Weakened Immune System and Covid-19

[harllee]

I was wondering if there are others on the Forum with weakened immune systems and how you are handling Covid-19. DH is age 70 and has a weakened immune system from psoriatic arthritis and the medications he takes for this disease (Humira and methotrexate). He has always caught colds, flu etc very easily and gotten sicker than the normal person. His doctor has told him he is at high risk of contracting Covid and if he contracts it he is likely to be very sick.

We wear masks when away from the house and take all safety precautions. DH is staying home much of the time. I run all the errands (I am age 69 so at high risk too but I am very healthy). We are both extroverts so it has been hard on us. I am concerned DH is getting depressed.

Things we are doing--we ride our bikes, hike and walk outside. We go on picnics, sometimes with friends socially distance, we have friends over on our porch outside socially distanced, we go to Church (stay in the car, listen to the sermon on the radio), we read and play cards, exercise, we get take out food (have not eaten at a restaurant), we do many things on Zoom, DH talks a lot on the phone to friends.

Some of our friends (also around 70) seem to have decided the virus is over and are going about life as usual (one couple we know got Covid and are still sick and one unfortunately died). We get invitations to do things that we do not feel is safe and so we decline. The last couple we invited over for a visit on the porch said they did not want to come because they had been "out and about" and did not want to subject DH to the virus if they had it--I appreciated their honestly but DH had wanted to see them and was disappointed.

I am wondering how other people with weakened immune systems are handling the virus.

 

[Midpack]

If you’re vulnerable for any reason, it only makes sense to take greater precautions. It’s no fun, but there’s no alternative I know of. There are examples every week of people who chose to ignore precautions - and got infected or worse. It’s not rocket surgery.

 

[MissMolly]

I am on Humira too. I have been to Kroger and the dentist. Since beginning of March that is the sum total of my forays away from home. I always wear a mask when I go. We visit nobody and the only ones to come to our house have been my daughter and granddaughter and once my son-in-law. I have not seen my own son since last Christmas. He had Covid back in April or May but has recovered. Since he is around others at his work, and caught his case of Covid from someone at work, he has stayed away from us.

 

[harllee]

I am on Humira too. I have been to Kroger and the dentist. Since beginning of March that is the sum total of my forays away from home. I always wear a mask when I go. We visit nobody and the only ones to come to our house have been my daughter and granddaughter and once my son-in-law. I have not seen my own son since last Christmas. He had Covid back in April or May but has recovered. Since he is around others at his work, and caught his case of Covid from someone at work, he has stayed away from us.

Miss Molly, thanks for your response. It is helpful to know that others are in the same situation. Humira has been a miracle for DH. Before Humira he was having difficulty walking and grasping things with his hands. Now he can pretty much do anything he wants. One downside of Humira is the weakened immune system.

DH has been to the dentist, his rheumatologist (has to go to get the Humira refilled) and to his dermatologist for the psoriasis but all those places are taking safety precautions.

Miss Molly you mentioned you have your daughter and granddaughter come to your house. How do you handle that? Do they visit often? Do they come inside or do you meet them outside? We have not really had anyone come into our house except a plumber (necessity) and one of our outside guests who needed to use our bathroom.

 

[MissMolly]

No, they do not visit often and mostly we've been outside. We have a big pool and my granddaughter is a little waterbug so she is mostly in the pool. But, now we closed the pool last weekend It's getting too chilly here for swimming. No hugs and kisses and cuddling like we used to do. But there is no way I am not seeing my little granddaughter. She's only 6 and I don't want her to forget about me. She my only grandchild, but I do my best to keep my distance. Her school is on-line for now, so I feel it's fairly safe. Once they go back to in-school classes I'm not sure what I will do. I just love her to pieces and can't imagine not seeing her for an extended period of time.

 

[geeky_grrl]

I'm younger than the main at risk group, but I've always gotten really sick from respiratory diseases. Pretty much every time I caught a cold as a child I would end up in the hospital with pneumonia within a day. I'm a bit more resilient as an adult and haven't had to be hospitalized with pneumonia since my teens, but I'm still very nervous about catching covid.

