Chris' Covid Chronicles, a tale of some scares, a lot of care, and a bear… Also, Mai Tais (which are now cemented in my brain as my celebratory drink when this is done and over with…I need to find a way to get the ingredients together without venturing out to the store as soon as I get the chance to go home…)
Full disclosure: I fully understand and recognize that my Covid symptoms and treatment are not stereotypical and should not be seen as your typical experience. Everyone's case is unique and we need to be cautious to not look at my experience as the typical scenario. The treatments that I received are becoming one of the mainstream methods for helping people defeat Covid when they become infected, and I am blessed that I received those treatments before my case progressed to a much further point. When reviewing my posts please keep this in the back of your mind that there are people out there that are experiencing this at scales exponentially more severe than mine.
Spirits are up in the Camp Covid today. I am able to maintain a better O2 saturation count on room air as compared to yesterday or the day before. No sign of pneumonia, and I am able to make the lung sucky test machine scream for mercy on a controlled long inhale.
I spent the night on oxygen with my CPAP machine and things were going okay until my body decided that it could slow the heart rate down because it didn't need to work as hard to oxygenate me. The SpO2 machine will monitor my O2 saturation and my heart rate. Originally when monitoring my O2 saturation it would alarm because my O2 was too low. Now it spent the night screaming at me because as I was laying in the prone position which is recommended for Covid sufferers, my heart rate would slow down below 40bpm as I would drift off and start to fall into REM sleep. Of course the machine did not like that especially when I hit 38 for a sustained several minutes and it started screaming and woke me up. I may or may not have threatened to hulk smash the machine off the wall if they didn't fix the alarms… A quick consultation with the doctor overnight had the nurses turn the machine down to 40 so that I could get some rest with the understanding that if it alarmed again I would have to sleep on my back from that point forward.
Apparently when sleeping in the prone position your heart rate tends to run a little slower than when you sleep on your back according to what was explained to me. I tend to be a stomach sleeper anyway so this was news to me and I didn't know. What it means in the grand scheme though is that my body felt like it was getting enough oxygen with a 95% or greater saturation level all night long because of the supplemental oxygen and the CPAP which means that I have been able to reduce my oxygen intake today. I have been on oxygen all day but can go without it now for periods of time. This is a huge improvement.
My fourth round of Remdesivir treatment took place today. There is one more round tomorrow, and barring any setbacks or concerns, there is talk of being released to my wife's custody tomorrow…
Poor Cindy thinks she is getting her husband back, but I fully intend to ham it up for a bit longer while I can and I'm going to be a big baby for a while.
I'm still very weak and shaky, still have to be cautious as I move around so I don't over exert and fall, but have been doing very well in my mobility around the room.
I am also considerably more hydrated today which has helped me feel better. No more tea colored urine, we're up to a healthy Mello Yello… TMI, but hydration is key to good blood draws, and the five or six dozen ultra dark bruises on my arms are a testament to lots of bad draws this last week.
The staff here at St Francis have done everything to ensure I am well cared for, have helped me feel less guilty about being unable to self care, and have in general done everything to ensure that I feel less like a burden and more like a guest at a luxury resort. I can not even begin to describe to you the feeling of dignity that they helped me maintain, even in an environment where more people have seen my junk exposed in the last week than in my entire 42 years prior.
They are heroes and deserve all of the support that society is capable of giving to them. If you know any health care providers in your life, take some time and perform a kindness for them. A gift card for their local grocery store, a fruit basket, mow their lawn one last time this season or shovel the snow while they are at work. Anything to help ease their path through this pandemic.
On a related note, flowers continue to roll in. I see all of them when they show them to me at the door and then they take the card and hand it to me and the flowers go somewhere else in the hospital. I have heard so many people outside ask about all of the flowers all over and they are astounded by the outpouring of beauty that all of you have shown for me. Every new nurse or doctor that comes through the floor comments on them, patients in other rooms are commenting on them and it's been a ray of sunshine for me to know that you were able to make that happen. Thank you all so very much!
One of those gift baskets arrived with a plush teddy bear. Mr Bear and I are now best buds and I have decided to name him Remy after Remdesivir. He and I spent the day watching a movie we found online, and then jumped into a couple rounds of Mario Bros 3. He actually likes playing Luigi. There’s something wrong with the boy.
So, my Covid Positive journey has turned into a positive Covid story, barring any last second set backs. If all goes well I will be sleeping in my own bed tomorrow night with a long list of home self-care instructions and things to look out for.
This won’t be the end of my posts, as I will continue to document the rest of the journey laid out of ahead of me with any additional issues that may arise. I just wanted to share this extremely good news with all of you. Also, I still need to figure out a way to get Mai Tai ingredients. Suggestions would be amazing.
Discharged. Hospitalized for covid pneumonia. Now on several new prescriptions for everything from dexamethasone to blood thinners to avoid the pulmonary embolism or stroke that follow this type of lung damage.
Discharged. Hospitalized for covid pneumonia. Now on several new prescriptions for everything from dexamethasone to blood thinners to avoid the pulmonary embolism or stroke that follow this type of lung damage.
