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Covid....

Laurie

Veteran

I just need to vent. Covid is raging again the East of the US. I've been reading those articles with great unease that say that less than 30% of Americans have not yet been infected, because - until 3 days ago - we were in that category, as were my elderly parents.

I know I've complained here about the difficulty of getting Dad (92) and Mom (83) to adhere to protocols over the past 2.5 years, etc. (not a political thing, just foolish behaviors) My husband and I have been the Covid police, the biggest voices of insistence on distancing, the ones who ruined the holidays by refusing to gather, the ones who have insisted on them getting the vaxxes and boosters, etc..
Well, my almost-worst nightmare has happened....my parents both tested positive today after visiting us over the weekend for the first time since December. They got Covid, and they got it from us! On Saturday evening my husband tested positive. Mom, Dad, and I immediately tested and all were negative. Even though I wanted to put them in a hotel, Dad booked out of our driveway to go home so fast I think there are skid marks. (Honestly? Him driving 4 hours in the dark was probably the most dangerous situation of all....)
All three of us were still negative yesterday but we all have coughs. I am still testing negative, but they came up positive today.
Ironically, I had marched my Mom to the pharmacy Friday morning for her long-overdue 2nd booster. Dad is getting an monoclonal antibody infusion, but she has to wait 2 weeks b/c of the booster.
Husband and parents were all prescribed Paxlovid.

Many people I know who have had Covid this summer got it on international vacations. I think my husband must have gotten it at Home Depot, because we have done nothing fun and gone nowhere forever. Barcelona would have made it more worth it?
Now I have to cancel our trip to Boston to see our son this weekend, which I was looking very forward to doing.

Thank you all for listening. Pity party over.

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41 replies

Latest reply was from Laurie

RobinF

Veteran

Oh no! So frustrating how unpredictable Covid is. None of my immediate 5 (me, hubby and 3 kids) have had it, surprisingly, but all vaxxed. Around our area it is pretty much forgotten, no more masks anywhere. We have a September trip planned for London and I'm watching the rising rates anxiously. Planning to get the 2nd booster in a few weeks.

Hope you all recover fully and easily! The good thing is these later variants seem much less serious overall.

JAileen

Veteran

My 97 YO mother got it. I thought if she got it she would die. She did not! She took Paxlovid and had very mild symptoms. If it’s still early in your parents’ illnesses, they should take it.

Laurie

Veteran

I live in Montgomery County in Maryland and even after mask mandates were dropped many people have continued masking indoors at grocery stores, etc. Still required at all health facilities. As cases have been rising we stopped all indoor activities - haven't been in a restaurant, or event, in over 6 weeks at this point.

I am doing a little PT for my shoulder and the PT place isn't masking. I wore my KN95 to do the workout on thursday, particularly in anticipation of the visit- even rubbed a little sore under my eye because I was sweating so much in that thing!

Hand sanitizer everywhere. Etc.etc etc.
Ugh x a million.

But yes, thank goodness and science for the vax, booster, Paxlovid, and mAB....2 years ago this was likely a death sentence for people my parents' ages. Well, even people my and my husband's ages. I keep forgetting we're old too!

ophelia

Veteran

Ugh that is awful. I’m so sorry. Lots of parents have been infected by their children, so try not to feel guilty. Keep an eye out for post-pax rebound in your parents.
I have been a one person army for the elderly in my fam & it is *exhausting.* I’m in the stupid state that actually prohibits mask & vax requirements.
Many of us have had to become the parents of our parents—in ways we didn’t expect.
I have a surgery next week—the surgeon said “now that Covid’s not so much a thing...” I have no idea what she said after that. It is still a huge risk to the elderly. The denialism is infuriating.
Hoping the best for your whole family!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh, Laurie. I'm so sorry. Very stressful for you and your parents. I deeply empathize and sympathize.

GLAD you could get Paxlovid! It's not easy to get it. Sending healing thoughts to all of you. At least the illnesses are not as severe as they used to be if you are vaxxed.

PCR tests are much more accurate than home tests, so get one of those if you continue to have symptoms.

Infections are much, much higher than what we read daily in the NYTimes because they do not include positive home tests. Lots of people around us have COVID.

We have managed to dodge COVID so far. I don't know for how long! Vaxxed and double boosted. Still masking up in public places indoors. And crowded places outdoors. I don't think things will improve much. It's a question of living with it at this point, and doing what you think is best for you and your loved ones.