My household started restricting our activities in February and locked down in mid March. We've mostly gotten things delivered to the house other than a curbside pickup of groceries in April, an in store pickup of groceries in May, and a take and bake meal from a friend that is a caterer in early June. Infection rates went up in June in my area so we no longer go to any stores.

We've spent quite a bit of time gardening this year. Other than that we've spent time on hobbies (knitting/spinning for me, woodworking for my SO), reading, cooking, and preserving food from the garden. We've had a few conversations with friends in yards staying a reasonable distance apart but haven't had meals or drinks since it seemed hard to stay isolated. We also keep up with friends on Facebook and text messages. SO has to do quite a few video conferences for work as well.

We are both introverts so it is probably easier for us. We really didn't go out all that much before - maybe go grab a beer or a pizza at a local pub a couple of times a week. I think my SO is actually happier in lockdown since there is less pressure to be social.
I miss traveling and am sick of the extra cooking but other than a bit of stir craziness am coping ok.

We also figured from the start that it would at least a year of restricting our behavior. I think psychologically that may be helping us over people who thought it was going to be 2 weeks.

 

[wdwwildbill]

I'm 63 and still working (yuck ) but life threw our family a few curves. I have R/A and have been on Humira for over 10 years. Can't do without it. Being as careful as I can be and limit close contact as much as possible. Sometimes the hardest part is getting others to understand how immune compromised I am . Nothing you can tell just by looking at me so most people even some family seem to think I am anti social, but that's not the case.

 

[HF63]

I am on the same boat, very low white cell count. I been to some specialists but have not been able to find out where the problem is on my body. I go outside to the Forest preserve for walks and wear the mask and face shield and keep large distances because nobody wears a mask. Yard work is very minimum my neighbors next to us are always smoking outside, having parties so I am stuck in doors. I'll probably look to sell the house next year and look for a more quiet place.

 

[harllee]

No, they do not visit often and mostly we've been outside. We have a big pool and my granddaughter is a little waterbug so she is mostly in the pool. But, now we closed the pool last weekend It's getting too chilly here for swimming. No hugs and kisses and cuddling like we used to do. But there is no way I am not seeing my little granddaughter. She's only 6 and I don't want her to forget about me. She my only grandchild, but I do my best to keep my distance. Her school is on-line for now, so I feel it's fairly safe. Once they go back to in-school classes I'm not sure what I will do. I just love her to pieces and can't imagine not seeing her for an extended period of time.

I can certainly understand about visits from your 6 year old GD. I don't have any children in the family right now but I do have my 89 year old mother. She is in independent living in a CCRC. I have been visiting her once a month outside and masked. I don't know what will happen when it gets cold--we will not feel comfortable visiting her inside and may not be allowed to anyway. In a different building than my mother's 3 employees have recently tested positive so it is just a matter of time before mother will be on lockdown. I am going to see her this weekend and that may be the last time for a while.

 

[harllee]

I'm 63 and still working (yuck ) but life threw our family a few curves. I have R/A and have been on Humira for over 10 years. Can't do without it. Being as careful as I can be and limit close contact as much as possible. Sometimes the hardest part is getting others to understand how immune compromised I am . Nothing you can tell just by looking at me so most people even some family seem to think I am anti social, but that's not the case.

DH is the same--looks healthy now that he is on Humira (before Humira he had to use a cane but fortunately he now walks fine). I agree about other people's reaction. Some of our friends and family don't understand about his compromised immune system--others go overboard the other way. Some good friends recently declined to visit us on our porch because they are afraid they may give DH the virus because they have "been out and about"--at least they were honest with us.

I have a sister who thinks the virus is a hoax and has been having family get togethers (including my 89 year old mom). I am not told about these get togethers because they know I would object to my mom being there. Another family member called and "spilled the beans." But there is nothing I can do about it--DH and I just have to take care of ourselves.

