Am I overreacting or being prudent?

[MEmama]

I’m having a major surgery in 4 weeks and with omicron circulating and reports of symptoms often lasting weeks, I’m feeling as though I shouldn’t leave the house (to go in public) until then to be on the safe side. I cannot risk getting sick and delaying this procedure.

OTOH I’m going to be housebound for several weeks or more after the surgery, and the idea of going absolutely nowhere beginning a month  early has me feeling a bit twitchy. I'm not going out much this winter anyway, maybe the grocery store or Target for 15-20 minutes once a week. Those small trips offer a mental lifeline of sorts, a reminder that there is a functioning world outside the walls of my house, but mostly I’m content to wait this wave out at home.
 

I have one pre-op appointment in a couple weeks but nowhere else I have to go (although, I am perilously low on Baileys and I’m not sure if I can get that curbside 😉 ). Am I ridiculous/paranoid to avoid even quick trips in the meantime, or is it a smart move? How insanely infectious is this stupid virus?

[wintermom]

Yes, if I was in your shoes I'd try really hard to avoid getting Covid before the surgery. Can you go for solo walks outside so you don't get cabin fever? 

[Beth S]

This is being prudent.  Patients must test negative for Covid before medical procedures.
This has caused havoc for patients and scheduling.
I heartily recommend social distancing until then!

[elegantlion]

For me, it would be prudent. I had surgery in October 2020 during a spike in our area. They tested me for Covid the week before and a positive test would have pushed off my surgery -which I desparately needed. My surgery had originally be scheduled for February due to Covid backing everything up, the October date was because of a cancellation. I might have been pushed back to February had anything interferred. 

The opposite side is that if you have others in the household going out, they could still share covid, so you have to calculate risk on going out. We tend to go the grocery when they first open, wear masks, practice social distancing, and don't linger. If I'm in a regular store, I steer clear of anyone not masked and try to get in and out quickly. I try to go to stores where employees are still masking (no mandates in our area).

Can you find online or outdoor activities. Even when it's too cold for walk, I'll go to the park on sunny days and sit in the car. I've also started online projects that keep me busy. 

[MEmama]

3 minutes ago, wintermom said:

Yes, if I was in your shoes I'd try really hard to avoid getting Covid before the surgery. Can you go for solo walks outside so you don't get cabin fever? 

Yes, walking/hiking/snowshoeing I feel are fine. I can make an effort to spend a lot more time outside.
 

[MEmama]

3 minutes ago, elegantlion said:

For me, it would be prudent. I had surgery in October 2020 during a spike in our area. They tested me for Covid the week before and a positive test would have pushed off my surgery -which I desparately needed. My surgery had originally be scheduled for February due to Covid backing everything up, the October date was because of a cancellation. I might have been pushed back to February had anything interferred. 

The opposite side is that if you have others in the household going out, they could still share covid, so you have to calculate risk on going out. We tend to go the grocery when they first open, wear masks, practice social distancing, and don't linger. If I'm in a regular store, I steer clear of anyone not masked and try to get in and out quickly. I try to go to stores where employees are still masking (no mandates in our area).

Can you find online or outdoor activities. Even when it's too cold for walk, I'll go to the park on sunny days and sit in the car. I've also started online projects that keep me busy. 

I’ll get a covid test 3 days before the surgery— they come out to the car, so at least there won’t be the exposure of going inside a clinic.

DH works from home and goes out less than I do. He has a medical appointment today, but nothing else on his calendar in February. No kids at home so I don’t have any other points of exposure unless one of us leaves the house.

Our town does have a mask mandate and it is widely adhered to in my limited observation, but I’m still nervous about taking any chance at all.

[J-rap]

I think being cautious is a good idea.  I'd probably especially buckle down 2-3 weeks ahead of surgery.  Our situation was different, but we almost completely isolated two weeks ahead of getting on a plane.  (And all passengers were required to take a rapid PCR within 48 hours of the flight.)  I did have to run a few errands to the pharmacy and grocery store, but always double masked and made it quick (just got what I needed and left).  I had a last lunch with my sister outside on her front porch in 0-degree weather!  

My dh has had multiple surgeries in the past two years, and he usually isolated about two weeks ahead of time.  On the other hand, I was still going out and going to the grocery store, etc. during that time, so I could've picked up Covid myself and brought it home, but I was always careful when I went out.

 

 

[teachermom2834]

I am not super covid conscious. I consider myself covid moderate. But if I had a surgery coming up (or any event I could not or did not want to miss) I would stay home. It is very contagious and very prevalent and it would be quite likely you would pick it up. 
 

So you are not being overly cautious at all. 

