Surviving COVID

Srhorselady
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Surviving COVID

Postby Srhorselady » Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:42 pm

Since no one else has brought this subject up I’ll tell you my experiences catching and recovering from Covid.

First I was wearing a mask and I thought I was observing all precautions. Like many of us stuck at home I was getting a variety of household projects done. As a senior woman living alone on horse property I keep a running list of small (and not so small) repair projects to be done, and have a regular handyman. He is a retired general contractor who calls me when he has a few free days or I call him when my list gets too long. He called me this time and I had him start on the barn sink that wasn’t draining well. This is the summer in Arizona and it has been 105 F plus lately. While he was working on the drain he commented that the heat was getting to him and he thought he had heat exhaustion. So I told him to go home and come back next week. (It was a Friday). He came back the next Tuesday after stopping at Home Depot for parts for the house. He started replacing a sticky door knob and an electrical plug. Long story short, he kept stopping work (unusual) and seemed to be having problems. I asked how he was feeling etc and brought up Covid. He said he was taking his temperature every morning and no fever. He has A-fib and had had these symptoms before. He had an appointment to see his doctor. I suggested he go home. He went home and I rushed around disinfecting every place he had been. When I realized how worried I was I called him and suggested we postpone the rest of the list until he had seen his doctor. Any way three days later I had symptoms of a head cold: itchy eyes and runny nose, mild cough, no fever until the next day and then it was mild. Fever was only at night and the highest it got was 100.4. It was mostly about 99.7. I had mild body achiness. The major symptom was fatigue, I kept falling asleep, and an inability to focus on anything, conversation, reading, TV. Thank goodness for wonderful neighbors and great barn help. I talked on the phone to my doctor who wasn’t sure I had Covid since I wasn’t very sick, but he recommended I get tested. The hardest thing was finding a testing site and getting an appointment. Four days after testing it came back positive. (Meanwhile I texted my handyman and he went and got tested also. He too was positive.). I quarantined myself for 14 days plus added a couple even after I felt fine. I did lose weight since nothing tasted good and I had no appetite. I never really felt horrible, no shortness of breath or major coughing...just tired. I recently tested for antibodies so I could donate blood and had an appointment with my doctor. My doctor said I had the classic case of the under age 45 healthy people. I’m in the high risk age 70 and have diabetes. However, I’ve always led an athletic outdoor style life. My doctor says this proves I’m healthy! Any way while I don’t recommend catching Covid to anyone, based on my experience, if you are healthy, there is no reason to panic if you do get exposed. Good luck and stay healthy to all of you!

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby exvet » Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:59 pm

Glad you're doing okay and survived Covid. I suspect that many of us at work have been exposed and though we've sent people for testing; so far, they've all come back negative. I'm not sure I completely believe the results though. Missy also survived Covid though she said it kicked her butt in the energy department. I have to go to work and come in contact with the public every. single. day. on. the. job. Exposure is going to happen if it hasn't already. You've simply confirmed what many of us in the veterinary field have been saying since this thing started. Unfortunately we've lost a couple in my field to Covid but they had multiple underlying health issues (co-morbidities). I do find the whole Covid 'spread' to be much like vesicular stomatitis. You do the best you can to prevent the spread, employ what the 'experts' tell you do, and there is still going to be that random act of exposure because no matter what quarantines are in place not everyone including the flies plan to cooperate.............

Edited to add - we take our temps daily when we enter the clinic, wear masks the entire time (which is a killer when you go out to talk to clients in their air conditioned car standing out in the parking lot in OUR weather, wash hands between every patient and every client contact, and disinfect everything (pens, phones, stethoscopes, etc) three times a day.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby Tanga » Sat Jul 25, 2020 8:50 pm

I'm glad you're OK. I am paranoid that I may have it, too, because allergy season is past, but I still have the sneezing, itchy eyes, and a little bit of want to be sore throat. It doesn't change, though.

I live in the city that had one of the first free drive through testing stations in the country, but they are SO backed up, people are waiting four hours and they run out of tests by 11:30. Kaiser will not test you unless you have symptoms. The city is switching to appointment tests, so I might wait and try to get one then.

exvet My friend is a vet and unfortunately moved last year to North Carolina, and she says people there are stupid and horrible. She is insanely careful about exposure and cleanliness, too.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby Josette » Sat Jul 25, 2020 9:04 pm

SrHL - very glad to hear you are doing well and had an uneventful recovery. Covid is so scary and stressful trying to avoid exposure. Hoping there is a vaccine soon with proven efficacy.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby exvet » Sat Jul 25, 2020 10:53 pm

Tanga wrote: exvet My friend is a vet and unfortunately moved last year to North Carolina, and she says people there are stupid and horrible. She is insanely careful about exposure and cleanliness, too.


