How's Covid affecting your life lately?

[Andrew Joiner]

My wife and all the people who work in her office got tested for covid. The results came in after 4 days and one person tested positive. My wife is negative but the health department told her to quarantine for 14 days.
The good news is her office is very strict on masking and 6' distance rules so it's very unlikely she'll get sick. The hard part is for her to stay home and isolate. She's a very busy person.

I'm called a "contact of a contact" so no changes for me outside the home. In the house I'm wearing a mask :( unless I'm in my man cave.

I hope all you creekers are staying healthy.

[Jim Koepke]

Last week we went to a Costco a little further from us because of the lower infection rate in one area versus the other.

We haven't been as care free about running into town. We are less likely to just pop into the Home Depot to look around at the garden section and such.

We won't have anyone over for Thanksgiving this year.

In our age group and preexisting conditions we don't want to take any chances.

jtk

[Jim Becker]

No real changes in our household...I do the food shopping and we make minimal other trips out. We order takeout one night a week to support various local restaurants. Professor Dr. SMWBO teaches online and our younger daughter's classes at Penn State Abington are all on line and have been for almost a year now. She does work in a retail store, but takes great care. We have a "bubble" between our home and her boyfriend's home. They don't socialized with other people except virtually. Older daughter lives in town and works part time in a food market as a florist. She's also very careful, not just for herself, but because she's here a couple days a week for meals and to clean which is part of the deal of to live independently with me providing some financial support. her apartment building is actually pretty strict since they have a large elderly population. Minimal visitors here and they must wear masks.

Honestly, I don't mind things as they are right now outside of not being able to socialize with a few close friends like we normally do, especially this time of year. We don't covet retail and didn't even before the pandemic.

[Jim Matthews]

I didn't realize how anti-Social I've become until someone had to tell me there was a lock down (two months prior).

This generation of school kids is ideally suited to online instruction. The teaching staff, not so much.

A recent scare saw us waiting 3 hours to get a 90 second test.
(All negative results.)

This has put us on alert to avoid people not taking precautions.

[Lee DeRaud]

I didn't realize how anti-Social I've become until someone had to tell me there was a lock down (two months prior).
Or, as I call it, about like normal.
445511

[Matt Day]

Nothing has changed here, because we haven’t seen family since February and have been staying to ourselves. Going to miss seeing my parents and in laws for thanksgiving and Christmas. Still masking up everywhere and keeping our distance. No traveling, no sports for me or the kids. Luckily our kids are still young but it just be tough having a preteen or teenager.

My wife works in the sports department so being family we’re lucky enough to get tickets to home college football games, and basketball is starting in a week and a half. Thank god for college basketball! It’s fun for me and the kids, and man is it weird going to a stadium with almost nobody there!

[Michael Weber]

As someone with 10 percent word comprehension I’m liking the lack of stress of gatherings. Thanksgiving without crowds of folks talking over each other is going to be pretty nice. Every cloud eh?

[Bruce King]

We are being very careful, no visitors except at least 10 ft away in the driveway. Usually a breeze here so I’m careful not to stand downwind of anyone. We even quit petting neighbors dogs. Wife goes grocery shopping before 9am. We have always eaten out 4 nights a week since retiring and now get takeout. We use my cherry serving tray as a table in the truck. We take our drinks too. We park on the side of a river sometimes to eat. We don’t do patio dining either. We live in a sociable neighborhood but had to end most all of that for now. We have been on several trips but only stay in private rentals. We go in with masks, open windows, run the A/C and wipe everything down. We take our ebikes with us and have a lot of fun riding paved trails, grass greenways, old rail lines turned into trails and parks. We do our own yard work and vehicle maintenance too. Her family is coming down to an oceanfront rental soon so we can visit outdoors and ride bikes on the beach. Mainly just worried about both families since they most all work.

[Bernie Kopfer]

I am not joking when I say that I am more afraid of my wife than the virus. I’ve had to give up volunteering at the dental clinic but can contribute by doing telephone triage. my wonderful wife is medically very vulnerable and her 97 year old mother lives with us too. I’m the only one going out as little as possible so if they get it I brought it. Thank goodness a vaccine is on the horizon.

[Matt Day]

This generation of school kids is ideally suited to online instruction. The teaching staff, not so much.

I can tell you from personal experience that kids, elementary students here, are not ideally suited to learn online. There is very little actual instruction. Showing your work during a zoom takes 5 minutes versus 30 seconds of the teacher walking around the class seeing what the kids are doing. It is extremely frustrating for all involved. Kids don’t want to sit in front of a computer all day and it’s not good for them. My kids learned next to nothing in their 9 weeks of virtual learning.

College maybe but not high school either. HS’ers are focused on getting into college, and need all those AP classes (which not all are available virtually) and extracurricular activities which they can’t get virtually.

I agree with you however, that most teachers are not suited for this.

[Ronald Blue]

I tested positive for Covid on the 20th. The test was the rapid one with results in an hour. I am quarantined until the 29th. Mostly doing okay First night was the worst. Restless and going between fever and no fever all night. Last night was better. I've figured out when I start feeling poorly if I go lay down and take a nap that it does wonders for me. The health department is telling me that I'm already on the down hill side because once the fever starts coming and going that the worst is over. No idea where I was exposed. We used caution and tried to do all the right things including a mask and social distancing. So far the wife hasn't developed symptoms.

[John K Jordan]

Oh, I hope your family stays healthy.

