Posted on 04/19/2020 8:52:17 AM PDT by Kaslin
If you or your loved one has just had a diagnosis of COVID-19, your chances of surviving the illness will depend on your ability to gather your resources, make a plan, and adapt.
As told to her daughter, Carrie Severino. This article is personal information, not medical advice. Please consult your doctor with any health questions and decisions.
The past two weeks have been a rollercoaster as my husband and I celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary, learned we were both COVID-positive, spent multiple nights we thought could be our last ones together, and finally received a surreal email from the Kent County Health Department declaring us free and clear of any COVID-related quarantine. We are now allowed to take part in normal life again with “no restrictions” (whatever that means under total lockdown).
My husband Mark and I are both medical professionals: he an oncologist, and I a retired community health nurse. We put all our skills to use in fighting this virus. Here are some of the things we learned that can help you if you or your loved one has just received a positive COVID diagnosis.
(Excerpt) Read more at thefederalist.com ...
Outstanding read! Incredible.
Thank you. VERY practical treatment advice...and scary.
PRESIDENT TRUMP (or your staff) I KNOW you lurk here!
GET THIS STORY TO THE PRESIDENT!!!!
Better advice than from Fow-Chi or Birkx.
They were taking the “Trump pills” for it !!
From the article:
“...My disease never progressed beyond a worsening cough and shortness of breath. By that point my husband had become more serious and was on hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin. That’s when I started these medications as well. Whether because I had a milder case or an earlier drug intervention, my case never got worse than that.
...
medications... In our case that included hydroxycholroquine, azithromycin (to prevent bacterial pneumonia from developing), zinc supplements,
GREAT photo! While I generally do not appreciate “black and white” photos, I mostly see it as an artsy fartsy exercise. In THIS case its PERFECT!
I realize this is NOT a photo or certainly not a RECENT photo of the author, probably had nothing to do with choosing the photo, but it is after all a “magazine”.
Just commenting on the “art”.
The GREAT article speaks for itself. (Well, I guess the photo does as well). NEVERMIND! (Emily Litella - Gilda Radner)
My husband and I just had an antibody test. I was sick on Jan, Feb and part of March. Three doctor trips and negative for flu and strep. Three different antibiotics used. Antibody test was negative. 92% accurate test.
I did have Bronchitis several years ago, which I got from an Acquaintance at Walmart, and I wasn't even close to her. I was probably 10-15 feet away from her. She told me that she had it.
Great article. Thank you.
I don’t have Asthma, but I can not lay on my stomach either. I used to, when I was younger.
??
What's preventing you from sleeping on your stomach? Just curious.
Even though she was taking zinc, I wonder if her loss of taste and smell was due to a zinc deficiency.
FTA...
Equipment and Items to Have on Hand
If you’re on the front end of COVID, here are the items I’d locate now and put in a place all together so you can easily access them. Put them back every time you use them so you don’t misplace them when you need them most:
A thermometer.
Masks (for when people come to the door or you need to leave for blood draws and medical assessment).
Hand sanitizer.
Kleenex—bring a trash can near the bed, so it’s easy to dispose of used tissues.
Sanitizing wipes or spray and paper towel.
A box or basket in which you can put all your medications so you don’t misplace them.
In our case that included hydroxycholroquine, azithromycin (to prevent bacterial pneumonia from developing), zinc supplements, aspirin (a regular 325 mg tablet twice a day to counter micro-emboli), and eventually prednisone (a steroid prescribed later in Mark’s illness to reduce inflammation once the virus is attacking the lung ).
Have Tylenol or another acetaminophen product available to treat fever — some studies have shown that ibuprofen can exacerbate COVID and while they’re still preliminary, it makes sense to use an alternative out of caution.
A measuring cup for measuring liquids (aim for about eight 8-oz cups of liquid daily — water, tea, etc. — if kidneys and heart are functioning well) Gatorade or a similar electrolyte drink is also a good choice.
Pillows of all shapes and sizes—you’ll probably want them to help make the patient comfortable, especially on his or her stomach.
A Starbucks-type reusable cup with a top and a bendable straw. Staying hydrated is very important, and it’s easy for the patient to inadvertently tip over a cup, which is frustrating and creates unnecessary messes that can be difficult to clean, especially if someone is tired and hard to move out of bed. They also may need to be drinking while lying down, and a bendy straw makes this possible.
A notebook to record important information (more on that below).
A basket to keep cards you are receiving from friends, perhaps with stationery and a pen to write responses if you have the opportunity.
Extra sheets—night fevers and sweating may mean you want to change the sheets and you’ll want to have them ready to do so quickly when the patient is up.
I doubt she meant to leave the keys in the ignition.
It could be my age, I don’t know
Well when you get older you do lose the sense of smell. My son teases me sometimes and says “Oh you can’t smell anything anyway”
The pneumonia shot us very effective and a good thing for seniors ( yeah I’m one) to get. Pneumonia ( even when you are young) can be really nasty
I’m not a fan of flu shots. Have only ever taken one. Didn’t do much because they guessed wrong. Got sick. I’ve had Hong Kong flu (68-69 season). And the original H1N1 go around. Influenza ain’t fun. Neither is pneumonia. Worst I ever felt was with measles
Bump
Both of them went onto the malaria drug zpack combo
and they are at least 70 and have survived
of course husband is an md and could prescribe it for them
Docs in my area are not prescribing
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