[HS Mom in NC]

I get it.  In general, I think vaccinated people in low risk categories who don't interact with high risk folk should not spend much time worrying about Covid, but you have surgery coming up.  I think you're being prudent.  I'm sorry the isolation will suck.

[catz]

I think this is wise.  And plenty of people can’t do this, so it’s great if you can.  I love target app and curbside, they do a great job. That said if you need that baileys and have a good mask, I’d just show up at opening on a weekday and get it.  Mama needs her Baileys!  😍   Are your numbers dipping yet?  Do you have wastewater data?   Our metros wastewater data showed our immediate counties at early November levels last week even though testing numbers were extremely backlogged and state numbers are still rising.  So I am feel pretty ok about quick masked errands now, especially if those numbers hold when they release the weekly data.  
 

iIwouldn’t be concerned about outdoor recreation like walking, hiking, snowshoeing  either.   Being active will definitely  help your recovery too!

Edited January 31, 2022 by catz

[I talk to the trees]

Another vote for “prudent” here. Sending healthy vibes your way! 

[happi duck]

Add my vote to prudent.

My favorite liquor store does curbside.  It might be worth calling around!

[Karen A]

Well, I'd start being extra cautious 2 weeks before the surgery, not four. I think short forays into the grocery store, masked, carry minimal risk. 

[Selkie]

Yeah, I was SO careful in the weeks leading up to my hysterectomy. There were quite a few women in my online group whose surgery was delayed for months because they tested positive.

[mommyoffive]

Smart move.   I would be doing that too.

[Acadie]

Wishing you a negative pre-op test, a straightforward procedure and excellent recovery, @MEmama!

Like some pps I'd probably be cautious in the next week and then extra cautious 2-3 weeks out. With Omicron in addition to great masks I've been wearing my glasses into the grocery store, and when I drove dd back to college I wore a face shield into rest areas. I thought I'd feel like a weirdo but it was fine, though granted I was around total strangers. (Dd wore her sun glasses and looked way cooler 🙂) 

If there are a couple errands you want to get done this week, would adding eye protection make it feel safer? And is there anything special you'd like to do before surgery? Something expansive or out of the routine, even if it's outdoors or online. Zoom happy hour with college friends, online performance, meet friends masked around a fire at a park, drive to a town you've never visited and get takeout?

Recently I downloaded the free Star and Planet Finder app, to help me track the moon and Venus in the sky. It's such a small thing but has opened new worlds for me and seriously makes me want to get out of bed in the morning. I wonder if there's anything like that, that might calm the twitchy feeling now and maybe even help you through post op recovery as well. 

[MEmama]

33 minutes ago, catz said:

I think this is wise.  And plenty of people can’t do this, so it’s great if you can.  I love target app and curbside, they do a great job. That said if you need that baileys and have a good mask, I’d just show up at opening on a weekday and get it.  Mama needs her Baileys!  😍   Are your numbers dipping yet?  Do you have wastewater data?   Our metros wastewater data showed our immediate counties at early November levels last week even though testing numbers were extremely backlogged and state numbers are still rising.  So I am feel pretty ok about quick masked errands now, especially if those numbers hold when they release the weekly data.  
 

iIwouldn’t be concerned about outdoor recreation like walking, hiking, snowshoeing  either.   Being active will definitely  help your recovery too!

I don’t think my small town is monitoring waste water but numbers statewide are decreasing. I’m kind of kicking myself for not being more proactive with this surgery (my paperwork accidentally sat in medical purgatory for a couple months and I didn’t follow up because I figured they were overwhelmed), but OTOH case numbers are way lower now so maybe it’s for the best.

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, I talk to the trees said:

Another vote for “prudent” here. Sending healthy vibes your way! 

Thank you! ❤️

[kbutton]

50 minutes ago, Karen A said:

Well, I'd start being extra cautious 2 weeks before the surgery, not four. I think short forays into the grocery store, masked, carry minimal risk. 

Me too. Or maybe 3 weeks. 

We did this when my son needed his wisdom teeth out, though we have unavoidable exposure no matter how cautious we are (frontline HCW and one kid in part-time school--both with good masks, etc.). We also do this before we see people in person that we plan to eat indoors with or stay overnight with. 

I think that if you choose careful times for your outings or swapped them for something totally outdoors, it might help keep your spirits up, and outdoor stuff is unlikely to pose a significant risk. If you are meeting friends by a fire, you could mask if you think that's risky in any way. We've all tended to leave our masks on outdoors if we've had them on for another reason just due to the cold. 

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, happi duck said:

Add my vote to prudent.

My favorite liquor store does curbside.  It might be worth calling around!

