A personal Covid Experience

[Gumby]

That's good news! Best wishes for his continued improvement.

 

[simple girl]

Great to hear this update! My brother had a feeding tube after a surgery and threatened to rip it out if they didn't remove it...they must be pretty uncomfortable!

So glad he looked well despite the tubes. It sounds like he is getting fantastic care, which must be so reassuring - along with getting to chat with him and see him. Continuing to send positive thoughts and healing energy across the pond!

 

[audreyh1]

Wow! That sounds rough. I’m so glad your son is doing better.

 

[ls99]

Wish for your son's full recovery.

 

[tmm99]

Great that you got to facetime with him, and that he's doing better!

 

[Lsbcal]

He certainly is, my sisters and their husbands are all in their 50s and 60s with worse health situations and they all were pretty sick but managed at home, 3 of them are still suffering with long Covid some months later. My BIL, in his early 60s has all sorts of health issues including a brain tumor, and when he caught Covid over Christmas we were really worried. He even has AFib and can’t be given blood thinners because of all the other medications he is on.

When our son caught it, in his 30s and no underlying health conditions we never expected this level of illness.

You probably have read this already, apparently a reasonable percentage of long haul Covid patients have seen improvement after getting vaccinated. One article: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/28/982034977/how-the-coronavirus-vaccines-affect-long-haul-covid-19-patients

Best wishes for you and your family !

 

[Alan]

You probably have read this already, apparently a reasonable percentage of long haul Covid patients have seen improvement after getting vaccinated. One article: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/28/982034977/how-the-coronavirus-vaccines-affect-long-haul-covid-19-patients

Best wishes for you and your family !

Thanks, I was just talking with my sister and telling her this. I will forward this link to her as she and her husband have long Covid. She had her first vaccine dose 5 weeks ago and her husband 1 week ago.

Shortly after our FaceTime session his doctor called to give us an update and answer our questions. She said she can’t promise anything because Covid has a habit of throwing them curve balls up to 2 weeks into it, but it looks like he is on the mend and if his improvement continues then she confirmed that he will be moved out of ICU back to the Covid ward in 2 or 3 days. Over the next couple of days they are going to be getting him to lie on his side, lie on his front, get out of bed and sit in his chair etc.

 

[pacergal]

Sounds promising, praying he continues to improve.
So good to be able to see face to face, even over computers, that helps with anxiety when loved ones are ill.

 

[W2R]

We had a Facetime chat with him today.

Tubes everywhere but looking and sounding very good (someone had even shaved him ready for the call). Other than antibiotics, antimetics and dexamethasone he has no idea of the names of some of the other drugs he is on, he tried to recall them but couldn't.

He couldn't take the feeding tube down the nose so today that has been removed and will stay removed provided he drinks his 3 protein shakes a day and other food they give him. He gets very nauseous when eating, but the threat of the reinsertion of the feeding tube, plus the antimetcs limiting the vomiting and nausea is helping.

The doc said this morning that he is making good progress and hopefully will be out of ICU in 2 or 3 days.

It was really good to talk to him via video

Wonderful report! Sounds like he is improving a lot and whatever the hospital is doing for him sounds very effective. So glad that he is making good progress.

 

[Dreamer]

So glad that you were able to FaceTime with him and speak to the doctor. Glad to hear that he is improving.

 

[harllee]

Sounds like he is getting good treatment in the hospital. I had some personal experience with the NHS and I think it works great.

 

[Teacher Terry]

So glad he is getting better. Wishing him a full recovery.

 

[audreyh1]

Thanks, I was just talking with my sister and telling her this. I will forward this link to her as she and her husband have long Covid. She had her first vaccine dose 5 weeks ago and her husband 1 week ago.

Shortly after our FaceTime session his doctor called to give us an update and answer our questions. She said she can’t promise anything because Covid has a habit of throwing them curve balls up to 2 weeks into it, but it looks like he is on the mend and if his improvement continues then she confirmed that he will be moved out of ICU back to the Covid ward in 2 or 3 days. Over the next couple of days they are going to be getting him to lie on his side, lie on his front, get out of bed and sit in his chair etc.