Hope you can see your son in Boston a little later!

Echo

Veteran

Ugh, I am so sorry. It is so frustrating to be so careful and have covid still find you anyway. We're in a similar boat, except my mum is not infected. But My daughter went to a summer camp which required a negative PCR test within 5 days of arriving at camp, a negative rapid test on site upon arrival and wearing masks. About a day after coming home, she had a sore throat and runny nose. My son picked up the sore throat and runny nose, either from his sister or from a person he works with who tested positive. They were both tested last Friday and while he was positive, she was negative.

Fortunately, we're all vaccinated and boosted and my son's case was mild (my daughter's even milder, if it was covid). Dh and I and their brother haven't caught it from them despite living in the same home. But I haven't seen my mum for a while now and I won't be able to see her until 14 days have passed since my son's positive test. She's 83 and undergoing radiation treatment for breast cancer, so we don't want anything interfering with that!

But again, it is so frustrating to wear a mask everytime we're out (almost no one else here does), limit outings and take precautions and still have covid land in our home. I hope your parents recover quickly and without complications. Don't blame yourself, either; the newest variant is more contagious and easier to pass along.

Sal

Veteran

My Dad just had COVID - and his girlfriend too. They are both early 80s - Dad had mild symptoms but is still lethargic. It’s mid wet winter here so that is not helping.

Our work place has had lots of COVID this year- in the most part people caught it outside work. Even the most cautious has now had it. I am not saying that it’s impossible to avoid- but most people aren’t choosing to take the actions to be 100 percent safe because it is too restrictive. Which is very hard for people with health issues.

Rest rest rest- even if you feel okay. Mild COVID can linger.

I did visit my Dad when he was positive- he lives alone and I only had COVID one month ago. I masked up, distanced or talked outside. I felt it was the best choice.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I am very sorry to hear that.It’s still very stressful this covid business isn’t it.If you aren’t worried about catching it yourself you still worry about passing it on.I do hope that you all make a full recovery .
Here in the UK you would only get paxlovid if you are on a list of extremely vulnerable people ie immune suppressed.l don’t think that just being older qualifies you to get it .

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Laurie, sorry to hear it! Wishing all of you the best and good recoveries.

Helena

Veteran

Laurie I'm so sorry. It's so hard to know what's right, and even when we do the best we can it doesn't always work. Such is this blasted virus. Wishing everyone a speedy recovery.

Style Fan

Veteran

Laurie, I am sorry to hear this. The virus seems to be everywhere. My husband and I got covid a couple of months ago, and we never went anywhere. One of us probably got it from the grocery store or Home Depot.
I hope everyone recovers quickly. Rest up.

rachylou

Veteran

Oh no! A bitter pill. That BA5 is really virulent.

Kate

Veteran

I'm so sorry to hear this, Laurie. Wishing you all a quick recovery. It's really frustrating. Neither my husband nor I have gotten Covid—yet—but I had a cold last week, and thought I might have picked it up. I tested twice, and luckily turned up negative. We go nowhere but the grocery store, hardware store, and drugstore. Many people still mask in D.C., both in store and out on the street, but we have a very high case rate here, and the latest strain of Omicron is very contagious. Even vaxxed and double boosted, I sometimes feel it's inevitable. Which doesn't mean I won't still be truly pissed if I get it!

Peri

Veteran

I really understand your frustration. My husband is still at risk from having had lymphoma and chemo. He's a year out of chemo and had his first effective vaccine finally, but that is enough to keep us from feeling complacent about it. It seems like we are the minority in our area. I had to go pick up an Rx and I was the only one in the store wearing a mask. Not even the pharmacy staff wore them. It's one thing if it's the customers...I can walk away, go down a different isle. But when you have to stand there and talk to the pharmacist and they don't even care, that's maddening. It's like most people have just given up.

I hate this feeling that we can be so careful, and pass on doing so many things, but still don't really have much control over exposure anymore. I was at a Dr appointment and you have to answer the questions, the first one being have you been exposed to anyone with covid. Well, who even knows anymore. You don't even know where your husband got it. It all feels so frustrating.

I hope you all feel better soon and it's good that your dad is getting the treatment.

Bijou

Veteran

So sorry to hear this. It is everywhere in Australia at the moment, I hope they eventually come out with a long lasting vaccine. I stayed in bed after immediately catching it and it was relatively mild - so like Sal, my recommendation would be to rest as much as possible.

