Can we talk about risk a bit?(covid-19)

[busymama7]

My husband has had an exposure at work.   He got a test last night.  I found out this am that it wasn't just a test but an exam, an x-ray etc.  He thinks his O2 was 97 and they said his lungs looked clear/good.  Results will be 2-5 days.  

More details: office job.  He has his own office as does the man who has it.  My husband was in his office helping him for 30 or so min, including using his keyboard.  Neither were masked.  This was last Tuesday or Wednesday.  The man stayed home beginning Friday when learning that his wife had it. He has now has a positive test as well.  No one informed my husband officially.   My husband heard it through the grapevine and left work yesterday.  My husband has mild symptoms including runny/stuffy nose and some chest tightness.  He had this before learning of the exposure but also struggles with anxiety and hypochondria and so we really didn't think it was covid-19.   We monitored his temp at home as did they at work. It went up .5 degrees on Wednesday but was only about 99.  Normal at home.   

I am feeling similar upper respiratory stuff and have a strange headache.  I have asthma and crappy lungs that are prone to bronchitis/pneumonia.   My lungs fee fine at the moment.  

He is staying in the master suite and I am in the guest room and taking care of the kids (ages 5-14). We have two of our young adults living here too this summer and both their bosses had them stay home today.  

I can't figure out if we are over or under reacting.  This is normal for me with medical stuff 🙄 

I'm kinda like well oh well it's probably already spread to us.  I had lots of contact with him before we knew.   And I am normally ehhh when it comes to sickness.  We have 9 kids. We get colds/flu etc and I just don't stress about it.

But I've been reading all the threads here on this for months and can't help but worry.  

In addition, our first grandbaby is coming in 4-6 weeks.  They live in town but not with us. But we don't want to be sick and have to avoid them etc.   Mostly I know it's too late for my husband. He either has it or doesn't but what about me? Is it too late for me too? Or is staying apart worth it on the off chance I won't get it/don't already have it?

 

 

Edited July 3, 2020 by busymama7

[matrips]

I think you’re reacting fine.  Even if you were already exposed, covid illnesses seem to depend some on the viral load.  So playing it safe now would reduce your continued exposure and load.

id also be taking c and zinc and quercetin and d etc as anti-inflammatories, and be asking my doctor for a pre-emptive Plavix dose.

[Pen]

2 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

My husband has had an exposure at work.   He got a test last night.  I found out this am that it wasn't just a test but an exam, an x-ray etc.  He thinks his O2 was 97 and they said his lungs looked clear/good.  Results will be 2-5 days.  

More details: office job.  He has his own office as does the man who has it.  My husband was in his office helping him for 30 or so min, including using his keyboard.  Neither were masked.  This was last Tuesday or Wednesday.  The man stayed home beginning Friday when learning that his wife had it. He has now has a positive test as well.  No one informed my husband officially.   My husband heard it through the grapevine and left work yesterday.  My husband has mild symptoms including runny/stuffy nose and some chest tightness.  He had this before learning of the exposure but also struggles with anxiety and hypochondria and so we really didn't think it was covid-19.   We monitored his temp at home as did they at work. It went up .5 degrees on Wednesday but was only about 99.  Normal at home.   

I am feeling similar upper respiratory stuff and have ckla strange headache.  I have asthma and crappy lungs that are prone to bronchitis/pneumonia.   My lungs fee fine at the moment.  

He is staying in the master suite and I am in the guest room and taking care of the kids (ages 5-14). We have two of our young adults living here too this summer and both their bosses had them stay home today.  

I can't figure out if we are over or under reacting.  This is normal for me with medical stuff 🙄 

I'm kinda like well oh well it's probably already spread to us.  I had lots of contact with him before we knew.   And I am normally ehhh when it comes to sickness.  We have 9 kids. We get colds/flu etc and I just don't stress about it.

But I've been reading all the threads here on this for months and can't help but worry.  

In addition, our first grandbaby is coming in 4-6 weeks.  They live in town but not with us. But we don't want to be sick and have to avoid them etc.   Mostly I know it's too late for my husband. He either has it or doesn't but what about me? Is it too late for me too? Or is staying apart worth it on the off chance I won't get it/don't already have it?

 

 

 

I think keeping physical distance, airing / ventilating house / rooms of the sick, using air filters if possible, using masks when not alone, good hygiene etc now is important for your whole family.

Even if you already caught it, there’s reason to think more viral load makes worse cases. 