Sounds like he is getting great personalized care.

 

[skyking1]

 

[Alan]

Sounds like he is getting great personalized care.

He certainly is, the hospital staff also seem very aware of the extra stress that relatives are going through not being able to visit their loved ones because of Covid restrictions.

My sister and her husband have been very good delivering stuff that he has asked for. Our self isolation ends tomorrow as it will have been 10 days since we were last in close contact with him.

ETA
The doc did say that it will be another week before she can say that she doesn’t expect the possibility of a change for the worse.

 

[Jerry1]

Our self isolation ends tomorrow as it will have been 10 days since we were last in close contact with him.

Glad to know that it looks like you did not contract COVID.

 

[Dtail]

Wishing all the best and looks like you will be fine.

 

[Ian S]

The doc did say that it will be another week before she can say that she doesn’t expect the possibility of a change for the worse.

Such a capricious disease! You don't know who will have serious symptoms, you don't know if an improvement in your condition will last, you don't know for sure how long it will take to get over it and you can't be with the sick family member to help get them through their time in the hospital. Still, each day that goes by with improvement will be a relief for all of you.



I'm keeping you in my thoughts and am really optimistic that all will be well!

 

[Dash man]

Prayers for your son, Alan.

 

[Calico]

I'm so glad you got to have a Face Time "visit" with him. I'm sure it's painful not being able to be with him while he goes through this. It sounds like he's doing much better, which must buoy your spirits. Just seeing him and talking to him helps, I imagine.

It's great that the doctor spoke with you and addressed your concerns directly - it sounds like she was reassuring, bar any unexpected developments.

I hope in another few days you will be posting about how bored Jeffrey is back on the regular ward!

 

[rodi]

Somehow I missed this thread and this news. Wishing your son continued recovery and glad to hear that you and your wife seem to avoided catching it.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Ditto. Just seeing this thread for the first time. I always enjoy your across the pond comments. So glad to hear of your DS's progress. Fingers crossed for his continued recovery.

 

[ERObjd]

Pretty sure my wife and I had covid back in late Dec 2019 and early Jan 2020. We were on a flight to LA and sat on tarmac in Denver for a good hour breathing in uncirculated cabin air. A large group of people heading back to China on that plane . several were coughing and hacking the whole flight. Once back home we were both quite ill went to doc and they said we likely had the flu. This was early Jan and there was no widespread covid test available then. Probably got over the worst of it in 3 days but weakness and fatigue lingered on for several weeks. I dont think there is a test to test if you have had it many months or weeks before and are now over it. We figure we have both had it and didnt know it.

 

[Alan]

Today I sent him a message as I usually do about 08:30 but got no response. I could also see that he had not read it as we all use iMessage with read receipt. Not too worried I went round to his house to do a major clean and ventilation. My wife was going to join me but we got a text that our landscaper was coming to build a base for and install our new greenhouse. First day out of self isolating so perfect timing. As well as cleaning and airing out the house I stripped his bed to bring home his bed linens as well as his dirty laundry. Two sets of neighbours saw me as I was in and out so I talked with them at length bringing them up to speed. He has great neighbors and loves where he lives.

When I got home around 11:30 still no response, even to a second message I had sent. So we called the ICU unit he is on and talked with the doctor who brought us up to speed on the situation. She said that he is awake now and walked over to tell him that I was on the phone asking about him and if he wanted to pass on any message. He told her to tell me that he loved me and there was nothing he needs right now.

His situation has not changed but he still has a lot of nausea and struggles with the CPAP machine and had a very sleep disturbed night. He was now wearing a CPAP dome which suits him better but makes texting, phoning etc very difficult. She assured me that if he did take a turn for the worse that she or someone on the unit would call us.

30 minutes ago he sent me a text saying he thinks he is “rebounding” so that is just great. It’s just going be a long haul I think even if things go well.

 

[whatnot]

I hope he is over the worst of it. Wishing him a smooth recovery!