 

[Bamaman]

As a type II diabetic on an insulin pump, I'm a potential victim.

We're going to the grocery store and Home Depot, however I avoid other people like they've got the plague. We also choose the hours we go anywhere.

We will seldom go into a restaurant, and what little we eat out is drive thru or take out in an empty restaurant. We will go to Cracker Barrel mid afternoons when there are no crowds--just a few people.

We don't go to other's homes to visit, and we have no visitors at our home.

When we get bored, we go out and drive through the countryside. Or, we'll get out and cut grass. Or we'll get our boats out and ride around the lake.

We have gone to the mountains 3 times this Summer, and have had no problems avoiding people--very social distancing. After all, the bears are not carriers.

Otherwise we're leading pretty normal lives.

 

[harllee]

I am on the same boat, very low white cell count. I been to some specialists but have not been able to find out where the problem is on my body. I go outside to the Forest preserve for walks and wear the mask and face shield and keep large distances because nobody wears a mask. Yard work is very minimum my neighbors next to us are always smoking outside, having parties so I am stuck in doors. I'll probably look to sell the house next year and look for a more quiet place.

Good idea about the face shield over the mask--I need to get face shields we can wear over our mask in public. Sorry about your living situation.

 

[harllee]

As a type II diabetic on an insulin pump, I'm a potential victim.

We're going to the grocery store and Home Depot, however I avoid other people like they've got the plague. We also choose the hours we go anywhere.

We will seldom go into a restaurant, and what little we eat out is drive thru or take out in an empty restaurant. We will go to Cracker Barrel mid afternoons when there are no crowds--just a few people.

We don't go to other's homes to visit, and we have no visitors at our home.

When we get bored, we go out and drive through the countryside. Or, we'll get out and cut grass. Or we'll get our boats out and ride around the lake.

We have gone to the mountains 3 times this Summer, and have had no problems avoiding people--very social distancing. After all, the bears are not carriers.

Otherwise we're leading pretty normal lives.

We are in the mountains right now--we have been hiding out here much of the summer and enjoying it because our town is a college town and they have had large outbreaks. We will have to go back to the flatland before the snow gets too bad. I wish we still had boats!. We have had sail boats, power boats and kayaks when younger but none now--DH's arthritis got too bad for that.

 

[skipro33]

I'm 63 and diagnosed with non-hodgkin limphoma. Chemo starts in 2 weeks, 6 courses spaced 28 days apart. I will be especially weakend immune system since the lymphnodes are what fights COVID-19.
I'm lucky to live on a small ranch a long ways from anyone. My plan is to shelter in place and do what I've been doing for the past 6 months and work around the house as much as I'm able. I have been visited by my sons and their family; grand kids! Not sure how I'll address that, but I refuse to completely avoid them for 6 months.

 

[ivinsfan]

I'm 63 and diagnosed with non-hodgkin limphoma. Chemo starts in 2 weeks, 6 courses spaced 28 days apart. I will be especially weakend immune system since the lymphnodes are what fights COVID-19.
I'm lucky to live on a small ranch a long ways from anyone. My plan is to shelter in place and do what I've been doing for the past 6 months and work around the house as much as I'm able. I have been visited by my sons and their family; grand kids! Not sure how I'll address that, but I refuse to completely avoid them for 6 months.

So glad you are back with a health report, I have been wondering about you. All the best wishes for your ongoing treatments.

 

[harllee]

I'm 63 and diagnosed with non-hodgkin limphoma. Chemo starts in 2 weeks, 6 courses spaced 28 days apart. I will be especially weakend immune system since the lymphnodes are what fights COVID-19.
I'm lucky to live on a small ranch a long ways from anyone. My plan is to shelter in place and do what I've been doing for the past 6 months and work around the house as much as I'm able. I have been visited by my sons and their family; grand kids! Not sure how I'll address that, but I refuse to completely avoid them for 6 months.

Can you visit with family outside? That is what DH and I do--of course when it gets cold here that will be more of a problem. Do you have a way to get groceries without going into the store?

