Update on My 87-Year Old Father With Covid-19

submitted by coffee_addict from self.whatever

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[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (14 children)

Thank you for sharing this.

I am racked with guilt for siding with the state a year ago when they forced him out of his home and into the Assisted Living Facility.

To me, this is the real takeaway here. And it helps me understand why my grandmother fights so hard to keep living at home even though it's getting very difficult for her. I'm more grateful for all the tech like emergency alert buttons we have to help people continue living at home.

Knowing that he would only be contagious for two weeks

I don't think this is known? What?

the Assisted Living Facility now requires not just one, but two consecutive negative tests

Very glad to hear they're at least trying to take this seriously, I would be outraged if my relatives facilities were taking people in that put them at risk! False negatives are not uncommon with these tests. There have already been cases where people tested negative more than twice only to find out they were still infected.

[–]coffee_addict[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (13 children)

My dad had one of those life alert things. He had two ER runs where someone found him on the ground, wearing the necklace, button not pushed. The second time he almost died, and that was the turning point when the state intervened.

The two-weeks contagious period was my understanding when my dad went in. The convalescent home says the CDC guidelines is people are only contagious for one week when someone is a-symptomatic (as my dad is).

I think much of the confusion surrounding the testing is the fact that is a test for any coronavirus strain, not specifically the Covid-19 strain.

[–]comments 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

My dad had one of those life alert things. He had two ER runs where someone found him on the ground, wearing the necklace, button not pushed.

why wasn't it pushed? This is troubling for someone who thought those things were helpful.

[–]coffee_addict[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The first time was dementia. He forgot he had it on. :( The second time he was unconscious. They have life alerts now with motion sensors that automatically call 911 when they detect a fall. We were looking into getting one when the state intervened.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (10 children)

I think they know people are contagious much longer, maybe forever, but don't want to put that in public statements because it will lead to mass panic.

[–]coffee_addict[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (9 children)

No, once you have antibodies, you are no longer contagious. There was a study about it in Nature Medicine Journal: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0897-1.pdf

FYI: The antibodies making you unable to carry/spread a disease is why vaccines work for creating herd immunity. With all the talk of a COVID-19 vaccine coming, it stands to reason that Science wouldn't be going down the vaccine road if people were still contagious once they have antibodies.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (8 children)

first thought, that is written by a bunch of chinese names. not to be trusted.

[–]coffee_addict[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

Is this one better? https://summit.news/2020/04/29/who-flip-flops-now-endorses-swedens-no-lockdown-policy/

My take on the article is that WHO wouldn't endorse Sweden's approach if natural herd immunity were not possible. And herd immunity comes from developing antibodies; once those antibodies are developed in your own body, you are no longer a carrier for that virus.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

like thta says, I think sweden self regulated and stayed in place voluntarily, they're smart people.

[–]coffee_addict[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

They did have some ugly outbreaks in a few nursing homes, but so did the US despite the ultra-draconian measures. Most of the people dying world-wide are over 80 with underlying medical conditions... maybe Mother Nature didn't intend for people to live so long and dying in a few days of COVID is more merciful than living a life devoid of quality?

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

yeah hard to have a lockdown in a nurding home. that is where people are close together, as opposed to being in your own home with minimum contact with others

people could live longer than 80 but yeah probably old age like that is a thing of the past now with this corona. But also people being 50, 60 and 70 which sucks. And many people have herpes which is a reason for dying young from corona. It attacks immune system and some estimates say 80% of americans have it.

[–]coffee_addict[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

That is really interesting about the herpes connection. I also heard that people infected with herpes are more prone to migraines. The reason you can't keep it from nursing homes even with crazy draconian measures is because all these old, sick people have many essential doctor appointments. It is the only thing my dad's Assisted Living Facility would let anyone out of their rooms for once the lockdown started in mid-March. The doctors/nurses/office staff are the ones most exposed and the ones spreading it around the most... the doctor/nurse HAS to get very close to you to take your blood pressure, listen to your lungs, and all the other standard things done in order to properly check you out. My dad's girlfriend got it from the one and only time she went to the doctor. :( She recovered, though, and she is 83.