I'm adding my vote to your favorite liquor store. 🤣

[KatieJ]

Prudent! I had a procedure scheduled for December at the Mayo Clinic…. Both DH and I got Covid early December and we had to cancel the  appointment twice due to DH  being very ill. I was fine after a few days,  but needed him to be with me. 
 

 

[MEmama]

44 minutes ago, Selkie said:

Yeah, I was SO careful in the weeks leading up to my hysterectomy. There were quite a few women in my online group whose surgery was delayed for months because they tested positive.

Yikes. 😞 

This bolsters my resolve. I simply cannot wait any longer for this surgery!

[MEmama]

30 minutes ago, Acadie said:

Wishing you a negative pre-op test, a straightforward procedure and excellent recovery, @MEmama!

Like some pps I'd probably be cautious in the next week and then extra cautious 2-3 weeks out. With Omicron in addition to great masks I've been wearing my glasses into the grocery store, and when I drove dd back to college I wore a face shield into rest areas. I thought I'd feel like a weirdo but it was fine, though granted I was around total strangers. (Dd wore her sun glasses and looked way cooler 🙂) 

If there are a couple errands you want to get done this week, would adding eye protection make it feel safer? And is there anything special you'd like to do before surgery? Something expansive or out of the routine, even if it's outdoors or online. Zoom happy hour with college friends, online performance, meet friends masked around a fire at a park, drive to a town you've never visited and get takeout?

Recently I downloaded the free Star and Planet Finder app, to help me track the moon and Venus in the sky. It's such a small thing but has opened new worlds for me and seriously makes me want to get out of bed in the morning. I wonder if there's anything like that, that might calm the twitchy feeling now and maybe even help you through post op recovery as well. 

I love these ideas! DH and I have recently become more interested in birding, and getting out hiking on the weekends with birds in mind has been really enjoyable on multiple levels. My goal is to spend the next several weekends finding new to us trails and using the e-bird app to try to find interesting birds in the area. 
 

We had planned to take a weekend birding getaway Down East, but now I don’t feel comfortable taking the risk in a hotel. There are endless places to explore locally, though.

Thanks for the encouragement! 

[DreamerGirl]

I would heavily isolate before surgery. 

Can you go on hikes, drives ? Pack a picnic and eat somewhere ? 

 

[Kassia]

16 minutes ago, MEmama said:

Yikes. 😞 

This bolsters my resolve. I simply cannot wait any longer for this surgery!

yes, if it's not a hardship for you or your family I think it's wise to be prudent so you can get this done and over with!  

[AroundtheCorner]

I definitely vote that you’re being prudent. I would be as cautious as you can stand to be. There may be some things that you need to do just to keep your mental health ok, but then on the other side of the coin—is doing that thing worth risking a delay of the surgery?  This pandemic is exhausting. Wishing you all the best as you navigate this time. Hoping it passes quickly and you are soon on the road to a speedy recovery!

After seeing you mention birding, I’m curious if you’ve read Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder by Julia Zarankin?  I’m not too far in, but I’m enjoying it. 

[Catwoman]

I feel so badly for you that we all didn't tell you not to worry and that it would be fine for you to wait a few more weeks before locking down, but I have to agree with everyone that not going into stores is the smart thing to do right now. It's not worth risking Covid when you know that even an asymptomatic case will delay your surgery. Also, walking around Target probably probably won't be that much fun anyway, if you have a niggling worry in the back of your mind that you might catch Covid and not be able to have your surgery. (And if somebody coughs in the same aisle as you, you won't sleep for a week! 😉 )

[KSera]

38 minutes ago, MEmama said:

We had planned to take a weekend birding getaway Down East, but now I don’t feel comfortable taking the risk in a hotel. There are endless places to explore locally, though.

Could you find an air bnb getaway? We’ve done that a few times over the past two years, and it’s really nice to have a vacation when we are otherwise not doing a lot of things. We don’t do indoor anything (except once a month I have to go into the pharmacy to pick up kids’ meds, which makes me SO uneasy, of all places it seems a high risk one. I wear an N95 that fits very well though and I feel quite protected by that.) We do lots of outdoor things though, including parks and recreation areas where other people are, so it doesn’t feel like we are shut away from other people. We meet friends and family outside as well and go on walks with them. 
 

Do you have an N95? I would definitely use that anytime you absolutely must go inside somewhere. Omicron is incredibly contagious, and the data coming out on O2 are indicating it is 1.5 times more contagious than O1 🤦‍♀️ and even more immune evasive. 