[Pen]

Regardless of whether you caught it or not, I’d want to optimize my D, Selenium, zinc with Quercitin, magnesium, C, NAC, etc levels at this time. And have the whole family eat as healthy as possible, get good sleep etc. 

[busymama7]

7 minutes ago, Medicmom2.0 said:

So it’s been over a week since the potential exposure? If he caught it, I honestly think you’ve all been exposed at this point.  Separation now seems too late. When was this man’s positive test? I think it’s probably also likely that if his wife tested positive on a Friday and your husband was around him Tuesday or Wednesday and the man had no symptoms, it’s probable that the man’s viral load was so small still and so early in his own exposure that he didn’t have enough to pass on enough to infect anyone else yet.

Regardless, you should all stay home until his test comes back.  Most places across the country are having 48 hour turnaround, so hopefully you’ll know soon.

I do not know when his test was.  I think it was this week though and he was at home beginning last Friday because of his wife's test.  We are staying home but I know someone who had a test last week and it took five days. And this is a holiday weekend 😢. We also have several doctor appointments (unrelated) next week that we would need to cancel so I hope it is a faster turn around.  

[busymama7]

12 minutes ago, matrips said:

I think you’re reacting fine.  Even if you were already exposed, covid illnesses seem to depend some on the viral load.  So playing it safe now would reduce your continued exposure and load.

id also be taking c and zinc and quercetin and d etc as anti-inflammatories, and be asking my doctor for a pre-emptive Plavix dose.

What is plavix?

[busymama7]

26 minutes ago, Medicmom2.0 said:

It’s a serious blood thinner.  I can’t imagine a doctor prescribing it prophylactically without even having a positive test and no known coagulating problems.  

😧😧😧

[TCB]

47 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

My husband has had an exposure at work.   He got a test last night.  I found out this am that it wasn't just a test but an exam, an x-ray etc.  He thinks his O2 was 97 and they said his lungs looked clear/good.  Results will be 2-5 days.  

More details: office job.  He has his own office as does the man who has it.  My husband was in his office helping him for 30 or so min, including using his keyboard.  Neither were masked.  This was last Tuesday or Wednesday.  The man stayed home beginning Friday when learning that his wife had it. He has now has a positive test as well.  No one informed my husband officially.   My husband heard it through the grapevine and left work yesterday.  My husband has mild symptoms including runny/stuffy nose and some chest tightness.  He had this before learning of the exposure but also struggles with anxiety and hypochondria and so we really didn't think it was covid-19.   We monitored his temp at home as did they at work. It went up .5 degrees on Wednesday but was only about 99.  Normal at home.   

I am feeling similar upper respiratory stuff and have a strange headache.  I have asthma and crappy lungs that are prone to bronchitis/pneumonia.   My lungs fee fine at the moment.  

He is staying in the master suite and I am in the guest room and taking care of the kids (ages 5-14). We have two of our young adults living here too this summer and both their bosses had them stay home today.  

I can't figure out if we are over or under reacting.  This is normal for me with medical stuff 🙄 

I'm kinda like well oh well it's probably already spread to us.  I had lots of contact with him before we knew.   And I am normally ehhh when it comes to sickness.  We have 9 kids. We get colds/flu etc and I just don't stress about it.

But I've been reading all the threads here on this for months and can't help but worry.  

In addition, our first grandbaby is coming in 4-6 weeks.  They live in town but not with us. But we don't want to be sick and have to avoid them etc.   Mostly I know it's too late for my husband. He either has it or doesn't but what about me? Is it too late for me too? Or is staying apart worth it on the off chance I won't get it/don't already have it?

 

 

My cousin’s husband got it and was really sick in ICU. He was at home sick 10 days before going to hospital. My cousin did not get sick. She didn’t move to sleep in a different room for a day or so after he got sick. She said she read that if you wash your hands at least 6 times a day your less likely to get sick so she did that as well as keeping her distance as much as possible once she realized he was sick. So you may not necessarily get it even though you may have been exposed. I’d keep distancing as much as possible.

[Pen]

@busymama7- also I strongly suggest getting pulse oximeter if you don’t have one.

and check your oxygenation levels

people seem to be able to have significant lung problems with CV19 without being aware of it 

[Pen]

PS could you let us know if contact tracers ever contact you, and how long it takes?  

