Saturday, October 22, 2022

Stay tuned.

 A tenant stopped by with rent. I was glad to see her because it had been a tough week for her. Her beloved dog had died. A mutual friend had told Tim about it. 

She looked exhausted. She older than I am, but she still works, cleaning AirBnbs. That's a hard job to do day after day, week in, week out. She's a retired nurse, so I asked her why she didn't just pick up a shift or two as a per diem nurse. They are paying crazy money. It would be a lot less physically demanding. The girl needs down time. You could tell it from looking at her exhausted face. 

She said, "I'm really done with nursing," and she said it with such finality that I knew she meant it. 

I commented that it is a hard time to be 'on the front lines' so to speak, and that led us to talking about covid. 

"Hey," I asked, "have you had that latest booster?" I was curious to have medical imput. The numbers on this wave are so different from that first year when the hospitals were over flowing, when nursing homes were hit so hard that some of them lost over 1/3 of their residents, schools were closed, all of it. Yes, there is covid around. Tim's grands caught it and gave it to their mother after just four days of school. Both of my grand daughters (they live on the other side of the state) have it now. I hear about cases all the time, but they don't seem to manifest with the more serious symptoms. 

Tim doesn't want to get the booster unless he perceives things as getting serious. The last booster exhausted him for the better part of a week. Me? I was exhausted too. But I went to bed early and woke up feeling fine. So, we're waffling around on it, and the frustrating part is that there is so much misinformation out there that it is hard to know what the right thing is. 

The other thing is that for all the times that Tim and I have been exposed to it, we've never gotten it. We are amazed by that.

So Deb (the tenant and former nurse) and I discussed it. I was interested in getting her take on it. She said that she would have the booster, and that she was going to have the flu vaccine as well. 

"I guess that it's the sensible thing," I said. "I'll have to talk Tim into it." 

We laughed. 

As she was headed out, I asked her did she want to take some chicken gravy and mashed potatoes home. It was rich with peas and carrots and celery. It would make a nice supper for her, something that she wouldn't have to fuss over. She could just put her feet up and rest. 

She said that she wasn't really hungry. She also mentioned how hard it walk in the door and no RB coming to meet her. 

I told her how sorry I was. I knew that the dog was having seizures very suddenly, but what I did not realize is that the dog had a 3 seizures in short order. She took him to her vet and he had another, one that they could not bring him out of. She made the decision to have him put down. 

I felt awful. I had a dog put down 12 years ago, and I still cry to think about it. 

"I'm sorry. I did not know that you'd had him put to sleep. That's so hard." 

"He walked in that vet's office with his little tail wagging...he didn't know...."

I said, "Well, neither did you." 

She said, "Yeah...." and got very teary. 

I gave her a hug. "You need to go home and get some rest. I wish you'd take some supper." 

"No." She repeated that she wasn't hungry. She was just tired. 

I told her that it had been a tough week. 

I watched her walk to her car and I just felt so bad for her. 

I got a text from her yesterday. She's got covid. 

I stayed home today getting caught up on laundry and cleaning, as evening moved in, I found that I was freezing and that my body aches. Now I have a sore throat. 

I've been directly exposed to covid before, and never got it. Will my luck hold? 




21 comments:

  1. I think you've got covid. Hope you're better soon.

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  2. Drats! You may have the flu. Don't you have some home covid tests to use? You probably caught it from someone before the tenet / nurse. My patient's 3-year-old cousin was sick and coughing for 3 days. I coughed at 3 a.m., and got sicker, horrid chills, and tested negative for covid with a home test. I went to my doc, and tested positive for Type A flu. Go get tested: they'll need to treat you. I'm on 20 days of antibiotics, still coughing, on day 11, even with additional inhalers from my asthma doc. My doc visit was supposed to be the day I got my #5 covid shot, and my high dose flu shot. Please get them. Linda in Kansas

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  3. Well, you should know in a day or so I guess. We had the second booster, fourth shot a few months ago. The last was Moderna and no side effects at all.

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  4. I hope that whatever it is passes quickly and that you soon bounce back to normal.

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  5. I was planning on getting the latest booster this fall along with my flu shot but like I was the first go around, my timing was a bit off so now I can't get the booster until after the first of the year. I plan on doing so just as soon as I am eligible.

    The second go around for me was the first time for my wife. While the rest of us had really light symptoms, it really knocked her down and she ended up staying home all week on sick leave, something I have never seen her do ever. Thus I think the first time with Covid is the worst.

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  6. I hope you are back to your self really soon Debby. Keep warm.

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  7. Poor Deb, she must really be burnt out with nursing. Debby, just letting you know. The covid shots have always wiped me out. But I just got the latest booster a few days ago, along with a flu shot and I was very surprised they didn't affect me one bit. Well, except for one sore arm.

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  8. The stats on vaxxed people surviving COVID are so much better that the nons. I’ll get all of the boosters possible. Mind you, I’ve had no effects from any of the five shots.

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  9. Sad story all around. Yes, there's more covid around than we think. Stay well and healthy.

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  10. Being an RN, I totally 'get it' in regard to your tenant being burned out. I retired probably before I should have but never looked back. Best decision I ever made. I've had the 5 jabs and no side effects plus the regular flu shot. I guess it's the roll of the dice, but feel as protected as you can be. I hope you're not Covid +. Get tested. Feel better.
    Paranormal John

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  11. Oh, yikes! I wasn't prepared for your story to go THERE. Well, hopefully your luck will hold, but I suppose we're all bound to get it eventually. (Probably more than once.) Dave and I had it earlier this year and it for us it was inconsequential, though I know this isn't the case for everyone.

    It's always hard to lose a pet, but having one put down is even worse. Bearing that responsibility and all the doubts that go with it -- well, I've been there, and it's no fun.

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    Replies
    1. (Oh, and for what it's worth, I got both a flu shot and a Covid booster this month.)

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  12. So far, so good. I am just staying home. We figure that Tim is already exposed. Ibuprofen is keeping things decently under control.

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  13. I had the flu shot and booster shot at the same time and my arms were a bit sore but no other trouble. If you do test positive for Covid, you can check with your doctor to find out if they can give you the medicine to help you recover more quickly from Covid. Hope you get well soon!

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  14. I have a family member who quit nursing to own/manage/and clean(!) rental condos. It's hard work, but she prefers it.

    I've had my flu shot, but got my second booster mid-summer, so I'm waiting a couple more months for the updated booster.

    I'm headed to have one of my pack blessed at a belated "blessing of the animals" ceremony. The rector had Covid when it was originally scheduled.

    I hope you don't have it. Will you do a home test? Keep us posted....

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  15. Simply talking about her dog would have been some consolation.
    I can't understand why we haven't caught covid yet, either.

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  16. Good morning Debby. I hope that, should it be either Covid or flu, both you and Tim get through okay and that your existing boosters mean it touches only lightly.

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  17. Quite honestly, it has been a quiet day. When the ibuprofen wears off, I begin to feel those aches and chills, but I just take another round and I'm good. I'll just stay away from people. I just feel badly because William was here too. We're planning loading up firewood tomorrow while everyone is at work. I'm a bit of a hermit at the best of times, so it is good to have an excuse. :)

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  18. I hope you feel better soon. Whether it's Covid or the flu or RSV they all make you feel pretty lousy. Rest up and don't overdo it or you will regret it down the track.

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  19. The good news? You are vaccinated, so if you have Covid, you're going to have that protection. Take good care.

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