COVID 19: I'm afraid that ive got it.

[once removed]

im afraid that ive got it.

i started noticing light (really light) symptoms last night while at work, a few hours before i went home. i came home, and showed a low grade fever. after some hours, a cough started creeping in, and was worse when i woke up today.

im no doctor, but i need to treat this as if i do have it. im going to have to take off for work from two weeks. i live with my mom, who is 65, and so im going to have to confine myself virtually to my bedroom for two weeks, probably some going outside since the front door is back here near me...thats assuming i didnt already give it to her or that the house isnt already too contaminated. im very worried about her. i will also be tested as soon as possible, if possible.

[Harri]

OR, I am sorry to hear this.  Do take care... gosh that is so dang lame to say. 

Here we are told to call our doctor for a telehealth appt. and if we do not have a doctor to call an urgent center and talk to them.  I called yesterday about something else and I got a call back within 15 minutes.  Check out your State department of health too.

Okay, so the above is how I cope in times like these!  Tell people what to do even when I am quite sure they already know. 

You can smack (lightly) me for it when you are feeling better!   

[Cromwell]

Get well soon OR.

Hopefully the test kits become more widely available soon.

[Cat Familiar]

I’m so sorry, OR. I hope your mom stays safe and that you feel better soon. Here’s the CDC’s advice on keeping others in your household safe while you’re dealing with the virus.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html

[Mutt]

I’m sorry to hear that Once Removed. I hope that you feel well soon.

I decided to stay home and work which is the first that I’ve done that the option was always there but I had to apply for it. Everyone automatically got it because of the urgency of current events.

I like it a lot I rejected it before because I thought it’s important to get out and interact with people every day. The best thing to do now is do nothing and just stay home.

I am thankful and blessed that I’m currently working for a company that is considered essential , people need the internet now with home schooling we provide internet for the government as well.

I’ve been staying away from social media there’s social distancing I’m also practicing social media distancing. TV is good for live events like sports and news and a hundred years ago they didn’t have the internet or TV they had newspapers I just don’t need the negativity all of the time so I do a fasting from the news sources and social media because to then it’s about viewership and website hits. I’ll get the I formation from the government website.

Out of dark periods there’s also beautiful things that come after it which is something I don’t find that they focus on online it’s bad news everyday things  are going to change socially, economically and those that are in power. There’s going to be positive that is going to come from this.

If we can do this imagine what we can do and are doing right now for the environment it has lowered pollution - what if if we can halt everything schools, workplaces, businesses every now and then to help with pollution?

It’s helped me with my r/s with my kids I’ve given them more attention individually and it’s helped me focus on staying in touch with friends that are supportive, it’s helped my relationships and to help others I don’t have to do anything just stay home.

[JNChell]

once removed, I hope you’re well. Please keep us updated if you can.

[Skip]

Any updates?

[once removed]

thanks for asking.

im okay! whatever ive got, its the most mild sickness i recall ever having, and i think im pretty much past the point that it could really get worse. i started to feel a little better day before yesterday, though my cough may have gotten worse, and my sense of smell and taste have not returned.

still confined to my room, and away from work. that part sucks, but im able to go outside if i want to.

still worried about my mom, but probably in the clear there too. we thought about me coming out today, but decided to hold off at least one more day.

[GaGrl]

Your symptoms might be a mild manifestation of COVID-19, so you should confirm with a test of quarantine for the full two weeks.

[Skip]

Be careful - loss of smell and taste is common with this disorder. Remember, only a small percent have a severe reaction to it. You can be a carrier.

Have you been tested? There is a drive in site not too far from you.

[once removed]

im not dismissing the possibility. ive ruled pretty much everything else out (cold, allergies), and if anything, the mildness of it has been one of the most alarming aspects to me.

im just saying once removed is going to be fine.

Have you been tested?

no, for several reasons.

from what i understand, it would be very, very difficult for me to be, if possible. i havent come in contact with anyone i know thats been confirmed. my symptoms are very mild. i dont have insurance (i dunno if that applies to drive in testing?). friends in the medical community have suggested id never get in.

as far as drive in testing, from stories i hear, i could be there all day, for days in a row, and never get tested.

texas is still drastically under testing, theyre scarce, and screening might rule me out.

id like to though, if you or anybody has heard anything.

[JNChell]

Sounds like you’ve decided to sit tight for now. If your symptoms get worse, go to the ER. Have you discussed this with your mom? Some cases have shown mild symptoms that seem to clear up, then a couple days later it hits like a hammer. I’m not trying to be an alarmist, just keep aware of how you’re feeling and take appropriate measures.

