Corona Virus Pandemic Preparedness

[labblab]

Just checking in again with everybody as we’re poised to exit 2021 and enter 2022. I have nothing new to report from my end, other than the fact that hubby and I braved the road to drive to Tennessee to visit my brother and his family at Thanksgiving. Our first post-COVID trip!! It was great to finally see family face-to-face once again, but the trip did carry some stress. Traveling did strain our elderly Luna, and I was fairly worried about viral exposure since literally nobody else in our hotel was wearing a mask aside from us. But Omicron had not yet arrived and hubby and I had been recently boostered, so thankfully we remained healthy. Now it’s home again with a lot of the same-old, same-old. We did have a very quiet but pleasant Christmas, just the three of us. It’ll be ditto for New Year’s.

Hoping to hear that everybody else is still hanging in there, too. I’m especially wondering about you, Kathy. I’ve missed seeing Buddy’s sweet Christmas avatar this season, and I’ll be anxious to see an update from you whenever you’re able. And the same for all the rest of our family — please add a note if and when you can.

Marianne

[Budsters Mom]

Hi Marianne, so nice of you to think of me. I actually prepared a long post a few weeks ago. It disappeared when I tried to post it. I just haven't gotten back here to post ,but have been reading along, as time allows. Sorry to hear about Lovely Luna's difficulties. It sucks getting old!

I did think about Buddy's Christmas avatar. I have had to limit the use of my hands for the last week or so. I have carpal tunnel in both wrists. I had cortizone shots done and needed 4 or 5 days to recover from that. That means limiting the use of both hands until they heal. I will eventually need surgey on both wrists. The shots are helping for now, lasting 4 or 5 months. They are not bad enough for surgery as of yet, but the day will come.

It is disheartening that I even have to do a Covid update after this long. I am beginning to think that it will outlive me. California remains firm on its protocol. Masks are required in all indoor businesses, through at least Jan. 15. This applies to everyone, vaccinated or not. Covid cases are rising substantially, just like the rest of the world. I don't see anything stopping it. I'm going to try really hard not to get political, because this is not the place for it, so I will just explain what is happening here without adding my opinion. Personally, I am fully vaccinated and boosted, yet I still do not feel safe. About 90 something percent of our district staff is vaccinated. The rest are tested weekly. It has been mandated by the state that all school staff is vaccinated. That requirement will be going into affect soon. Weekly testing will soon be off the table. Through it all, at school, close contacts continue at an alarming pace. I have managed to escape Covid so far. I don't see how, but it has happened. I still feel like it's only a matter of time. Hopefully being vaccinated and boosted, may help keep me out of the hospital. CDPH ( California Department of Public Health) guidelines require masks to be worn for all staff and students. Campuses are closed to everyone who isn't a student or staff member. Although universal masking, helps me feel a little safer, breathing with one on is difficult for me. I wear a sealing mask (R95). It is tight and extremely hard to breathe, talk, and teach through. They trigger my migraines, which is a whole other problem altogether. Thankfully masks are no longer required outdoors. I may end up retiring earlier because I'm really done with the whole Covid thing and I don't think it's ever going to go away. I personally know several people who have died. All of them were not vaccinated. That doesn't make it any easier for their friends and family who are now left without someone they love. Well, this has ended up being a real depressing report. I didn't realize how much it's all getting to me until I started this post. I realize that I am blessed. I have not gotten sick and dad is doing well, considering he is 90. I am thankful for that.

Post your updates when you can. Hopefully they will be more upbeat than mine, but if not, that's OK too. I'd love to hear from you.

JI’m especially wondering about you, Kathy. I’ve missed seeing Buddy’s sweet Christmas avatar this season, and I’ll be anxious to see an update from you whenever you’re able.

[labblab]

Kathy, it’s so good to hear from you — we welcome any news from you whether it’s upbeat or not! I cannot even begin to imagine how tough it is to try to teach under these circumstances. Our teachers, healthcare workers, and first responders all deserve heroes’ badges!!

