Coronavirus, Covid 19 Discussion and How It Has Affected Your Daily Life Chat Thread

[ChickenCanoe]

NO COVID! And no sinus infection. She's got a common cold. We'll take it! But ... I am now completely persona-non-grata for making her cancel her birthday party. We've rescheduled it for next weekend, but I'm definitely on the "Mean Mama" (or at least the clueless one) list, for now. It's funny how much teenagers "know," isn't it? But I stand by the decision to wait. It was the right thing to do.

I would much rather be the "mean parent" than be a dead parent, parent of a dead child or a parent mourning a family member remotely.
My daughter has called me mean and was irate with me on multiple occasions, but after I explained the reasons for my decision and the potential dangers in graphic detail, she understood and settled down.

 

[MROO]

I would much rather be the "mean parent" than be a dead parent, parent of a dead child or a parent mourning a family member remotely.
My daughter has called me mean and was irate with me on multiple occasions, but after I explained the reasons for my decision and the potential dangers in graphic detail, she understood and settled down.

Actually, she's being very good about it and understands ... mostly. We had about 15 minutes of sassy complaints and "I TOLD you so's," but she really does "get it." She's just had so many disappointments (this was her graduation year) and now she's freshly grieving my father, so I think she needed an outlet. She's a great kid - I feel so badly for her. If I can give her a good reason to vent and keep her safe (as best a Mom can) then I'm okay with that!

 

[MROO]

Agreed. I expect she'll get over it. A simple conversation about how she doesn't want to be responsible for killing her friends would theoretically suffice but... *shrugs* The weight of what death means hangs heavier the older you get and the more you experience it I think.

Congrats on not having COVID!

She gets it. She's a great kid. She's just disappointed ... which is allowed. She's also dealing with my father's death, right now, so I think this was her venting outlet. She's fine, this morning, already making plans for the mini, socially-distant party, next weekend.

 

[sourland]

It's funny how much teenagers "know," isn't it?

In my experience I have discovered that when they reach 30 your opinion/knowledge is important once again.

 

[IamRainey]

Actually, she's being very good about it and understands ... mostly. We had about 15 minutes of sassy complaints and "I TOLD you so's," but she really does "get it." She's just had so many disappointments (this was her graduation year) and now she's freshly grieving my father, so I think she needed an outlet. She's a great kid - I feel so badly for her. If I can give her a good reason to vent and keep her safe (as best a Mom can) then I'm okay with that!

I wonder what the long term effects of this pandemic phenomenon will be on a generation of people who did and didn't get sick, who did and didn't lose loved ones, who did and didn't have a chance to form social groups in school. This is something that strikes so profoundly on life as we experience it that I think they will be a generation that carries an identity for the rest of their lives like we Baby Boomers do.

I know other generations have identities too but sometimes a event comes along that shapes everything ever after. I think your daughter is part of such a group and I hope knowing that she's not alone in the hundred little and larger assaults on her life helps her approach it with some equanimity.

 

[IamRainey]

In my experience I have discovered that when they reach 30 your opinion/knowledge is important once again.

Right you are, sourland! But 40 is, I think, the magic number. Most of the people who achieve greatness don't even get into the field in which they succeed until they turn 40.

Can't remember when or where I heard that but it's stuck with me since we have a society that pushes people to make critical decisions and get on career paths far too soon.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I know other generations have identities too

Like avocado toast, right? XD

I jest.

Tests came back. They're positive. We're on lockdown for a few weeks. I've reached out to my support network. If we all get VERY sick I have people lined up to care for the animals. I have written instructions and a diagram ready now.
I also have someone ready to do a grocery run for us later in the week. Someone already dropped off extra tylenol, gatorade, and a spare thermometer. I'm lucky to have supportive people.

Meanwhile, G's fever is unchanged. He's mostly OK just scared for the wellbeing of everyone in the house. D and I are still well so we're battoning down the hatches and cleaning/reorganizing rabbit cages to make sure that if we need someone to come care for things it's extremely easy to do. Basically making things easier for future us.

I'll keep ya'll updated. Hopefully it's in like a lion out like a lamb and all that and nobody gets seriously ill but I like to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

 

[IamRainey]

Add Mucinex to that list of essentials. It will thin out the phlegm and help him eliminate it before it backs up and cuts down on his lung function. Encourage him to keep his fluid consumption up.

Part of the destructive nature of Corona is that it inverts the immune system to fight organs instead of invaders. Keeping the body's function good so that the immune system doesn't go into overdrive is a good idea, I think (being a person who's dealt with a lot of respiratory issues NOT a doctor).

Has your SO's doctor prescribed a rescue inhaler and/or a steroid inhaler for him? I'd ask if he/she thinks that's warranted to keep ahead of pneumonia and oxygen deficits.

PS I'm am soooooo impressed with your organization and forward thinking! Stay away. Stay safe!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Add Mucinex to that list of essentials. It will thin out the phlegm and help him eliminate it before it backs up and cuts down on his lung function. Encourage him to keep his fluid consumption up.

Part of the destructive nature of Corona is that it inverts the immune system to fight organs instead of invaders. Keeping the body's function good so that the immune system doesn't go into overdrive is a good idea, I think (being a person who's dealt with a lot of respiratory issues NOT a doctor).

Has your SO's doctor prescribed a rescue inhaler and/or a steroid inhaler for him? I'd ask if he/she thinks that's warranted to keep ahead of pneumonia and oxygen deficits.

PS I'm am soooooo impressed with your organization and forward thinking! Stay away. Stay safe!

Not quite sure what's going on on the doctors side of things since it's all be handled remotely by G but I'll suggest it to him. I have reason to believe that it's all been very minimal information exchange because A) his symptoms are mild B) our hospitals are beyond swamped. We actually DO have an unopened rescue inhaler from my last pneumonia bout but I think right now we're waiting and watching for changes.

I will put Mucinex on our grocery list. And the gatorade should help a lot with him drinking more. We'll have him on that and hot teas with a pinch of honey and straight room temp water.

Feeling really good about the two jumbo bags of cough drops I bought on sale about 10 days ago now. XD

The biggest challenge right now is getting him to use his CPAP machine for his apnea. He hates it but he's sleeping all day right now, he should be wearing it a LOT.

Thanks for the support.

 

[IamRainey]

AMEN! to the CPAP. I used to borrow my husband's CPAP during the day when I was in respiratory distress. Does his have a water reservoir to humidity the air he's breathing? Also sessions in a steamy shower if that's a reasonable possibility.

Stay ahead of it as much as possible!

And absolutely consult the doc before using the inhaler. ...but I'm glad to hear you have one. Even so, one with a steroid may be called for. So far, steroids are the most reliably effective treatment.