I miss working with kids at the church (we have virtual services) and having lots of farm visitors. I miss in-person woodturning club meetings. Besides that, there's always plenty to do and easy to stay away from people here on the farm. We order groceries which are loaded in our vehicles so we rarely go into a store. When I have to go out for animal feed or vehicle parts or to see a doctor I've been known to wear two masks and a lightweight eye shield, the type my dentist has used for years.

JKJ

[Andrew Joiner]

I tested positive for Covid on the 20th. The test was the rapid one with results in an hour. I am quarantined until the 29th. Mostly doing okay First night was the worst. Restless and going between fever and no fever all night. Last night was better. I've figured out when I start feeling poorly if I go lay down and take a nap that it does wonders for me. The health department is telling me that I'm already on the down hill side because once the fever starts coming and going that the worst is over. No idea where I was exposed. We used caution and tried to do all the right things including a mask and social distancing. So far the wife hasn't developed symptoms.
Sorry to hear that Ronald. I hope you heal fast and your wife stays healthy.

[Bruce King]

Hoping for the best! It sure gets scary when people get it without knowing how.

[Mel Fulks]

I'm tired of forgetting my mask and having to walk back to the car. Tired of "Doc Fauci" ...a most unfunny comedian who
takes up time the lovely lady Doc deserves. Any one here using their old "fall out shelter" to confine the contagious?
Check the canned food expiration dates.

[Jim Koepke]

Get well soon Ronald. Hopefully all stay well in your family.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

Get well soon Ronald. Hopefully all stay well in your family.

jtk

+1. .......

[Aaron Rosenthal]

I'm 76, and just discovered because of a specialist's visit, I'm compromised (although I don't feel like it, just a long term cough). I do all the shopping, driving the 13 YO to school & back, usually, and most of the chores. wife has ongoing mobility issues from a auto collision (not an accident - I saw the video footage of the collision & the other driver was negligent).
I mask up; wash hands, distance myself from others and so on.
I figure that I need to be really careful, more so every day, because it would be a shame to be the last person to get sick and die when the antivirus roll out is so close.

[Stan Calow]

We weren't that social before the pandemic. So not much change in our weekly schedules (retired). We go out to eat about as often as before, just picking better, more conscientious restaurants. Even been to the movies a couple of times. We just wear our masks, wash our hands, shop early, and carry on. Mostly missing travel opportunities.

[Doug Dawson]

No restaurants, no movies, no social events, no traveling, no meeting friends, it’s all hermetically sealed, and will be for a while.

[Jerome Stanek]

I haven't changed my goings and comings but now we have to go to my daughters house every other day to get the grandson. her inlaws take care of him on the other days at her house and my daughter says it is so hard to work with him there as he gets loud and grabs the mouse when either her or her husband are working. She is glad when we have him. she has been cut off from some important calls to hospitals and healthcare places when he is home.

[Al Launier]

No real changes in our household...I do the food shopping and we make minimal other trips out. We order takeout one night a week to support various local restaurants. Professor Dr. SMWBO teaches online and our younger daughter's classes at Penn State Abington are all on line and have been for almost a year now. She does work in a retail store, but takes great care. We have a "bubble" between our home and her boyfriend's home. They don't socialized with other people except virtually. Older daughter lives in town and works part time in a food market as a florist. She's also very careful, not just for herself, but because she's here a couple days a week for meals and to clean which is part of the deal of to live independently with me providing some financial support. her apartment building is actually pretty strict since they have a large elderly population. Minimal visitors here and they must wear masks.

Honestly, I don't mind things as they are right now outside of not being able to socialize with a few close friends like we normally do, especially this time of year. We don't covet retail and didn't even before the pandemic.

MY response exactly in red.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ronald Blue, here's hoping for a quick, complete healing for you!

Our county went from #37 of 44 (IIRC) to #1 on the rate of new infections last week. We slid down to #3 as the week progressed. Until now, we ate out once a week at businesses where they practice Covid safe measures including all workers masked. Now I think we will resort to take out until the rate of new infections gets back to a reasonable rate.

We shop, in fact, this week we may test drive a new car for the wife. That should be interesting. Since we bought and service our 2 vehicles at that dealership, I am hoping they will allow us to drive it unattended by a sales person. We'll see.

We still wear masks religiously when out, have and use hand sanitizers when we return to our cars. My wife spent 2 days doing her holiday candy and cookie making finishing yesterday after church. She delivered the annual plates to our neighbors and took some plates to church for the church bake sale. She wants to escape to Spokane or Couer Da Lene in early December to celebrate our upcoming 52nd anniversary.

We have family members who are in law enforcement, professional medical personnel, first responders and teachers who are in public daily. For Thanksgiving we will celebrate our good health in our home with only those who share our home.

While the wife and I are in the age group of the greatest Covid loss of life in our area, I don't live in fear of Covid but do think it's wise to respect it and be reasonably cautious.

[Todd Trebuna]

It's interesting, I am in full time Law Enforcement and until October was a bi-vocational Pastor for a small church plant. The Church Plant never flourished and the doors were closed just recently, largely due to Covid. My existence for the past 9 months has been pretty consistent. Go to work...wear a mask....go home. My wife is an introvert, so the lifestyle fits her to a T. But it really feels like it's just the monotony of sameness.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Andrew, I've been working from home since March 13, except for the last 5 weeks where I've been involved in commissioning a power system project at work.

Tomorrow is the last day and then I will return to working at home.

90% of our company is working from home and apparently our productivity is higher than when we are at work.

I live in Toronto and we are under lockdown again as Covid-19 numbers are climbing.

Thanksgiving was last month, since we couldn't have guests we had a lot of leftover turkey:D, I presume Christmas will be no visitors also. We've let everyone know that in lieu of gifts we want charitable donations, there are a lot of people suffering this year.