I'm afraid people in Arizona, not all but we see quite a few, are the same. I wouldn't say they are stupid but beligerent, self-righteous, indignant come to mind when someone blows past our signs on the door without mask demanding that they be seen ASAP and in a room, refusing to remain curbside. Now I will admit that if I know it's a brachycephalic or very sick patient (or frail owner) I do make exceptions and tell the staff to just escort those clients into a room; but, almost all of them come with their mask on and practice social distancing in the room.

Those that demand that they have a right to share and practice their ignorance get informed by me that they are invited to seek their veterinary needs elsewhere.

BTW I'm a North Carolina State University and North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine grad having grown up in Greensboro, NC. Likely some of the stupid and horrible are kin folk of mine. Now if they are, all your friend has to do is invite them to practice their Darwinism elsewhere, bless their pointed little heads and don't let the door hit them on the ass on their way out. Trust me, if it's my kin they're proud to be ignorant but aren't really all that stupid and totally understand 'verbal southern placement'.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby goldhorse » Sun Jul 26, 2020 1:08 am

Tanga wrote:I'm glad you're OK. I am paranoid that I may have it, too, because allergy season is past, but I still have the sneezing, itchy eyes, and a little bit of want to be sore throat. It doesn't change, though.

I live in the city that had one of the first free drive through testing stations in the country, but they are SO backed up, people are waiting four hours and they run out of tests by 11:30. Kaiser will not test you unless you have symptoms. The city is switching to appointment tests, so I might wait and try to get one then.

exvet My friend is a vet and unfortunately moved last year to North Carolina, and she says people there are stupid and horrible. She is insanely careful about exposure and cleanliness, too.

Tanga, I live in Berkeley. The last week of June, I had a sore throat, chills, and starting trying to hack up a lung. I managed to get a test done at a CVS drive thru 2 days later. It was an 8 day wait to get a test with the City of Berkeley (now I hear the wait is over 2 weeks). 8 days to get my test results back which were negative. But as soon as I starting taking an antihistamine and using my steroid asthma inhaler, my symptoms went away. If I slack off on the Zyrtec even now, I'm back to coughing again. So you may be having allergies. God knows, I am dusting my house twice a week and I think all that dust is pollen.
DD works for a large public health department. She has seen the data and the models for going into the fall. Let's just say that there is no "good" model and we're all in for a world of hurt unless people start changing their behavior.

NYT online today has an article about how COVID-19 affected the US Women's Rowing Team. These are some of the fittest humans on the planet and some are still struggling with the aftermath. DH knows some young people (25-30) who've had it and really suffered but survived. We are fortunate that we can stay home as much as possible and hope to swim under this big wave and come out the other side.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby heddylamar » Sun Jul 26, 2020 1:27 am

Wow, Srhorselady, I'm so glad you're recovering!

I had a fever, throat like glass, asthma, cough, congestion, and an ear ache. So I got tested over 4th of July weekend. It took 16 days to get my test back — very useful. Fortunately, it was negative. Still a bit funky, but doctor thinks it's just my normal allergies and asthma.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby Tanga » Sun Jul 26, 2020 4:32 am

Exvet I think she will not let people into the practice, but it's everyday life. She said getting gas NO ONE wore a mask, and the idiot people working there had them on their chins.

goldhorse OK. Good. Glad it's still just probably allergies, even though there usually aren't any this time of year. I have been taking the 24 allergy pills pretty nonstop for four months. It's just so hard not to get a little paranoid! I know it probably won't really harm me, but I cold never forgive myself if I got someone badly sick.

exvet
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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby exvet » Sun Jul 26, 2020 2:00 pm

Tanga wrote:Exvet I think she will not let people into the practice, but it's everyday life. She said getting gas NO ONE wore a mask, and the idiot people working there had them on their chins.


LOL, well I won't name counties but many of us from there know that when you cross certain county lines the IQ drops by at least 50. Still I find so many in Costco and Walmart (all sorts of people in both of the ones in Scottsdale/snobsdale) who are not employees wearing masks below their nose, on the top of their head, etc. Whether it's a lack of understanding or simply a demonstrative effort to show their views of the mask mandate who knows !? :roll: :shock:

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby StraightForward » Sun Jul 26, 2020 2:35 pm

I am glad to hear that you are recovering and it didn't hit you too hard. I hope your handyman is also OK and didn't infect other customers.

Someone I'm sort of related to, who is a fitness junkie got it. He is early sixties, and was in the middle of training towards a body building competition. He says now his workouts consist of trying to lift his head to watch TV. It seems it hit him more in the GI tract than the respiratory system. The effects and symptoms seem to be so broad and unpredictable.
Keep calm and canter on.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby PaulaO » Sun Jul 26, 2020 4:57 pm

GI issues are a symptom that has only been recently recognized. I get "screened" every day at work and one of the questions is "any GI distress?"