[I Am Redeemed]

If you have still been working out in public, there is a possibility you could have it.

I don't know about where you are, but where I am there is no charge for the drive through testing, insurance or not.

You have some symptoms, whether mild or not. Could you call your local health department for more info about how to qualify for drive thru testing and the details on time, place, insurance, etc?

I would make sure, if I were you, If you are positive, you will need to let those you came into contact with know so they, too, can self isolate.

[once removed]

Have you discussed this with your mom?

extensively. shes had to wait on me.

I’m not trying to be an alarmist, just keep aware of how you’re feeling and take appropriate measures.

no, i understand.

in about an hour or so, it will have been exactly one week since i first noticed symptoms. from what i hear, that hammer tends to come around 5 or 6 days (with some variance, im sure). so while i cant rule out that it could still get worse, im not expecting it to.

If you have still been working out in public, there is a possibility you could have it.

i was, last tuesday, wednesday was my day off, and ive taken off since. i was taking it very seriously, but probably still not using sanitizer as often as i should have (i should have done so after every delivery, and wiped down my clipboard and pen too). our working conditions are pretty tight, and near impossible to keep much distance at all.

more than that though, i went to two different grocery stores a total of three times that sunday and monday, showed symptoms late tuesday night.

I don't know about where you are, but where I am there is no charge for the drive through testing, insurance or not.

heres the problem i did find. to go through drive through testing, you must have:

fever of at least 99.6
cough
shortness of breath

i havent had a fever in days. several days ago, i woke up with some shortness of breath that subsided after 30 minutes to an hour, and never came back, and i cant rule out that it was just anxiety.

[JNChell]

and i cant rule out that it was just anxiety.

For sure. Anxiety has landed me in the hospital a few times. Kind of a catch 22 here. You’re not sure if it’s anxiety, so it’s causing it. It’s hard to tell the difference between the two. Either way, best to take care and be cautious in times like this. Are you coughing and do you currently have a fever? How’s your breathing and are you currently calm or triggered?

[once removed]

Are you coughing and do you currently have a fever?

i still have a mild cough. no fever in days.

are you currently calm or triggered?

currently in Wisemind 

[JNChell]

Keep us updated and take good care.

[Turkish]

Glad you're ok... and you work with the public, too, so are more likely to be exposed.  Keep us updated on your mom.

I'm back at work this week after two weeks off, but we have protocols of distancing, gloves and safety glasses in the lab though there are only 5 of us on shift in a lab of 15. We wipe everything down.

In late January into February, 75% of us had light flu- like symptoms.  My kids had it, my ex had it,  Ms. Magical Thinker who can power her way out of any sickness, and she was miserable.  I felt so lousy I went home early one day and took a day off.  I never checked for fever which was a mistake.

A co-worker and I discussed today that maybe we had it.  It kind of coincided with a co-worker returning from Thailand in January. She was even showing people a video of her brother eating a bat.  ?

I wish one of us who was sick could get tested, but that's not going to happen. 

[Cat Familiar]

I'm eager to purchase the antibody test on Amazon. I've heard that should be available soon in Britain. I was sick the entire month of December with something that wiped me out worse than I've felt in many years, and I'd had a flu shot. But they say that Covid didn't make its way to the US until January.

[Lucky Jim]

Sorry to hear, OR.  Take good care of yourself!  LJ

[once removed]

my mom was very sick as well in february, kicked her ass for a good month, and she still has some cough from it.

the antibody test is going to be very important. ill be first in line.

[blueblue12]

Once Removed, so sorry to read this, hope it all passes for you and that your mum is well. Take care!

[Stillhopeful4]

Once Removed,

Sending  you positive thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.

All my best,
SH4

[once removed]

thanks all!

there was a day, last week, that i thought i might be taking a turn for the worse, but i think i was just badly sleep deprived. ive been out of my room for some days now, and all has been clear, though the sense of smell and taste is still slowly returning.

i go back to work thursday evening. its gonna be weird; i had to live as if i had it, and now i have to live as if i havent.

[Cat Familiar]

Hopefully you’ll have some immunity so you won’t be as worried, but it sure would be nice to have that confirmed.

There are some places who are asking people who think they’ve had it to come in to donate plasma. Perhaps there’s one in your area and you can find out definitively. If the antibody test isn’t available yet (I’ve heard they have it in Britain to a limited extent), they could still tell by testing plasma.

No big deal to donate, if you haven’t already given blood. Just drink a ton of water beforehand.