 

[skipro33]

Can you visit with family outside? That is what DH and I do--of course when it gets cold here that will be more of a problem. Do you have a way to get groceries without going into the store?

Certainly! This is California after all. Weather is pretty good over winter. I have a LARGE space house where the living, dining, kitchen are all one big open space PLUS a loft that overlooks with 23' tall ceilings. The air volume is huge. I can sit up in the loft and easily chat with the family downstairs, or sit out back by the fire ring, etc.

My DW does the grocery shopping for us as well as for our 85 year old neighbor down the road. He's widowed, lives alone and family is in Florida. I have no idea how he pulls that off living way out here, but he does. She shops at SAM's for most groceries once a month, then weekly at the local market for the perishables for both us and neighbor. She also goes to the farmers market for the freshest and with that being open-air, probably the safest. She only goes to the stores first thing AM before the cooties get spread.

 

[goingtotravel]

DH is on similar meds to Harllee's husband that suppress his immune system. We are avid travelers but introverts at home so other than missing the opportunity to go out to a store or see a show in person we are doing fine.

We put in a large garden this year and have been focusing on keeping that going and I have been canning. We do pick up for groceries and carry out for dining but DH or I have been in a few stores during the early entry hours for compromised people. That has worked well with hardly anyone in the stores. We've also both had a handful of in person doctors appointments which went well with everyone masked and a very limited number of people allowed in the medical center at one time.

We may rent a beach house in a nearby state late next Spring to get in a bit of travel. It will most likely be a completely socially distanced vacation where we bring our own food to cook and just hang out at the beach by ourselves. We are not FIRE'd yet (planning for 2021) so we're fine with keeping to ourselves for a while longer.

 

[pacergal]

My siblings and spouse are planning a "garage" visit meal next week.
We will all bring our own food, DH and I will move the cars out and space out chairs in each corner.Each couple will be at least 6-8 feet apart. With the garage door and window open, and wearing masks, except when eating, I feel safe. DB has diabetes and other DB has one kidney.
We will have a space heater available if it gets chilly.
We had this planned a few weeks ago, but it got put on hold due to what fire and smoke.
Is it an option to have friends visit outside where there is more space than a porch?
Everyone wearing Masks and spacing out are your best bets!

 

[harllee]

DH is on similar meds to Harllee's husband that suppress his immune system. We are avid travelers but introverts at home so other than missing the opportunity to go out to a store or see a show in person we are doing fine.

We put in a large garden this year and have been focusing on keeping that going and I have been canning. We do pick up for groceries and carry out for dining but DH or I have been in a few stores during the early entry hours for compromised people. That has worked well with hardly anyone in the stores. We've also both had a handful of in person doctors appointments which went well with everyone masked and a very limited number of people allowed in the medical center at one time.

We may rent a beach house in a nearby state late next Spring to get in a bit of travel. It will most likely be a completely socially distanced vacation where we bring our own food to cook and just hang out at the beach by ourselves. We are not FIRE'd yet (planning for 2021) so we're fine with keeping to ourselves for a while longer.

Sounds much like us (except no garden). We have 2 homes--one in the middle of the state in a college town and one in the mountains. We have been going back and forth between the houses which helps us not get too bored. We are also thinking of going to the beach this winter to hang out, maybe somewhere south where it is warmer (but not as far as Florida).

 

[harllee]

My siblings and spouse are planning a "garage" visit meal next week.
We will all bring our own food, DH and I will move the cars out and space out chairs in each corner.Each couple will be at least 6-8 feet apart. With the garage door and window open, and wearing masks, except when eating, I feel safe. DB has diabetes and other DB has one kidney.
We will have a space heater available if it gets chilly.
We had this planned a few weeks ago, but it got put on hold due to what fire and smoke.
Is it an option to have friends visit outside where there is more space than a porch?
Everyone wearing Masks and spacing out are your best bets!