MsMary

Veteran

Oh, Laurie, I feel for you! We are in So Cal and it is EVERYWHERE here! After avoiding it this whole time (double vaxxed, double boosted), I got it at a social event at the end of June and ended up much sicker than I'd expected and tested positive for two full weeks! Plus I'm still on meds and it's almost a month later! My husband never tested positive or had any symptoms, but it seems like almost everybody I know has tested positive in the past few weeks.

Sending good vibes to you and your whole family!

kkards

Veteran

it's such a strange disease. my 85 YO mom got it this spring. probably from PT, but who knows. this was 6 weeks after a knee replacement, an overnight in a hospital and an emergency room visit (in a hospital with very high rates). she got

Paxlovid, isolated for 2 weeks and seems to have fully recovered. Her best friend, with whom she has dinner every night, did not get it at the same time was my mom, but did get it 2 weeks ago. my 2 sisters who are in NYC both got hit this spring. and some of my coworkers are on round 2. meanwhile, i've continued to test negative, despite working in office 3 days a week (and a number of direct exposures) and airplane travel. at this point, i'm pretty sure that i've had it, but not severe enough for the home tests to registar. at this point, i'm only masking up when i know that i've had direct exposure or when traveling as the airport is very close quarters.

Laurie

Veteran

Update: I finally tested positive last night, 3 days after my husband. So that makes 100% of us in our household. I would call my case mild, but it's not nothing. Partly it's so weird to be sick. I literally have not been sick since January 2020 when I had a terrible, long-lived respiratory infection. I have wondered if I had an early case of Covid.
My Mom is doing the worst, by far. Possibly anecdotal, but I will add that she was the only one who had not gotten the 2nd booster, at least until Friday morning when I made her get it- just wasn't effective yet. And both of my friends (age 55, and 60) who have had the worst cases I've observed in the past month had not had that booster yet. So if anyone is on the fence, just get the booster, even with another one possible in October. I was shocked to read that only 28% of adults over 50 have gotten it and it's been available for several months.
Thanks for all of the commiseration and well-wishes. We are all in this together, aren't we?!

anchie

Veteran

Laurie, sorry to hear that you tested positive too. I finally tested negative today, and was testing with CT>30 since Sunday so was able to return home as planned. But it was not walk in the park, and I still feel sick. I am still congested, coughing and fatigued. Whoever thinks that they may had it but just didn’t notice I think it is highly unlikely - you will know that you are sick for sure.
And to add to statistics about a second booster - I am 53 and I didn’t have it, it is offered here only to 80+ years old and 65+ with some health conditions.
And my DD who was sharing hotel room with me didn’t test positive. She didn’t have booster but she had COVID end of April, so it seems that previous infection provides better protection than vaccines.

kellygirl

Veteran

Ugh, so sorry. Everyone seems to have it. My 93 YO dad got it - I don't know how as he is pretty much housebound except when we go grocery shopping. His case was mild though--slight cough and runny nose is all. I guess he was fortunate--boosted and double boosted. Hugs to you!

Echo

Veteran

Oh, I'm so sorry you tested positive. I'm glad you had the boosters and are doing okay. I hope your mum gets better soon and doesn't get any worse.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oohhh, Laurie. I'm so sorry. What a pain. And what a terrible feeling! I hope you are all doing reasonably well (I mean, under the circumstances). I sympathize.

Here, we have no idea whether we've had it. Seriously! We're all vaxxed of course, and boosted, but here in BC under 70s are advised to wait until the fall to get a 4th shot. I went off to Ontario to see my (recluse) brother who woke up the first day of my visit with a cough. He tested negative...but got sicker. I tested negative 10 days in a row, but ended up sick as well. I had to move from a friend's place to a hotel, isolate, and couldn't see friends I'd intended to visit, one of whom has cancer and others of whom were about to travel internationally and could not risk a visit under the circumstances. Meanwhile, my husband back in Victoria was also sick (and also testing negative). But my physician friends are all saying: If symptoms, assume Covid, despite what RATs say or don't say. So I don't know what I had or where I got it, since like you, this was my first "fling" in 2.5 years and the only place I had been before that unmasked was, well, outside!

The fear of giving it to those we love, especially elders, is real. How awful for you. Thank goodness we have better treatments available now.