Like you, I’m so grateful for my own health so far. But also like you, it’s hard for me to imagine how this all will ultimately play out. In honesty, I’m now wondering why Planet Earth hasn’t been plagued by more pandemics in recent years. What with the ease of travel and the mobility of so many people, it seems like any new virus can be transmitted worldwide with lightning speed. Yesterday I was really dismayed to read about a new, horrible avian flu that is decimating wild bird populations in Israel. It was just one little article cited in somebody’s news feed, but that was also how I first learned about COVID. One little article I saw around Christmas 2019 about this odd new virus that had made a few people sick in China…. Anyway, this new avian flu is hard to transmit to humans (at least for right now), but of the few people who *have* gotten it, at least 50% have died. And the birds that are carrying the virus are on a migratory path that leads all over Europe. Perfect.

Hubby recently sent a birthday card to one of his childhood friends that had a greeting that went something like, “Happy Birthday — Party like there’s no tomorrow!” On the front was a T. Rex wearing a party hat, with a flaming meteor flying over its head.” A funny card, but perhaps not all that funny, given our own present circumstances <SIGH>.

So, there’s my own not-so-cheery thought for the day! On a happier note, my mom had carpal tunnel in both wrists, too, and ultimately it was corrected satisfactorily with surgery. She started out with the injections also, and for sure, I know you don’t want to advance to surgery until it’s really necessary. But she did finally end up with relief, and I hope the same will be true for you, too.

Anyway, once again, thanks so much for your update. Stay healthy!!!!

P.S. And I just now visited your photo album so I’d get to see “Elf Buddy” in all his glory. It wouldn’t truly be the holiday season without seeing that sweet face at least once ;-)))))

[Joan2517]

Well, Glen Cove is a hotbed right now and Josh, my 13 year old grandson came down with it yesterday. He was exposed (we think) by one of their friends' mom who drove him home the other day before she knew that she and their six month old baby had it. They have five kids and the kids all went sleighing Friday together. He's been fully vaccinated so we're hoping it won't be too bad even though he has Chronic Granulomatous Disease. He's been running a fever between 101 - 103. Tomorrow, because of the high fevers, and his adrenal glands not working properly, they have to do stress dose steroids. 10mg Hydrocortisone tablet every 8 hours for 2-3 days. Immunology: Joshua is considered high risk, So he is scheduled for Monoclonal Antibody Treatment at Cohen Children’s Medical Center tomorrow at 1:00pm. Infusion is 3 hours, and then at least an hour after that for observation.

So far Jess, Sigi and Alex are not showing any symptoms and we did not see them at all last week. As soon as Jess heard that the mom and baby had it on Saturday, they stayed away from us over the weekend. Then Josh started showing symptoms last night...it was bound to happen sooner or later, especially with the holidays just over and Omicron running wild.

[Squirt's Mom]

Oh goodness, Joan. I know how scary this is. But that injection really seems to help the people I know who have gotten it. A friend of my youngest grandson got COVID about a month ago and was really sick until he got that injection. He said within an hour he could tell his lungs weren't as tight and he started improving quickly after. Same for my brother and SIL...got the injection and were on the road to recovery pretty quickly. None of these folk were vaccinated either. So I pray Josh has the same reaction and is back on his feet in no time. Please stay in touch and let us know!
Hugs,
Leslie

[Joan2517]

Thank you, Leslie. Because of his disease he has a whole team of doctors, including the NIH, discussing and making recommendations. I haven't seen any other cases of COVID on the CGD Facebook group, but I can't imagine he's the only one. I keep thinking that things couldn't get any worse, but they just keep coming!

[labblab]

Dear Joan, I had intended to write here earlier in the hope of getting an update on Josh. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get here, but also hoping that maybe the delay has given him enough time to be recovering! Please let us know when you have a chance to write more, OK?

Huge hugs coming your way,
Marianne

[Joan2517]

Sorry for not writing sooner. Josh couldn't get the Monoclonal Antibody Treatment because he wasn't enough kilograms or something like that. Jess was furious (they had already been admitted to the hospital and everything). But he's back in school today. They all came down with it except for Alex so far. Josh had the most symptoms, but Jess and Sigi said it was just like having a bad cold. Thank God they had all been vaccinated! I just hope he doesn't come down with any of the long haul symptoms.

[Squirt's Mom]

Good grief....you would think someone like Josh would qualify simply because of the high risk. I am SO GLAD that he is recovering as well as he is and pray that continues for them all.

[Joan2517]

Yes, that surprised me too, Leslie. But he seems to be over it. The funny thing is that the bladder issues he's been having since the summer disappeared when he got the virus! Weird....