[busymama7]

12 minutes ago, Pen said:

@busymama7- also I strongly suggest getting pulse oximeter if you don’t have one.

and check your oxygenation levels

people seem to be able to have significant lung problems with CV19 without being aware of it 

I ordered one. Will be here Sunday. Should have done it when the rest of you were 🙄

It would have shown on the x-ray though right? He had an x-ray last night 

[Pen]

3 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

I ordered one. Will be here Sunday. Should have done it when the rest of you were 🙄

It would have shown on the x-ray though right? He had an x-ray last night 

Right.  Afaik if nothing showed on X-ray he didn’t  have Covid pneumonia as of time of X-ray and 97 O2 is fine. So you can start monitoring both of you (or any other family member) starting Sunday. 

How are your Vitamin D levels? Selenium? Zinc? 

Myself, I’d take some vitamin K (both K1 and K2) for sure too, both for balance with D3 and to probably help to normalize blood (I was worried K1 might cause added coagulation but as I read more it seems like K vitamins will more likely help keep it normal ), 

and magnesium and nac ... 

[katilac]

If you test positive, the lab will usually bump you to the top of the notification line. 

I would sleep apart and try to physically distance, yes. Just because you're exposed doesn't mean you get it, so certainly it's worth not being exposed more than necessary. If you have a master suite, he can probably have a grand time quaranting there, just bring good food to his doorstep 😄

[KungFuPanda]

At this point I know several families who have kept the illness limited to one person in the house.  They’ve pretty much jailed that person in a room with a bathroom and brought them room service/care while masked. 

[matrips]

20 hours ago, busymama7 said:

What is plavix?

Anti clotting medicine.  It doesn’t break up clots, but helps them from forming.

[matrips]

20 hours ago, busymama7 said:

😧😧😧

I don’t consider Plavix a serious blood thinner.  Not like Warfarin.  My doc has prescribed it for me prophylacticly when I’ve travelled.  

[Pam in CT]

18 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

At this point I know several families who have kept the illness limited to one person in the house.  They’ve pretty much jailed that person in a room with a bathroom and brought them room service/care while masked. 

Us too.

I'd try to keep your husband truly quarantined, and keep yourself masked and as 6' apart as is feasible with kids. At this point you're managing odds. Not everyone who is exposed gets it; not everyone who gets it transmits it.  Hopefully your husband will get a negative test back soon.  But particularly given your own asthma, I'd establish as the Family Goal the objective of preventing transmission from him to others in the household, and particularly to YOU.  If that means your older kids take on a little more to allow you more distance from the littles, this is the time.

[Pen]

Just now, Pam in CT said:

Us too.

I'd try to keep your husband truly quarantined, and keep yourself masked and as 6' apart as is feasible with kids. At this point you're managing odds. Not everyone who is exposed gets it; not everyone who gets it transmits it.  Hopefully your husband will get a negative test back soon.  But particularly given your own asthma, I'd establish as the Family Goal the objective of preventing transmission from him to others in the household, and particularly to YOU.  If that means your older kids take on a little more to allow you more distance from the littles, this is the time.

Quote for emphasis. I agree!

[KungFuPanda]

1 hour ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

I have a friend with 5 kids in a not-huge house.  She's a nurse, and probably didn't know she was exposed for the first couple days.  She quarantined in the master bedroom as soon as she knew, and no one else got it.

In one family I know, the mother has it now. The dad is a nurse and the theory is he was an asymptomatic carrier because nobody else has gone anywhere. 

[busymama7]

Thanks so much for all your thoughts. We are just chilling here and bored.  Mostly him but I'm kinda hanging out in the guest room a lot.  I wish we just knew.  He really doesn't feel sick.  Just that nasal congestion and some chest heaviness. But again clear xray.  Anyways that makes it super hard to feel like it's serious. I understand logically that it could be but he really isn't sick.    I'm tired but that is pretty standard for me.  And it could just be stress making me feel like laying around which is also standard for me 🙄

[catz]

I absolutely think you should keep up separation as best you can.  I read  somewhere your chance of getting it if you live with  someone is somewhere around 20% - a bit higher if it's a spouse, a bit lower if it isn't.  It's  not a slam dunk that all will get it if you are  mindful.  I do know at least 2 people who were the only ones in their home to get it.  And  viral load DOES matter with this.  They recommend even those with positive tests separate as much  as possible. Can you do a  drive through test or something?  