That's great news!! But i'm confused. Does it mean you are discharged to home or discharged FROM the floor you were on and INTO pneumonia ward?
Possibly. I have a list of exercises to do in order to keep the lungs moving.
In my case, I have a moderate case of covid pneumonia, which made it all the way from the bronchial tubes down into the alveoli (air sacs). The inflammation in my lungs both reduced the ability for blood to flow around the alveoli and caused ruptures in the blood vessels, filling the alveoli with fluid. Reduction in my ability to absorb oxygen followed, and I had to go on supplemental oxygen. This is the point in time where your body, with or without treatment, either has the strength to move forward and you may recover or it doesn't. Treatment increases these odds, and I had to receive Dexamethasone to reduce the inflammation in order to allow the blood to flow. Clotting happens at the rupture sites, and the alveoli are irritated, which forces a persistent hard cough as the body tries to expel the clots/liquid/etc. This doesn't help the already weakened cell walls and the inflammation, so it's a cycle that just makes things worse.
I was also treated on a five day course with Remdesivir, an antiviral that disrupts the way Covid replicates. Covid is an RNA virus. Our cells aren't designed to replicate RNA in the same way that Covid tries to, so Covid sneaks in, sets up a small factory and tells each of your cells to just give it a try, they might like it... The healthy cells are tricked into reproducing the Covid RNA sequence, and Covid's work is done. It packages itself back up and spreads around to find other healthy cells to infect, including the neurological system (loss of smell/taste is neuro), and can spread into the lung and heart control functions of the brain stem. Someone I know recently had a diagnosis of meningitis caused by Covid. Remdesivir inserts junk RNA in to the RNA replication process that Covid uses, so it does not get a viable live virus out of the end result. Do this enough times, and the factory in the cell will die allowing antibodies to come along and clean it up.
This is why when I blacked out at home, it was so urgent to get me into the hospital. The black out could have been a sign of a much more severe infection, especially with the way my symptoms progressed from "bad head cold" to "body can't regulate temperature, and it shut down". I was in the midst of what they call a cytokine storm, a potentially lethal response by the body where it turns everything against the virus to the potential detriment of the safety of the host.
The Remdesivir treatment took 2 days to start taking effect, and I began to feel better. The next treatment is what they call convalescent plasma therapy. This is live antibodies in plasma donated by a Covid survivor. There is a risk with this type of transfusion, as with all blood product transfusions. They may have Hepatitis, HIV, etc, and while screening is in place, things still get through. There is also the risk that I could have an adverse reaction to the transfusion, since I am effectively receiving a transplant of fluids. Transplant recipients that reject organs are rejecting the alien proteins that their body did not create. They are seen as invaders. This is a similar risk with blood and blood product transfusions. Fortunately, I was symptom free, and now had an army in my blood stream to help fight the remainder of the live virus. This will give my body time to build antibodies of its own, and as soon as I am out of home lockdown/isolation, I will in turn be donating.
I'm not. I'm struggling pretty hard core today. I can barely move around the house. It consists of five different levels all split by 5-6 stairs between each level. To get to the bathroom from my home office is 13 steps split across three levels. Moving around in the house sucks bad today. I have had several near blackout events due to oxygen starvation, and have had to go 3-4 steps at a time before pausing for several minutes to suck lungfuls of air before I can move on.
Lowst SpO2 today has been 68% during one of those incidents. My first primary care visit is on Tuesday as a follow-up. I hope to be semi-improved by then, or else I am going to ask to go on oxygen at home.
[This message has been edited by Synthesis (edited 10-15-2020).]
I'm not. I'm struggling pretty hard core today. I can barely move around the house. It consists of five different levels all split by 5-6 stairs between each level. To get to the bathroom from my home office is 13 steps split across three levels. Moving around in the house sucks bad today. I have had several near blackout events due to oxygen starvation, and have had to go 3-4 steps at a time before pausing for several minutes to suck lungfuls of air before I can move on.
Lowst SpO2 today has been 68% during one of those incidents. My first primary care visit is on Tuesday as a follow-up. I hope to be semi-improved by then, or else I am going to ask to go on oxygen at home.
68% should be a trip to the ER. Is there any reason why you didn't go? Have they told you to stay home? I assume they gave you a monitor to check blood saturation, so at what % are you supposed to call for ambulance?
My wife pretty much screamed at me yesterday for that one. I'm pushing myself too hard. You have to remember I went from competition level power-lifting (nearly 1000 lbs on dead lifts, 700+ squats and 435+ bench) to barely being able to lift my arms. I'm struggling here with the mental aspects of not being able to get out of my own way.
I am on strict orders to watch my SpO2 today from the second I leave my chair to several minutes after I sit back down, to stop at each level for a few moments and catch my breath, etc. My wife will be checking on me every hour and has threatened to call 9-1-1 if I do not answer my phone. She is cleared to return to work and has to go in today.