Garage sounds like a great idea--but we don't have a garage! We have been having so much rain this summer (almost every day) that the covered porch has been the best option (it is large). We do have a small yard that we could also use for visiting friends if this rain ever stops!

I am thinking that friends and family who have turned us down for a porch visit just don't want to make any sacrifices--they don't want to sit on a porch--they want to go to a restaurant, they don't want to wear masks, they don't want to worry about the weather, etc.
I am learning who our real friends are during all this. As for family who have shunned us --I already knew who they were--oh well.

 

[sheehs1]

harlee, I have a twin sister whose husband has health issues-1 stage from kidney dialysis, COPD, multiple myeloma precursor markers in blood, etc. He was older than she when they married by 16 years or so which makes him 80/81. We are 65. They live in Richmond Va about an hour and a half from me, the rest of the sibling family and the family business our mother started and that we all share.
They have been hunkered down since March and remain so for the foreseeable future for she knows if she goes out and brings it home the chances of him living thru it are very small.
For this, she has been getting a bit of flack from the rest of the sibling family (all of us in our 60's) , the third generation (now in their early 30's), etc. On one hand they say, "they understand"-on the other they gave her and give her a bit of hard time for not attending a physically attended board meeting in late July, wanting to be kept updated via text and phone calls on a recent expansion, and refused to make the meeting "virtual" for everyone so everyone could be on the same playing field-telling her it made the meeting more difficult, etc. I have been sharing photos and observations of our new endeavor with her almost daily...to keep her in the loop.
She is a recently retired pharmacist and is still taking things seriously while others are letting their guard down.
A couple of weeks ago, a couple from my area reported on FB they had tested positive for COVID-19 and put it on Facebook. Much beloved couple. She quarantined at home but Harry was hospitalized due to underlying conditions (only 1 kidney, some heart issues, etc.). Harry passed away last Thursday.
Those with underlying conditions and with immune systems compromised please stay safe!!!

 

[harllee]

Reduced Immunity

sheehs1, thanks for the story about your twin sister and the help you have given her. Those of us with reduced immunity or spouses with reduced immunity just have to make our best decisions and take care of ourselves. Some day there will be a vaccine or at least better treatments and I just want to be sure my DH is still alive and healthy when that happens.

 

[ivinsfan]

From what I am seeing people's understanding comes with expiration dates.

Our church was gathering outside and then decided to do Sunday school and regular group Wednesday night activities inside. Got an email an hour before church Sunday saying the pastor and his wife had been tested for COVID Saturday,,got tested but they thought it was just a mild cold.

They went ahead with church as usual, the pastor preached but he wasn't going to talk to anyone.

If it is/was COVID he most likely got in church which means people from our church SHOULDN'T BE GATHERING IN GROUPS to reduce possible spreading.

This is the reason we aren't doing church things because people are just clueless or DGAD.

 

[mystang52]

I am immuno compromised, living with leukemia. I've been taking precautions for years! Initially, we only had groceries delivered (or our kids brought us groceries). Later we started doing curbside pickup; I stayed in the car and my wife would get out of car to tip the worker. Now, we do our grocery shopping but only at 2 specific stores. Each is further than a closer store in that supermarket chain. But these 2 stores are physically bigger with wider aisles, higher ceiling, and an open self checkout. And, we only go first thing in the [weekday] morning, so few people are there.
We have also done a couple of outdoor dining, but only after we prescreened the restaurant's set-up. We always ate dinner early, so getting there for dinner at 4PM is not a problem for us, and it's less crowded. Oh yeah, we only did those outdoor dining on weekdays.
I'm an avid runner, and never stopped running. But I wear a mask when I run on the local bike path. My local Y reopened their indoor swimming pool which I have resumed doing. Y rules, and I would do it anyway, are to come ready to swim at your designated 45 minute max time, and then leave wet. No locker room use.
Finally, I have a hug curtain for when we our grandkids stop by; it's a shower curtain with plastic bag armholes. Other than that, no touching or kissing, and otherwise we maintain at least 6 foot distance.