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby Canyon » Sun Jul 26, 2020 5:53 pm

@Srhorselady - I'm so glad you are on the mend! This disease is very scary and complex. I have not been affected, but DH and I are basically hermits these days.

I found this short article in the NY Times interesting. Hopefully it is not behind a paywall. https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/07 ... Position=1

"British scientists analysing data from a widely-used COVID-19 symptom-tracking app have found there are six distinct types of the disease, each distinguished by a cluster of symptoms."

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby texsuze » Sun Jul 26, 2020 8:40 pm

Srhorse, thanks so much for sharing your experience and the scenario leading up to it. This is what I wish we'd be able to hear more about--what the survivors went through, their symptoms, etc, plus a later-down-the-line follow up. Very glad you came out the other side, hopefully unscathed. Just goes to show how sneaky this cootie is, and that there is no one size fits all, either for how it manifests or progresses.

One of DH's male bicycling buddies is married to a family practice physician; she tested positive for the cootie last week and they are both in self-quarantine, holding her own so far. She has been on the front lines, so to speak, of caring for hospitalized cases, as well as her own private practice patients. So now we sadly have a direct, personal connection to this pandemic.

Srhorselady
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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby Srhorselady » Tue Jul 28, 2020 4:26 pm

One of the craziest things about this pandemic is how things that should be easy are not! When I came down with symptoms on a Friday night I waited until Monday morning to call my doctor thinking he would have me come in for a test. No. He gave me names of places and telephone numbers to get tested. The first number I got a recording at 8:30 in the morning saying all testing slots for that day were filled. Another place I was told had walk in testing. I got there 30 minutes before they opened the next day and the sign on the door said they were no longer doing walk in testing. I went home and since it was still early called the first number again and was told by a machine that it would be a 30 minute wait to talk to someone and that by then all slots might be filled. So then I went on line to the walk in place and made an On line appointment for the next day. I arrived for my appointment 10 minutes early as requested and called the number given. I was told to leave a message. No call back. At 5 minutes after my appointment time I went to the door and shouted (wearing mask) in to receptionist. She took my information and had me drive to another door and told me someone would call me. Thirty minutes later (it was 105 I had the air conditioning running in my car) they called and told me to come to door and into room. A Tech came and did what they do and took swab test. It wasn’t bad. She apologized and said they’d had two emergencies come in and that it would be a while before the doctor would be in to complete the paperwork. Over an hour later doctor finally came in and completed paperwork. That room was freezing cold! I finally made it home, collapsed and slept for three hours. Four days later I got the call that my test was positive.

After I recovered I called and talked to my doctor. I had some questions plus wanted to see about donating blood or plasma since I’d been hearing how blood with antibodies was needed. He called in paperwork and I went to Lab and was tested for antibodies. Results came in in Positive for antibodies in 24 hours and my doctor called me with results. I called local blood services and ended up with, I assume, an out of state volunteer. She tried to schedule me at a location a two hour drive away for a regular blood donation after I had told her three times I was recovered From Covid. I finally said for the third time that I was positive for antibodies and I think she paniced at the word “positive” and cancelled my appointment and said I had to call another number. When I called that number it was a recording for Covid testing. I gave up for that day. Yesterday I went on line to the Red Cross and filled out a questionnaire for recovered Covid blood donations. I haven’t heard anything yet, but we will see. Why is it so hard?

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby Anne » Wed Jul 29, 2020 5:30 am

Jeez Srhorse, that sounds completely mad... it would test your perseverance huh! Good for you being active and fit, I think it must help with recovery etc.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby redsoxluvr » Thu Jul 30, 2020 5:47 am

My colleague just got out of the hospital yesterday with COVID pneumonia. She is only 38 and has a host of health concerns. Hopefully she recovers fully but she is definitely very vulnerable.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby blob » Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:29 pm

So glad, you made it through, Srhorse, and thanks for sharing your experience.

I know some that have gotten really sick for a few days and are now fine. I know two people who tested posted for antibody tests without ever having had any symptoms. And I have one friend (early 30s, active, healthy) who got it 4 months ago and is still very ill. The amount of havoc the virus wrecked on her body means that she is still unable to breathe properly, keep food down, and of course is very weak as a result. There are many other ongoing symptoms as well, including intense periods of pins and needles in her body. She's been going to specialists and apparently there are many people who fall in her camp--people who even months later cannot seem to recover despite having no pre-existing conditions.

I worry a lot about my mother who is an elementary school teacher and will be going back to in-person teaching next week. She has bad asthma.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby piedmontfields » Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:57 pm

SrHorseLady, I'm so glad you recovered well and appreciate you sharing your experiences. We are in quite a mad mad time.