Hope your wife is fine.............regards, Rod.

[Mike Henderson]

No big changes in our household. We stay home mostly.

Towards the end of WWII and the Vietnam War, it was obvious the war was winding down and each soldier was very aware that he didn't want to be the last man to die. Today we have the announcements of the vaccines which herald the coming end of this pandemic. Make sure you're not the last person to die. Keep up your mask wearing and social distancing.

Mike

[Prashun Patel]

Kids suffering in ways they don't appreciate and I can't control.
It's been very hard as a parent.
As a man, it's been doubly hard because nobody wants to hear my fears or concerns (unless i pay them).
As men get older, nobody really wants to be their friends any more, so it's hard to have anyone to talk to about things without hearing "too heavy" in their silence.

[Mel Fulks]

Prashun, sounds like your beer brand might have a new "alcohol free" product. Check the label.
As there is less sun shine ,I have at times sat in bright electric light in the morning, and it helps. Always enjoy your posts
and fine work.

[Todd Trebuna]

Hi Andrew, I've been working from home since March 13, except for the last 5 weeks where I've been involved in commissioning a power system project at work.

Tomorrow is the last day and then I will return to working at home.

90% of our company is working from home and apparently our productivity is higher than when we are at work.

I live in Toronto and we are under lockdown again as Covid-19 numbers are climbing.

Thanksgiving was last month, since we couldn't have guests we had a lot of leftover turkey:D, I presume Christmas will be no visitors also. We've let everyone know that in lieu of gifts we want charitable donations, there are a lot of people suffering this year.

Hope your wife is fine.............regards, Rod.

Really appreciate the part about the charitable donations.

[Steve Demuth]

Covid has been a minor inconvenience to me, coupled with a major improvement. The minor inconvenience is that I have to plan a bit more for the rare times I need to go out to get something, and I do miss going out to eat with my wife one a month or so. But the flip side is that I no longer have any commute at all, and don't have to put all the energy it takes an introvert like me to work face-to-face with people. I sleep better, eat better, and exercise more. The net for me personally has been a massive improvement in my quality of life.

But the need for increased caution is a new stress on my already modestly stressed wife. She does have a life outside the home and job, and it's been shrunk to almost nothing. And she will miss not seeing our kids for Thanksgiving and Christmas a lot. She's patient though. Next year will likely be better.

Overall, I have to say that the country will have gotten by with a small to moderate injury. It could have been much smaller, had we an operating public health system, and a population who took it seriously, but compared to the potential havoc and destruction that a novel zoonosis jumping into the global population could have caused, this one will be a historical blip. This could easily have had the mortal effectiveness of SARS-CoV-1 combined with the ease of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and then instead of maybe half a million total deaths and a couple years of lost economic vitality, we'd have 1 in 5 or more of our population dead, and the economy at a complete standstill. I give thanks for the small favors fate has for us every day.

[Bill Carey]

No changes for us really. We're boring and never go anywhere anyway. Had 3 meetings in the last 3 months with the grandkids and great grandkids - all outside wearing masks. But the little ones don't get it and just run up to us for hugs. How can something that good be bad?? Our county had a 37% positivity rate 3 weeks ago, and we are currently at 18%, so we go nowhere. We drive 70 miles to a grocery store that will bring the order out to our car. Small town of 800 souls and the guy across the street got it and was in the hospital. The last warm wave we didn't even open the windows in the front of the house, which faces his place. Work is no big deal since I've worked from home for the last 6 years. Last week I was feeling pretty lousy, with a fever, so my doc wanted me tested and it was negative. So there's an upside, and there haven't been many. When the best thing to happen to you in months is that you don't have a deadly disease, things are pretty fubar.

[Kev Williams]

We've been shut-ins since 2014, due to good business. Been working 17-7 on average for the past 4 years. Only thing that changed is wearing masks, and to this day, sanitizing virtually everything that comes into this house. My only exposure to the public is drop-offs at the post office, grocery shopping, and the occasional Lowes-Depot runs. The wife visits our 4 immediate neighbors. Since our area went from 150 cases to 4500 cases per day within days we don't trust ANY outside food.

I figured pizza was pretty safe, right up until the last time I picked up and noticed the gal cutting up my pizza had gloves on, but wasn't wearing a mask. http://www.engraver1.com/gifs/orelse.gif

[Bruce King]

For those with kids this is a good time to build their thinking skills. School is mostly memorization and sometimes easy multiple choice tests. Remember how a lot of people in your class hated word problems? They were my favorite, a way to relate things to real life. Give your kids word problems that answers can’t be googled or text a friend for the answer. Things to build their self confidence by accomplishing things. It will vary a lot by age but all students should know more about building things, houses, cars, personal finances, insurance, law and health. Not all kids like art but they should learn how to draw simple objects with accuracy. Also draw flow charts to show a thought process involved in figuring out something. The goal is to expose them to many things in hope that a light bulb will light up in their head by 16 and at least before 30.

[Rod Sheridan]

Really appreciate the part about the charitable donations.

Thanks Todd, I always get charitable donations instead of gifts, this year my family is doing that as well.....Rod

[Jim Koepke]

Remember how a lot of people in your class hated word problems? They were my favorite, a way to relate things to real life. Give your kids word problems that answers can’t be googled or text a friend for the answer. Things to build their self confidence by accomplishing things.

Here's one:

445563

jtk

[Nathan Johnson]

We've been shut-ins since 2014, due to good business. Been working 17-7 on average for the past 4 years. Only thing that changed is wearing masks, and to this day, sanitizing virtually everything that comes into this house. My only exposure to the public is drop-offs at the post office, grocery shopping, and the occasional Lowes-Depot runs. The wife visits our 4 immediate neighbors. Since our area went from 150 cases to 4500 cases per day within days we don't trust ANY outside food.