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, KatieInMN said:

Prudent! I had a procedure scheduled for December at the Mayo Clinic…. Both DH and I got Covid early December and we had to cancel the  appointment twice due to DH  being very ill. I was fine after a few days,  but needed him to be with me. 
 

 

Oh no— I hope it turned out okay in the end. That must have been so stressful!

[MEmama]

32 minutes ago, AroundtheCorner said:

I definitely vote that you’re being prudent. I would be as cautious as you can stand to be. There may be some things that you need to do just to keep your mental health ok, but then on the other side of the coin—is doing that thing worth risking a delay of the surgery?  This pandemic is exhausting. Wishing you all the best as you navigate this time. Hoping it passes quickly and you are soon on the road to a speedy recovery!

After seeing you mention birding, I’m curious if you’ve read Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder by Julia Zarankin?  I’m not too far in, but I’m enjoying it. 

I have not but I’m adding it to my reading list now! I’m going to have lots of time to read…thanks for the suggestion! 

[MEmama]

24 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

I feel so badly for you that we all didn't tell you not to worry and that it would be fine for you to wait a few more weeks before locking down, but I have to agree with everyone that not going into stores is the smart thing to do right now. It's not worth risking Covid when you know that even an asymptomatic case will delay your surgery. Also, walking around Target probably probably won't be that much fun anyway, if you have a niggling worry in the back of your mind that you might catch Covid and not be able to have your surgery. (And if somebody coughs in the same aisle as you, you won't sleep for a week! 😉 )

You’re right— I probably would worry too much to make going out worthwhile! 

I truly appreciate everyone’s opinions. That there is an actual consensus makes me feel more confident in my decision to isolate. 🙂 

[lmrich]

I totally get it.  If you need to get out to run errands or to just get out. 

Go early, double mask and be ready to leave if it gets crowded. 

Wishing you all the best!

[KatieJ]

4 hours ago, MEmama said:

Oh no— I hope it turned out okay in the end. That must have been so stressful!

Thank you! It’s all good. 

[fraidycat]

I vote for prudent. At my work, I've had some people have to delay and re-schedule appts. a few times due to testing + for Covid. I vote for staying home or only doing outdoor activities.

[MEmama]

6 hours ago, KSera said:

Could you find an air bnb getaway? We’ve done that a few times over the past two years, and it’s really nice to have a vacation when we are otherwise not doing a lot of things. We don’t do indoor anything (except once a month I have to go into the pharmacy to pick up kids’ meds, which makes me SO uneasy, of all places it seems a high risk one. I wear an N95 that fits very well though and I feel quite protected by that.) We do lots of outdoor things though, including parks and recreation areas where other people are, so it doesn’t feel like we are shut away from other people. We meet friends and family outside as well and go on walks with them. 
 

Do you have an N95? I would definitely use that anytime you absolutely must go inside somewhere. Omicron is incredibly contagious, and the data coming out on O2 are indicating it is 1.5 times more contagious than O1 🤦‍♀️ and even more immune evasive. 

We probably could find an Air B&B instead of a hotel, but I think I’m more comfortable taking day trips for now. A short getaway might be nice after I’ve recovered a bit and don’t need to worry quite so much. By then, restaurants will have outdoor seating again, too; most have reverted to indoor only for the winter, which we obviously aren’t doing. 
 

I do wear a KF94 everywhere,  which normally I feel very confident in. But since this newest variant is even more contagious, I think I’m better off just staying home than taking chances for now. 

[Syllieann]

22 minutes ago, MEmama said:

We probably could find an Air B&B instead of a hotel, but I think I’m more comfortable taking day trips for now. A short getaway might be nice after I’ve recovered a bit and don’t need to worry quite so much. By then, restaurants will have outdoor seating again, too; most have reverted to indoor only for the winter, which we obviously aren’t doing. 
 

I do wear a KF94 everywhere,  which normally I feel very confident in. But since this newest variant is even more contagious, I think I’m better off just staying home than taking chances for now. 

You could bump up your protection to n100 elastomeric for the must-do errands.  Not as comfortable as KF94, but not horrible either.  I think it's always good to have one around the house anyway.  Good luck in surgery and wishing you a quick recovery.

[MeaganS]

Dd13 is having her open heart surgery at the end of February at Mayo Clinic. As a family, we decided to quarantine as much as possible before to avoid covid for her. Starting on Monday, we're not doing church, therapy, friends, or anything. We're glad the Olympics are starting as it gives us something exciting to look forward to. I will minimally go grocery shopping and dh will continue to work (at a hospital in PPE). 

It sucks, but rescheduling her surgery would be a massive problem with work, childcare, and surgeon schedules. 