Sal

Veteran

Pleased you have a mild case Laurie - at least if you have it at the same time as your family it is easier. But definitely a shame!!

Suz - that sounds a very hard situation. I can definitely sympathise.

Booster uptake has been slow here too - there has been a strong push against them by various groups which has impacted their uptake.

Kate

Veteran

Sorry to hear you got it too, Laurie, but glad you are experiencing a mild case. Like you, in January 2020 I had a truly wretched respiratory infection that lasted for weeks. I have wondered many times since whether that was an early bout of Covid.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

In case misery loves company I will add our story. My family traveled to NY last week. Only one DD had ever caught Covid just about a month ago. Anyway, we were at Brooklyn with my MIL and then went to niece/nephew and family in NJ for the weekend. Long story short, the youngest in that family tested positive right before the beginning of Shabbat, meaning we all were there for the next day no matter what, including 90 yr old MIL. Again long story short, but my other DD was positive Saturday night. We were supposed to go back to MIL's but obviously weren't going to risk infecting her. Luckily DH has a huge and generous family and BIL with a huge house offered to let us shelter there. DS was positive the next day. DH and I miraculously are still negative and are currently in Chicago with SIL and one DD and DS and DD are flying out today after their isolation/recovery. A stressful week to say the least.
TL;DR After riding out the entire covid story never getting it (all double vaxed and once boosted) two of my kids got it in or on the way to NY. DH and I have not - we do take vitamin D every day, which is not to say we won't turn positive soon.

Laurie

Veteran

I think misery does love company on this topic. Everyone has a story. Thanks for sharing, it helps.

The adherence - or not- to protocols in Covid response was so divisive for the first 2 years. I was vitriolic in my opinions, believe me. Now there is a sentiment of weary resignation. We lost the early protection battle, and here is the result - endless Covid so we have to just deal with it. How lucky those of us are who have only experienced mild/manageable cases.

Jaime - what a shame your family has done so well in Israel and on other trips, but this trip has been a nightmare.
Peri - we have had to go inside our CVS pharmacy to pick up the Rx's - their drive thru window is "out of order"! Insanity. I get that everyone is short-staffed, but you think they could slide that thing open daily just for the Covid folks, instead of having us come inside the store where masking is not mandatory.
Anchie - glad you're finally testing negative, but sorry about the lingering symptoms. 2+ weeks of symptoms has been common among my friends who have had bad cases.
Suz and others outside the US - your inability to access the 2nd booster underscores even more the low uptake rate here in the US - it's available, yet folks have just not gotten it.

Sal

Veteran

It's such a (insert favourite bad word) show all round. From the mistakes at the start of the pandemic to the denial to the misinformation to the inequities to the political games... and there has been a lot of sadness, cruelty, ignorance along the way.

The current flavour in NZ is to talk about how the rest of the world has moved on from Covid, how irrelevant it is, and how scared, negative and miserable NZers are who consider it is still a problem.

Jaime - sorry about your experience on your holiday. That's really hard!

Runcarla

Veteran

The 2nd booster ‘saved’ me and DH! We got it as soon as possible, and our two sons came with us - but were turned away! Turns out only 60+yo folks were eligible at the time. The very day eligibility opened up for ‘everyone else’ DS#1 (swim instructor/lifeguard) complained of a sore throat, and tested positive the next day. 3 days later DS#2 tested positive. Their symptoms were sore throat, fever, congestion, headaches, and coughing. 3-5th day the worst, then a rapid recovery.

DH and I quarantined with the boys (who live with us) but took all the precautions. I was fearful and anxious so did a lot of stress cleaning. The DSs recovered and test negative. DH and I never got any symptoms and test negative!

We got our 2nd booster exactly one month before our sons got sick, and I’m convinced it played a part in us not getting ill. I suspect the DSs short illness, and fast recovery is due in part to having two shots and one booster. I wonder if they would have got sick or experienced even milder symptoms if they had been boosted when we were!?!

Laurie, I hope you and yours recover quickly with no ill effects, and wish the same for anyone who has had to deal with the illness. I for one don’t feel like I can let my guard down.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Laurie I am sorry you are going through this (and embarrassed I didn't say this first!). I do think the most recent strains are more catchy than ever and totally understand the frustration of taking every precaution and then feeling like we are the spreaders. Hope everyone recovers easily!

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