I figured pizza was pretty safe, right up until the last time I picked up and noticed the gal cutting up my pizza had gloves on, but wasn't wearing a mask. http://www.engraver1.com/gifs/orelse.gif

You should treat yourself to that pizza. There is no convincing evidence of transmission by food. Have it delivered, wash your hands, (and wipe down the packaging if you so desire) and nom nom nom.
I wouldn’t have survived the year without pizza. 

https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/newsletter/food-safety-and-Coronavirus.html

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

I have several nurses and health care workers in the family. Last week, one came down testing positive. Two days of slight fever, coughing, etc. I was taking care of her. Did the masks, gloves, sanitizers etc. I got it anyway. I had a very slight fever for 36 hours. Head aches, a little short of breath, constant tickle down in lungs. I actually have periods where I feel fine and then suddenly break out in a sweat. Relative goes back to work tomorrow and I am quarantined another two days. Considering that I already have interstitial lung disease, I am doing pretty well considering. I have been taking 2,000 units of D3 every day for a couple years now and I am drinking a pint of tonic water a day, the one with quinine. I have also been drinking a lot of mullein tea. The shortness of breath I suffered for years seems to have lessened somewhat since I started the mullein tea. Darn stuff is expensive, but even if the effect is just in my head, I'll take it. My Mrs., a nurse, has had several co-workers come down with it. (about half so far.) I figured she would get it if I had it, but so far, no. I hear horro stories of people getting so sick over night that they cannot breathe on their own, etc.

[Andrew Joiner]

Hope your recovery is swift Perry.

[Andrew Joiner]

Hi Andrew,

Hope your wife is fine.............regards, Rod.
Thanks Rod. 4 days into her quarantine she's still fine.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Been out to eat twice. First time, we were one of two couples in resturant. Second time, daughter and SIL took us out for Mother's / Father's day. Went to a steak house, where everyone was wearing a mask till they sat in booths. Unfortunately, our booth was on the trail to the restrooms. No one on that trail wore a mask. We've done takeout an couple times. Tomorrow for my birthday, wife is taking me for seafood, which we will eat in the car. I long for the days when I can go into a store that DOESN'T have grocery carts out front. Groceries, HD / Lowes, and gas stations are the only places we go. Miss hanging out with our widow / widower friends. Thankfully, last year we got to do several outings together. Still take biscuits to them on first Sunday. Making some pies and cooking some collards tomorrow to distribute to them. Missed State Fair, and the ministry we work with. Missed several friends celebration of life services. No church, or Sunday school, plus Wednesday night meals in fellowship hall. Miss monthly senior covered dish lunches at town hall. But I'm so confident that by this time next year, we will be on the road to recovery, that I bought a turkey and put it in freezer for next year's dinner. Dinner is first Thursday of the month, so in November turkeys aren't on sale that soon. Thirty nine cent a pound turkey tastes a lot better than dollar fifty nine turkey. Am so PROUD of our govenor for taking the necessary steps to slow spread.

[Andrew Joiner]

Thanks so much for all your responses. It helps me keep my situation in perspective. Sad to hear 2 creekers have covid.

Good to hear some of you are looking on the bright side and doing well. I'm an introvert as well and ok with social distancing even before covid.:rolleyes:
However, when all this is over I'm going to be hugging people like a maniac! Maybe I'm a closeted extrovert:)

I'm grateful we can share our experiences and feelings here without getting political.

[Bert Kemp]

I was invited to Turkey Dinner at friends house weeks ago, got an email this morning her husband tested Positive so dinner is canceled.I haven't been out to eat in months. Done take out a couple times and a couple times drive thru.My volunteer work with the PGR has changed a lot and slowed down too. I couldn't go home this summer because of it.

[Scott Winners]

I am pretty burnt out. I am nerdy enough that I have pretty much social distanced for a couple decades now, I would rather be out in my shop figuring something out rather than "hanging out" on a couch somewhere.

I do miss going to church, and going out for tacos with my wife after church. A lot. As crew chief for my church's youth BBQ team we did serve close to 300 plates this summer, 150 plates at each of two church picnics. The team was masked and six feet in the pit area well away from the crowd. I think (haven't been since March) about half of my church is showing up, unmasked, for services every week. They livestream on youtube and the cameras are kinda close to the front, I can't see how crowded the sanctuary is behind the cameras.

I am getting antsy about teaching and training new youth to join the team. I have two on the team now who will be starting college in Sep 2021 and plenty of kids who are "old enough to join." I hate to say no to them. I can't realistically run in person classes until I have been vaccinated; but I need at least two, four would be better new members on the team in April 2021 so I can get them up to speed to contribute to the May 2021 picnic and be independent by May 2022. With my job I will likely get the vaccine in the first major wave ( I am a practicing RN), but I would still have to have the new kids over one on one and outdoors so they don't get into my wife's bubble. Very time consuming.

I readily recognize many people are starting to feel the need to socialize outweighs the need to beat the pandemic. It is not that the folks making interstate trips for Thanksgiving are ignorant or apathetic, they just care more about socializing. I expect my local hospital will run out of beds just before Christmas. I have done my best.

[Doug Dawson]

However, when all this is over I'm going to be hugging people like a maniac!

Be wary. Unless something is done about the eating of monkey meat, or about our collective attitudes towards behavior during an epidemic, it’s going to happen again. Let’s not cull the herd.