[Pen]

56 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

Thanks so much for all your thoughts. We are just chilling here and bored.  Mostly him but I'm kinda hanging out in the guest room a lot.  I wish we just knew.  He really doesn't feel sick.  Just that nasal congestion and some chest heaviness. But again clear xray.  Anyways that makes it super hard to feel like it's serious. I understand logically that it could be but he really isn't sick.    I'm tired but that is pretty standard for me.  And it could just be stress making me feel like laying around which is also standard for me 🙄

 

When my son was sick with probably Not CV19 (cases in area were then still very low), we were told to act as best we could as if it were  CV19.  If nothing else it was a helpful test run, and made clear how hard only one bathroom will be if real thing arrives.

 I ‘d err on precautions until any symptoms have been gone a few days...   

 

NAC, inositol, Magnesium, D, K, B vitamins ... can all help some people with emotional stress as well as being important in immune functions.  (And May get depleted during stress and illness.) 

selenium may relate to both fatigue and immunity

resting a lot is probably good though if your immune system is fighting a mild infection - whether or not it’s CV19 

[busymama7]

23 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

I absolutely think you should keep up separation as best you can.  I read  somewhere your chance of getting it if you live with  someone is somewhere around 20% - a bit higher if it's a spouse, a bit lower if it isn't.  It's  not a slam dunk that all will get it if you are  mindful.  I do know at least 2 people who were the only ones in their home to get it.  And  viral load DOES matter with this.  They recommend even those with positive tests separate as much  as possible. Can you do a  drive through test or something?  

For me? I would rather just wait until his results come back.   If transmission is that low in a household then what are the chances he got it from being in the same office for 30 min?  That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.   Either it's super easy to catch or it isn't.  

We are doing it but it isn't fun and I'm annoyed. That's all. 

Edited July 4, 2020 by busymama7

[catz]

Well, I'd want to be tested if it were easy to do so in your area given the number of false negatives.  Especially since you both may have actual symptoms.  

I think the contagiousness can vary.  If the guy was within a few feet for more than 10 minutes, that would be grounds for contact tracing if that were a thing here.   If the guy was unmasked, talking loudly, clearing throat, cough or sneeze at all, that would make a difference.  Couples can vary in how close they are physically they are to each other day to day and no one knows exactly the time when they become contagious and when viral loads go up.  It may vary by person who knows.  Some people seem to be super spreaders. My husband and I are not super  touchy feely, especially during a hot summer like we're having now.  

I totally get being irritated about it though.   It's really crummy he heard about it 2nd hand.  I think you are doing the right thing and I hope you have some decent distractions available as you wait it out a bit.  ❤️  

[Pen]

16 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

For me? I would rather just wait until his results come back.   If transmission is that low in a household then what are the chances he got it from being in the same office for 30 min?  That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.   Either it's super easy to catch or it isn't.  

We are doing it but it isn't fun and I'm annoyed. That's all. 

 

IMO for both of you right now. There are lots of false negatives so I would use symptoms currently as a guide.

 

My working assumption is that it’s about 10 times as catchable  as a common cold.  I don’t have a specific basis for that. Just an impression based on family in health care and teaching and how much more easily this seems to spread in those circumstances. 

[bolt.]

I think you should keep your husband fully quarantined.

I also think you should quarantine yourself from your children while you wait for more info. Maybe make an appointment to get yourself tested -- especially if it might take a while to be seen and/or to get results. (You could always cancel the test if your husband's comes back negative in the meantime.)

Put your teens or your adult children who are are staying with you in charge of your younger children. Order a lot of pizza. Get groceries delivered. Have your older crew members bring you meals or no-cook foods to eat to your door, put them down and walk away. Use disposable dishes for you and you DH (order them with the groceries). Handle your own trash.

Have the non-quarantined members sanitize a lot, and wash their hands once an hour to prevent possible asymptomatic transmission among themselves.

Stay in the guest room and talk to them on the phone. Wear a mask if you must leave the room -- but don't leave the room lightly. Try to have dedicated bathrooms, or sanitize like mad behind yourselves.

You need to act like you have it. If you don't -- fine -- "it was a drill". If you do, this is what you need to do. Think of it this way: even if all of you get it eventually, don't you want some members well and other members sick so that care-giving can happen? It's worth it even if all it does is stagger your household cases.

(And I would 100% not go near a pregnant person or an infant unless I had a firm 'no' test in my hands. It's sad, but it's safe. This stuff is serious.)

Edited July 5, 2020 by bolt.