I had a couple of friends get ill with C-19 in March. Both were fit, healthy and much younger than you, but it took them about 3 weeks to feel okay. Even now I worry about them having later symptoms or impacts on their lungs that are not yet evident.

I think it is both scary and hard to understand/accept that there is incredible variation with how individuals experience this virus. I'm on medication that suppresses my immune system (to prevent cytokine storms). From what I've heard from others with my condition who got C-19, it seems that our medication regime sort of helps lessen the intensity, but there are post-facto consequences which are still being revealed (like worsened disease symptoms).

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby Josette » Sat Aug 01, 2020 8:50 pm

https://nypost.com/2020/07/29/scientist ... -19-study/

Scientists identify six different ‘types’ of COVID-19 in new study

exvet
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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby exvet » Sat Aug 01, 2020 10:21 pm

Well SrHorseLady, I'm really glad you shared your experience. My mother's facility just announced (last night) that they have 8 residents who have tested positive - 4 in independent living, 3 in assisted living and 1 in memory care. They had two employees test positive. One has not had contact with residents as of July 12 and the other July 19. One of the 8 sick residents has been hospitalized, one moved out to live with family and the remaining individuals are self-quarantined in their respective apartments. My mother doesn't have any symptoms. She's been more or less forced to live in lock down since February - no contact with other residents other than seeing them pass by when they're allowed to go down the hall while maintaining strict min of six foot distance and wearing masks. Since it's been almost 14 days since the second employee has had any possible contact with her it's likely she has dodged the bullet for now. It is scary and nerve racking to feel like you're just waiting for the when not the if. I'm hoping and will be anxious to find out if all of those affected survive.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby heddylamar » Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:12 am

Oh no, exvet! We've been going through the same with both my grandmother and dad. It's amazing the difference location makes. In Washington, where several staff (no residents) tested positive, Nana's confined to her room, meals delivered, etc. When staff deliver meals, both residents and staff are masked. She's in assisted living, and could live with family if absolutely necessary. Meanwhile, Dad's in a state run VA home in Tennessee. A nurse informed us that several (more) staff tested positive, but, "don't worry, they're not showing any symptoms." They're not isolating, and not requiring residents wear masks. Dad's essentially bed ridden (paraplegic, and refuses to learn to move himself), and at extremely high risk. This is the third time they've informed us someone's tested positive. Last time they said "it's in God's hands." That is so NOT reassuring to a family paying them for their skilled nursing services ...

I'm at turns anxious and livid. No one I've contacted has been of any assistance — VA, State Health Dept, USMC, NIH, his representatives, my representatives (sympathetic, but, really, I was just looking for ideas or such from them).

All this to say, I have so much sympathy for what you're going through right now, and I'll be thinking of your mom. I hope your journey through this is uneventful.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby exvet » Sun Aug 02, 2020 12:30 am

Heddylamar that's awful! I'm so sorry about both your father and grandmother. I talked it over with my mother today and she doesn't want to come live with me (her only other option). There are many reasons but she feels strongly that 'What is, is and what's meant to be is meant to be." Grrrr...... My mother has had a few strokes and has A-fib which puts her at risk but it could be worse for someone who is 82. She's mobile and doesn't really have any respiratory issues/pre-existing conditions since having a benign primary mass removed from her lung 24 years ago. I appreciate the good thoughts and I'm sending the same back your way as well.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby Kyra's Mom » Sun Aug 02, 2020 5:51 am

Srhorselady, so glad you have recovered. I am trying really hard to avoid it as I take care of my 90 y.o. mother...thankfully still independent enough to be in her home. I for sure don't want it but would be gutted if I gave it to her.

Susan
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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby heddylamar » Sun Aug 02, 2020 2:20 pm

That's so hard and frustrating, exvet. Nana has made the same decision. She values her semi-independence, and doesn't want to give it up to live with my aunt. All we can do is be grateful she's intelligent and self-sufficient. I just sent Nana a replacement ipad so she can facetime with us. It's easier than calls with her hearing, and we get to check in on her.

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Re: Surviving COVID

Postby Srhorselady » Sun Aug 02, 2020 4:11 pm

To both of you with your endangered relatives. You have all my sympathy. One of the reasons I posted was so that people would realize Covid is NOT a death sentence even for those at risk. It’s far better to NOT catch it but don’t totally panic. Now they are finding so many variants too. However, I do think it is TOTALLY unforgivable to not take easy precautions like masks. One positive after recovering is that i feel so free to do things I wasn’t before. I know the immunity, such as it may be, might not last, but I feel comfortable going to lunch with friends again. And just running errands for little things instead of doing without. I’m not so claustrophobic. It’s sort of a “Okay the worst happened and now it’s over“ feeling. I don’t recommend getting Covid...wait for the vaccine...but at least there is a little reward.


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