[Jason Roehl]

Wife and I both recently had it (we went back work late last week after two weeks off each). We have no idea where we got it. She was showing symptoms first, but none of her co-workers have had it. I work in a much busier building, but not with the public, so I’m around the same people every day, and none of them have had it. Church is a possibility, but we were the first to get it (one of our home groups later was exposed, and a few may have it now). We have been going out to eat regularly, including a week before our first symptoms, but the couple we went out with that time never got it (a six-brewery day, a few counties away). The last stop looked a bit crowded to me.

Anyway, the worst of it for me was about 5 days of a low fever, along with head- and body-aches, chills, sweats, a little nasal and chest congestion/cough. I could take ibuprofen and feel great because it knocked out the fever, but I wanted the fever to do its job. I slept a LOT more, and am still a little low on energy. Wife was similar—both of us felt like we had a mild flu.

At first, we were getting takeout at least once a week from the local restaurants we liked, to support them. Once the lockdowns were lifted in May, we started going out to eat again, but probably not as frequently, and still mainly locally-owned joints.

I’m now looking into donating plasma so that it can potentially help the seriously ill.

[Adam Grund]

Our plans remain largely unchanged. Parents on both sides watch the kids couple times a week when the wife works, so celebrating thanksgiving dinner with both sides. My wife is a social butterfly, I wouldn’t care if my social wings were clipped, stomped and burned. So silver lining for me is all of this has tremendously slowed down all the social gatherings we “just have to “ go to 😃

[Michael Weber]

My wife is an extrovert so this has been more difficult for her than for me. The one thing she did not give up is her Sunday school class. It met all summer and continues to meet in our side yard. When it was hot the chairs were placed in a wide spaced circle under two large specimen trees that eventually became known as the Bradford Pear Sanctuary. Still meeting but in the sun. Some neighbors have begun coming.

[Ronald Blue]

I have several nurses and health care workers in the family. Last week, one came down testing positive. Two days of slight fever, coughing, etc. I was taking care of her. Did the masks, gloves, sanitizers etc. I got it anyway. I had a very slight fever for 36 hours. Head aches, a little short of breath, constant tickle down in lungs. I actually have periods where I feel fine and then suddenly break out in a sweat. Relative goes back to work tomorrow and I am quarantined another two days. Considering that I already have interstitial lung disease, I am doing pretty well considering. I have been taking 2,000 units of D3 every day for a couple years now and I am drinking a pint of tonic water a day, the one with quinine. I have also been drinking a lot of mullein tea. The shortness of breath I suffered for years seems to have lessened somewhat since I started the mullein tea. Darn stuff is expensive, but even if the effect is just in my head, I'll take it. My Mrs., a nurse, has had several co-workers come down with it. (about half so far.) I figured she would get it if I had it, but so far, no. I hear horro stories of people getting so sick over night that they cannot breathe on their own, etc.

I can't say it's been terrible for me. I haven't had any fever since yesterday. They told me that 72 hours past the last fever I'm clear. I've had to make myself drink plenty of water. Today while I still have some muscle aches I'm mostly feeling pretty good. So far the wife hasn't gotten it which is good.

[Rob Luter]

I'm off a 10 day quarantine tomorrow following a positive test. Mild symptoms for both my bride and I. Never even had a fever. We were blessed.

[Jerry Bruette]

At deer camp right now and I'll be cutting the hunt short to do a pre quarantine to my post test quarantine. I'm scheduled for a surgery on my left thumb on Dec.4. Test is on Nov. 30 and quarantine for 4 days after that, but some guys in camp are doing Thanksgiving with people from out of town and out of state so I'm done hunting sometime on Thursday.

[Dave Sheldrake]

I'm not a man of faith but I pray that nobody here will be the last person to die of covid before the vaccine rolls out in force.

we are gonna be good folks, hold the line...dig in just that bit longer

no matter what life throws our way, the universe always tends to unfold as it should

[Patrick McCarthy]

David, nice to hear from you and see you posting. Best, Patrick

[Brian Elfert]

I have done almost nothing social since early March. I'm not a social butterfly, but I miss seeing some of my friends at least once a month. No Thanksgiving dinner and probably no Christmas either. I'm working on a major electrical project and there is a shortage of certain electrical supplies so I've been to Menards, Home Depot, or both almost every day for the past six weeks buying parts. Luckily, my project is nearly over so I have minimal need to buy stuff anymore.

I went on a week long motorhome trip with four friends in late September. We all took a risk doing the trip, but nobody got sick. I almost certainly would not go now with the explosion in COVID cases. One friend is in the hospital now with COVID, but it certainly isn't from a trip almost two months ago.

I think I may have had COVID back in January before it became a thing, but I haven't wanted to spend $59 on a COVID antibody test to find out for sure.

[Matt Day]

Kids suffering in ways they don't appreciate and I can't control.
It's been very hard as a parent.
As a man, it's been doubly hard because nobody wants to hear my fears or concerns (unless i pay them).
As men get older, nobody really wants to be their friends any more, so it's hard to have anyone to talk to about things without hearing "too heavy" in their silence.

Sorry to hear you’re having a rough time Prashun. As a dad of young kids it is hardest to see them be affected, but don’t underestimate their resilience. Do your best with them, build your bond and make sure they know they can reply on you and hopefully you’ll come out on the other side of this better for it. That’s been my philosophy.

I have a number of guy friends but not a best friend whom I share things with, but I understand what you’re saying. And if the guys you’ve opened up to don’t listen or try to help they aren’t the friends you thought they were. When this Covid thing is over joint a club, pick up an old or new sport, etc and meet some new people.