[Ting Tang]

It's a smart move, and yes, I get my Irish cream curbside.  LOL

[Catwoman]

22 minutes ago, MeaganS said:

Dd13 is having her open heart surgery at the end of February at Mayo Clinic. As a family, we decided to quarantine as much as possible before to avoid covid for her. Starting on Monday, we're not doing church, therapy, friends, or anything. We're glad the Olympics are starting as it gives us something exciting to look forward to. I will minimally go grocery shopping and dh will continue to work (at a hospital in PPE). 

It sucks, but rescheduling her surgery would be a massive problem with work, childcare, and surgeon schedules. 

I’ll be praying for your dd, Meagan! 

[Catwoman]

38 minutes ago, Syllieann said:

You could bump up your protection to n100 elastomeric for the must-do errands.  Not as comfortable as KF94, but not horrible either.  I think it's always good to have one around the house anyway.  Good luck in surgery and wishing you a quick recovery.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but can you tell me which n100 masks you use?

[mathnerd]

@MEmama I go to the weekend Farmer's Markets locally where I can distance and be in the outdoors and leave if there is crowding. That is something you can consider (if not too cold in your area!) as an option to be outside once in a while. But, you are doing the right thing and I hope that you have an uneventful surgery and recovery.

[Syllieann]

14 minutes ago, Catwoman said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but can you tell me which n100 masks you use?

I wore a Honeywell North through two pregnancies.   It was not too hot, but my downward peripheral vision suffered.  I don't love doing stairs with it.

I also have a half face from 3m.  I think this is the new version of it.

[Eos]

11 hours ago, MEmama said:

I am perilously low on Baileys

Allen's coffee brandy is still in stock statewide!

[prairiewindmomma]

I'm voting team prudent.

I can get liquor through grocery pickup, instacart, or door dash. 🙂

[scbusf]

We were in a similar boat this month. My daughter had surgery January 11th (fairly major) and I had surgery on Jan. 24 (relatively minor, but it was my foot, so it has seriously limited my mobility). We didn't leave the house starting right at January 1. It was NOT easy - I was having serious flashbacks to right when Covid lockdown started 2 years ago. 

But I desperately wanted these both to happen. I knew that if they got rescheduled, we'd be looking at months because of the surgeon's schedules. Plus, we start co-op in a couple of weeks and I really needed these to happen now.

Now, we can leave the house, but it hurts for me to walk, so we are basically staying home. It's not easy, but I'm giving myself permission to play dumb phone games and binge stupid shows.

[MEmama]

10 hours ago, mathnerd said:

@MEmama I go to the weekend Farmer's Markets locally where I can distance and be in the outdoors and leave if there is crowding. That is something you can consider (if not too cold in your area!) as an option to be outside once in a while. But, you are doing the right thing and I hope that you have an uneventful surgery and recovery.

Well…I’m in Maine, so yes, unfortunately it’s too cold for outdoor markets. 🙂 We have a winter market but it’s inside and extremely popular— I rarely went in the beforetimes because it gets so crowded (and it’s in a giant mill building— tons of space, just very popular). 

[MEmama]

10 hours ago, Eos said:

Allen's coffee brandy is still in stock statewide!

Oh man…I know this isn’t very Maine of me and I risk getting kicked out, but do I have to? 🤣

[MEmama]

9 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I'm voting team prudent.

I can get liquor through grocery pickup, instacart, or door dash. 🙂

I dodged a bullet…my local grocery will let me buy liquor curbside. Phew! 😂

[MEmama]

9 hours ago, scbusf said:

We were in a similar boat this month. My daughter had surgery January 11th (fairly major) and I had surgery on Jan. 24 (relatively minor, but it was my foot, so it has seriously limited my mobility). We didn't leave the house starting right at January 1. It was NOT easy - I was having serious flashbacks to right when Covid lockdown started 2 years ago. 

But I desperately wanted these both to happen. I knew that if they got rescheduled, we'd be looking at months because of the surgeon's schedules. Plus, we start co-op in a couple of weeks and I really needed these to happen now.

Now, we can leave the house, but it hurts for me to walk, so we are basically staying home. It's not easy, but I'm giving myself permission to play dumb phone games and binge stupid shows.

That sounds like a tough month (plus recovery time)! I hope you can be patient with yourself while you recover and take all the time you need. And I hope both you and your daughter are being supported by your family so you don’t feel any pressure to do too much.

All my best to both of you as you heal. 

[Farrar]

I actually think if all you're doing other than outdoor stuff is occasional 20 minute grocery trips, that you could still do those things and not feel bad or risky about it. But also, I don't think you're overreacting at all. And since you can even get a good drink curbside, clearly you've found good solutions, lol.