My wife pretty much screamed at me yesterday for that one. I'm pushing myself too hard. You have to remember I went from competition level power-lifting (nearly 1000 lbs on dead lifts, 700+ squats and 435+ bench) to barely being able to lift my arms. I'm struggling here with the mental aspects of not being able to get out of my own way.
I am on strict orders to watch my SpO2 today from the second I leave my chair to several minutes after I sit back down, to stop at each level for a few moments and catch my breath, etc. My wife will be checking on me every hour and has threatened to call 9-1-1 if I do not answer my phone. She is cleared to return to work and has to go in today.
You know better than I that this can kill you. If you get low again go in. No shame in staying alive
You know better than I that this can kill you. If you get low again go in. No shame in staying alive
Sorry, man. I have to agree with Rick. Don't eff up. A friend of mine messaged me a few minutes ago. Her sister didn't wake up this morning. (No idea what happened. She said "later".)
Don't become just another number in the rightmost column of a chart.
Don't become just another number in the rightmost column of a chart.
Agreed, pushing your luck doesn't prove anything and normally ends up with undesirable results. Take the Doc's advice and do what you're told to do. If nothing else remember, a happy wife makes for a happy life.
Rams
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 10-16-2020).]
I am on strict orders to watch my SpO2 today from the second I leave my chair to several minutes after I sit back down, to stop at each level for a few moments and catch my breath, etc. My wife will be checking on me every hour and has threatened to call 9-1-1 if I do not answer my phone. She is cleared to return to work and has to go in today.
Just food for thought: An inmate on my yard complained of breathing issues. An ambulance came for him, he walked just fine to the wheelchair and they took him to the hospital. 2 hours later he was dead.
My wife pretty much screamed at me yesterday for that one. I'm pushing myself too hard. You have to remember I went from competition level power-lifting (nearly 1000 lbs on dead lifts, 700+ squats and 435+ bench) to barely being able to lift my arms. I'm struggling here with the mental aspects of not being able to get out of my own way.
Take it easy on that one, man...Been there done that. Went from a guy who could fly a plane, break a horse, run just about any tech department to barely being able to dress myself without flying into a rage. Internalizing it is NOT healthy, and in fact extremely destructive. No shame in talking to somebody and getting help working through the frustrations, and you might save yourself a year or 2 recovery time.
[This message has been edited by MidEngineManiac (edited 10-17-2020).]
Originally posted by Rickady88GT: Just food for thought: An inmate on my yard complained of breathing issues. An ambulance came for him, he walked just fine to the wheelchair and they took him to the hospital. 2 hours later he was dead.
I just wonder if there has been confirmation (that you are aware of) that it was Covid, or Covid combined with some pre-existing condition--or could it have been something else entirely?
Geez, Chris, be careful. I know it's hard to turn down the power level on yourself, but you have to.
It's only temporary. You will get back to your old self. It will take time, but you will get there. Your body was terribly abused by this virus. You ever hurt yourself by overwork before? It's like that. Only this will take a while to recover from.
I just wonder if there has been confirmation (that you are aware of) that it was Covid, or Covid combined with some pre-existing condition--or could it have been something else entirely?
Not trying to be a "wise guy" or anything.
I don't know this person's history, but I could not tell you anyways. It could be against the law? I will say this, the environment is full of current and ex-drug/alcohol abusers and smokers, live fast die young Yada Yada yada. Yes it is VERY possible that this person had other issues and it is also possible that this person was being treated for any number of serious health issues in addition to a positive test. All I know is this death has been ruled covd no matter what (if any) other afflictions were involved.
My wife pretty much screamed at me yesterday for that one. I'm pushing myself too hard. You have to remember I went from competition level power-lifting (nearly 1000 lbs on dead lifts, 700+ squats and 435+ bench) to barely being able to lift my arms. I'm struggling here with the mental aspects of not being able to get out of my own way.
I am on strict orders to watch my SpO2 today from the second I leave my chair to several minutes after I sit back down, to stop at each level for a few moments and catch my breath, etc. My wife will be checking on me every hour and has threatened to call 9-1-1 if I do not answer my phone. She is cleared to return to work and has to go in today.
Sometimes we men have to swallow our pride, which can be hard, especially big and strong men. But the virus does not care how strong you are, it will try to kill you just the same. So pace yourself, rest when needed, don't push it, be patient with yourself. Especially now that your going to be home alone for most of the day i assume.
Sorry im just now posting, but i have been following your thread intensely.
He has posted on a few other threads since this one, so I assume he's doing OK. But would love to see him post in here and let us know how he's doing...
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: He has posted on a few other threads since this one, so I assume he's doing OK. But would love to see him post in here and let us know how he's doing...
He has posted on a few other threads since this one, so I assume he's doing OK.
It's possible I've missed one, but I don't believe he's posted since the resident forum azz referred to Synthesis as a "Drama Queen" in This threadfive days ago.
It's possible I've missed one, but I don't believe he's posted since the resident forum azz referred to Synthesis as a "Drama Queen" in This threadfive days ago.
I hope he is all good and recovering well AND quickly.