Best of luck

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Matt, Prashun. I'll also add that many folks are facing the challenge with the kiddos by turning it into opportunities to do things differently. It's a balancing act for sure.

[Andrew Joiner]

Kids suffering in ways they don't appreciate and I can't control.
It's been very hard as a parent.
As a man, it's been doubly hard because nobody wants to hear my fears or concerns (unless i pay them).
As men get older, nobody really wants to be their friends any more, so it's hard to have anyone to talk to about things without hearing "too heavy" in their silence.

Prashun, I'd love to hear your fears and concerns. That's what this thread is about. I feel like I know you from your work and comments here. I have tremendous respect for you.

For me this thread helps me get my thoughts and fears in perspective. I feel a bit like I'm sitting around a pot belly stove shooting the breeze with my woodworking buddies.

[Rob Luter]

Kids suffering in ways they don't appreciate and I can't control.
It's been very hard as a parent.
As a man, it's been doubly hard because nobody wants to hear my fears or concerns (unless i pay them).
As men get older, nobody really wants to be their friends any more, so it's hard to have anyone to talk to about things without hearing "too heavy" in their silence.

Hey brother, I’d hear them for free. Blessings to you and yours. My kid is grown and gone and I’m really missing her. She’s fretting that her parents are now COVID statistics. You are fortunate to have yours home.

[David L Morse]

...We've let everyone know that in lieu of gifts we want charitable donations, there are a lot of people suffering this year....

Thank you Rod for a great idea. I've just asked everyone to donate to their local foodbank instead of buying me something. A lot more good will come from that.

[Rod Sheridan]

Thank you Rod for a great idea. I've just asked everyone to donate to their local foodbank instead of buying me something. A lot more good will come from that.

Thanks David, I personally don't accept Christmas gifts however this year my family isn't either. Normally the gifts i receive are Christmas dinners for 365 people at a local mission.

We've been very fortunate, Diann is retired, I'm working from home and my oldest daughter is working from her home.

The only outlier is my youngest daughter who is an ER nurse in the group that deals with the Covid patients. She's the one I constantly worry about.

As I watched this pandemic unfold we realised how fortunate we were, I was getting paid to work from home and gained about 12 hours a week of woodworking time by not commuting, a lot of people were far worse off. I'm now a supporter of some sort of basic or universal income.........Regards, Rod.

[Kev Williams]

We've been shut-ins since 2014, due to good business. Been working 17-7 on average for the past 4 years. Only thing that changed is wearing masks, and to this day, sanitizing virtually everything that comes into this house. My only exposure to the public is drop-offs at the post office, grocery shopping, and the occasional Lowes-Depot runs. The wife visits our 4 immediate neighbors. Since our area went from 150 cases to 4500 cases per day within days we don't trust ANY outside food.

I figured pizza was pretty safe, right up until the last time I picked up and noticed the gal cutting up my pizza had gloves on, but wasn't wearing a mask. http://www.engraver1.com/gifs/orelse.gif


You should treat yourself to that pizza. There is no convincing evidence of transmission by food. Have it delivered, wash your hands, (and wipe down the packaging if you so desire) and nom nom nom.
I wouldn’t have survived the year without pizza. 

https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/newsletter/food-safety-and-Coronavirus.html


(from the link above) In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from food products or packaging.

You're welcome to eat all the un-masked breathed-on pizza you want. "In general" and "likely" aren't anywhere NEAR "absolute" enough for me. How many posts in this thread, and on the local and national news lately, have I heard/read the phrase "...have NO idea where I got it..." ... In general, while not highly likely, it COULD be you got it from some fast food.

Sorry if I take this godforsaken virus VERY seriously...

[Brian Elfert]

You're welcome to eat all the un-masked breathed-on pizza you want. "In general" and "likely" aren't anywhere NEAR "absolute" enough for me. How many posts in this thread, and on the local and national news lately, have I heard/read the phrase "...have NO idea where I got it..." ... In general, while not highly likely, it COULD be you got it from some fast food.

Sorry if I take this godforsaken virus VERY seriously...

Do you eat stuff kept cold in the refrigerator without heating it first? Viruses are kept alive by storing them at cold temperatures so the virus could be active for a long time on cold food.

I don't blame you for not wanting to eat pizza when an unmasked worker handled it. I wash every grocery item I can in hot soapy dishwater before putting it away or eating it. I eat more chips than I should and every bag is washed before opening. (I don't use wipes on my groceries because they are bad for the environment and hard to get. Soapy water works just fine.)

[Jim Koepke]

Sorry if I take this godforsaken virus VERY seriously...

Many of us are glad that you do take it seriously Kev, only wish everyone did.

jtk

[Tom M King]

The reason it's so out of hand is that not enough people are taking it seriously. We have not transmitted it to anyone else, nor have we had it. The first is more important. We started taking it seriously in the middle of February.

As to how it's affecting us lately, my 104 year old Mother, who is mostly paralyzed on one side, from a stroke in August, is living with us, because she really doesn't have anywhere else to go. When she had the stroke, they tested her Negative before she was admitted in the hospital. While she was in the hospital, the Assisted Living place where she was living got an influx of Covid cases. Some of the attendants there believed it was a hoax, because of....you know.........

[Jim Becker]

As to how it's affecting us lately, my 104 year old Mother, who is mostly paralyzed on one side, from a stroke in August, is living with us, because she really doesn't have anywhere else to go. When she had the stroke, they tested her Negative before she was admitted in the hospital. While she was in the hospital, the Assisted Living place where she was living got an influx of Covid cases. Some of the attendants there believed it was a hoax, because of....you know.........

