if not all of the tests are sent out to Vancouver for testing. One of our customers is a private courier driver and his company drives there daily with Covid tests (properly packaged and stored, obviously).

 

[DKing]

I do know that here in Kelowna, some if not all of the tests are sent out to Vancouver for testing. One of our customers is a private courier driver and his company drives there daily with Covid tests (properly packaged and stored, obviously).

That is obviously why it is taking so long. You would think that there would be some labs locally that could handle it? It certainly makes me uncomfortable that we are several days behind knowing just how many people are currently affected. At least those being tested are being told to go into quarantine until they know the results of their tests. I just hope that everyone being tested is respecting that expectation.

How are you doing? Still going out shopping? I am staying home for awhile other than some veggies.