A close college friend of Professor Dr. SWMBO just lost her 95 year old mother this morning to COVID that was passed to her in her assisted living facility. That place also wasn't taking things as serious as they could have been...too lax on visitation, etc., and it only takes one infected visitor or staff member to start the ball rolling. The facility my mother was living in before she passed away this past June fortunately didn't have any cased...they locked the place down pretty hard which wasn't easy since it's a life-care community where most residents live independently and come/go as they please. But I know it would have taken my mother lickety-split with her pulmonary issues and imuno compromises from Crohn's.

The Professor and I were talking this morning and her opinion as an epidemiologist and public health expert is that we are all going to have to be really, really careful over the next month or so because of the level of Thanksgiving frolic that happened with travel and gatherings, etc. We are already pretty darn careful, but other than food shopping, we're planning pretty much on being hermits. ;) Fortunately, our birds will keep us busy with all their orders and commands. :D

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Covid is raging locally. A month ago our county was #37 out of 44 for daily new cases /100,000. A week or so ago we had risen to #1. Now we are down to #13. A neighbor across the street from us with underlying conditions has an office and one of the workers there is his adult son from whom he caught Covid 19. So far he is doing well. We haven't been to the gym since last December as we began painting , buying furniture and redecorating our LR and FR. One of the women in my wife's senior fitness class passed away yesterday from Covid. Her husband is also infected and hospitalized.

Until I have been vaccinated and 8 weeks have past, my wife and I will continue keeping a low profile.

Stay safe!

[Charles Taylor]

My father-in-law was diagnosed with it Wednesday a week ago after not feeling well since that Monday. Felt better for a while but then had several days this week where he felt poorly again, which I understand is the common experience with this virus. He is on the mend, it seems, but he still has some distance to go in convalescing. My wife is a nurse practitioner, so he's under her watchful eye. No one in my house has been ill lately.

[Brian Elfert]

I was reading an article yesterday about a local health system that has opened a clinic specifically for those suffering long term affects from having COVID.

One patient was on a respirator for 58 days. He also suffered a stroke during treatment somehow. His memory was affected so much that he didn't remember his wife after getting off the respirator. It took days for his memory to start to clear up. He will be working with an occupational therapist long term to get back his motor skills. He worked as a respiratory therapist, but he probably can never go back to that job due to the risk of injury to his damaged lungs. He is looking at becoming an asthma educator instead. I don't recall the article mentioning if he got COVID at work or not.

[Kev Williams]

Do you eat stuff kept cold in the refrigerator without heating it first? Viruses are kept alive by storing them at cold temperatures so the virus could be active for a long time on cold food.

I don't blame you for not wanting to eat pizza when an unmasked worker handled it. I wash every grocery item I can in hot soapy dishwater before putting it away or eating it. I eat more chips than I should and every bag is washed before opening. (I don't use wipes on my groceries because they are bad for the environment and hard to get. Soapy water works just fine.)

Just outside our front door are two tables, a large towel, and a spray bottle of Clorox bleach sanitizer. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING that comes past our front door gets disinfected-groceries, customer parts, the mail, shipped packages, cash, car parts, everything. I use nitrile gloves when shopping, and retrieving the groceries from the car or van. For groceries, the towel gets doused with with the Clorox all sides of everything packaged get toweled. I re-spray the towel often. All fresh veggies get a full washdown. Mail, small packages, cash, etc either gets spray disinfected (Lysol, Microban, etc.) or smeared with hand sanitizer and nitrile gloves. In my garage shop I have a 2' square sheet of copper on a table I'll put things like bananas, onions, small packages etc. on for good measure. I deal with customers outside whenever possible, masked and 6' away if indoors.

I saw a comedian recently (forget who) who made light of "isn't it a waste to put plexiglas in between you and the checker who just bagged all your groceries with bare hands?" --That's why we do all this sanitizing. Just getting the mail is scary. We're both 66 years old, overweight and self-employed- if I were unable to work for even a week, many of our customers would be forced to look elsewhere for engraving and may never come back. For these and many other reasons, we can't afford to drop our guard for a second...

[Brian Elfert]

I saw a comedian recently (forget who) who made light of "isn't it a waste to put plexiglas in between you and the checker who just bagged all your groceries with bare hands?" --That's why we do all this sanitizing. Just getting the mail is scary. We're both 66 years old, overweight and self-employed- if I were unable to work for even a week, many of our customers would be forced to look elsewhere for engraving and may never come back. For these and many other reasons, we can't afford to drop our guard for a second...

Surfaces are supposedly less of an issue than transmission through the air. Would it be any better if the cashier used gloved hands to handle items? Gloves still get dirty. The only way gloves would help is if a fresh pair was used for every customer and the cashier washed or sanitized hands before putting on the new gloves. Taking off the old gloves will contaminate the hands.

The plexiglass used at a lot of retailers is a joke. Two or three feet of plexiglass is not going to stop germs in the air. Costco did it right with plexiglass from one end of the checkout lane to the other end. Each lane has probably ten feet of plexiglass.

[Andrew Joiner]

We have a restaurant in town that had servers wearing only these at the beginning of the face covering requirements in April:eek:. Actually it was an inch higher, almost enough to cover the nose.


https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/cc4e1166-b477-4e41-a0df-796b9121a7c6_1.66ef4e16a05d4166a4ac317a3db8e1af.jp eg

[Frank Pratt]

The plastic shields don't count as masks here. People with a medical condition that precludes mask use can use the shields.

[Julie Moriarty]

The best part of living in Florida is when the summer heat goes away and the snowbirds fly in. The block fills up and everybody comes out from 6+ months of being "quarantined" in air conditioning. During the summer, masks and social distancing wasn't a big deal.... for me. For my SO, who works, it was a struggle. Meeting all day with people who refused to heed medical advice while trying to keep COVID out of our house was exhausting.

But now that the cooler weather is here, I am beginning to feel the isolation even more. Our friends held the annual Christmas decorating party a couple of weeks ago but we didn't go for fear one or both of us could be carriers. I miss being with people.

[Jim Matthews]

Sorry if I take this godforsaken virus VERY seriously...

That's your "Common sense" superpower tingling.

There's not enough public viewing of suffering in Hospitals to convince the intractable.

https://www.newstatesman.com/international/coronavirus/2020/10/ten-lessons-covid-19-pandemic

[Michael Weber]

Deniers, and I live in an area full of such, are a primary reason that hospitals in my area will soon be lining up beds in hallways.

[Ronald Blue]

We used caution, wore masks, social distanced and I managed to get it somewhere. I've been in the hospital since Sunday the 29th with covid pneumonia. I'm improving but it's not been fun. There is so much variation in how people react to it. I was skeptical in the beginning of this. Then I started taking it more serious. Then after all these months I contracted it. I hope to have some ideas this morning how much longer I'm going to be here. They've treated very aggressively here. Remdesivir, 5th dose coming tonight. Convalescent plasma. And a plethora of other things. This has been kicking my butt. You just don't know what to expect. If you haven't had it do all you can to avoid it.

[Jim Becker]

Ron, I hope your healing continues and any lingering effects are very short term!

And you are correct...even with the best precautions, one can still get it. But those precautions are still critical to both prevent spread aind hopefully also help reduce the effect if one does get exposed. Initial virus load does seem to matter relative to severity in some patients.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Here's thoughts and prayers for your continued rapid improvement Ron!

[Andrew Joiner]

Thank you Ron for your update. Tough news. Your story really helps me want to keep playing it safe.
I hope you heal fast.

On a brighter note-- For the first time in 12 days I got to hug my wife yesterday;) She had 2 more days in quarantine but the CDC shortened it.

[Josko Catipovic]

No big impact, except I'm getting tired of my hermit life and teleworking. On the good side, credit card bills are about a third of what they used to be before Covid.

[Derek Meyer]

My wife came down with Covid a couple of days before Thanksgiving. She had a sinus infection at the time so she thought that was all that was wrong. She saw her doctor and even her doctor told her she likely did not have Covid, but her daughter insisted that she get tested and she was positive. I, having cold symptoms that started a day after hers, got tested as well, and came back positive.

We always wear masks when we are in public and I try to limit my shopping and such to essential trips only. In the 10 days I was quarantined (my medical provider recommended 10 days of quarantine from the first day I started showing symptoms) the only place I went was the testing center. I was tired all the time. It was common for us to go to bed by 11 and sleep 10-12 hours. My symptoms, in addition to fatigue, were like a mild cold, with a bit of congestion and a very sporadic cough (flared up for a few minutes every day or so). I had no real breathing issues (my provider examined me during the test and looked for respiratory problems) but I avoided anything that could be a trigger, so no woodworking (sawdust) or cooking fumes for me. Today is my first day back at work after being symptom-free for 24 hours, as recommended.

My wife is now symptom-free but has to wait until next Monday before she can go back to work. She can visit her mother now, though she is wearing a mask because her mother has COPD and other issues that make her a high-risk if infected with Covid. It's tough because my wife is her mother's primary caregiver (she gets paid to take care of her) and not being able to do that was rough on both of them. We made it through, though.

We were both fortunate that our symptoms were pretty mild. I count our blessings that it wasn't worse.

[Ronald Blue]

My wife came down with Covid a couple of days before Thanksgiving. She had a sinus infection at the time so she thought that was all that was wrong. She saw her doctor and even her doctor told her she likely did not have Covid, but her daughter insisted that she get tested and she was positive. I, having cold symptoms that started a day after hers, got tested as well, and came back positive.

We always wear masks when we are in public and I try to limit my shopping and such to essential trips only. In the 10 days I was quarantined (my medical provider recommended 10 days of quarantine from the first day I started showing symptoms) the only place I went was the testing center. I was tired all the time. It was common for us to go to bed by 11 and sleep 10-12 hours. My symptoms, in addition to fatigue, were like a mild cold, with a bit of congestion and a very sporadic cough (flared up for a few minutes every day or so). I had no real breathing issues (my provider examined me during the test and looked for respiratory problems) but I avoided anything that could be a trigger, so no woodworking (sawdust) or cooking fumes for me. Today is my first day back at work after being symptom-free for 24 hours, as recommended.

My wife is now symptom-free but has to wait until next Monday before she can go back to work. She can visit her mother now, though she is wearing a mask because her mother has COPD and other issues that make her a high-risk if infected with Covid. It's tough because my wife is her mother's primary caregiver (she gets paid to take care of her) and not being able to do that was rough on both of them. We made it through, though.

We were both fortunate that our symptoms were pretty mild. I count our blessings that it wasn't worse.

Derek I'm glad your symptoms were minor. My experience hasn't been so pleasant unfortunately. I'm home now but on low level oxygen. They say it might be weeks before my lungs are back to "normal". The question is what's the new normal going to be? I don't know if I should have sought medical attention sooner. There is no script for this. I beg people to use masks and social distance. Even when you are being careful you obviously can be exposed.

[Frank Pratt]

Well, I heard a report today saying that a Covid after effect may be erectile dysfunction. Cause by the havoc it cause to the vascular system. Here's hoping that doesn't happen to you people that have gotten sick from it.