Had to come home from work sick.

[Aristus]

Cough with some mild chest pain, no fever, chills, or respiratory distress. I think it's just the bronchitis Mrs. Aristus has had for the last three weeks. I'm surprised it took me this long to start getting symptoms.

One of my colleagues is testing me for COVID-19. I'm getting symptomatic treatment, and came home to self-isolate until I get the test results and no longer have a cough.

I know I don't have the flu because I got vaccinated, (kiss my ass, anti-vaxxers...)

We'll see what happens.

I love you all...

[dweller]

1. will Mrs. A

get tested too, just to be safe ?

✌🏼

[Aristus]

3. It's best if she doesn't leave the house.

She's 60 and has diabetes. Being immunocompromised like that is the reason she's been sick for three weeks.

[pnwmom]

46. Coronavirus can manifest itself simply as bronchitis, or with no symptoms at all.

A few weeks ago, a friend's young adult daughter had bronchitis with no fever. She had an unusually hard time, and even needed oxygen, though she had no preexisting conditions. The family and doctors never suspected coronavirus though, because there were no reported cases in her area. Now there are more than a couple thousand, including her sister-in-law.

[Cousin Dupree]

2. Stay well. Thank you for not randpauling. (Not that you would)

[2naSalit]

4. Yikes...

Do take care and check in when you can. Hope you feel better soon!

[Aristus]

5. 'When I can'.

I'm home. My favorite thing to do when I get tired of reading is surfing DU. You'll probably get sick of seeing me around...

[2naSalit]

7. ...

Doubt I'll be sick of you, but if you aren't feeling well, sometimes the screen is hard to deal with.

[Aristus]

8. Aw, nice!

[3catwoman3]

44. We will not get sick of you - not a chance.

I am home involuntarily. Patient numbers are down at the pediatric office as we are doing our best to abide by the CDC recommendation to manage mild symptoms with telephone discussions. At the end of the work day on Friday, the managing partner in the practice, who was my colleague of the day, informed me that I needn’t come in this week, and therefore, would not be getting paid. All 9 of the physicians will still be working, although fewer hours. I’m the only NP.

My contract specifies that I must give 18 month notice of plans to retire, which I did last month. Talk about a one way street. I’ve been there 23 years and 10 months. This makes me feel completely inconsequential

They hope this is a temporary situation. I confess to being suspicious that they are trying to get me to leave now. I think I should make them lay me off rather than retire so I can perhaps collect unemployment.

[Phoenix61]

51. Absolutely! What a crappy thing to do to you.

It’s always disappointing when people we’ve known a long time turn out to be complete asses.

[defacto7]

6. It could still be the flu, just less likely.

Anti-vaxers don't help the vaccine do it's job as well as it could.

[Aristus]

9. There's an outside chance, but a partial immunity can be the difference between life and death.

[LisaL]

12. Several people I know got the flu this winter despite being vaccinated.

Flu vaccine is far from being a 100% effective.

[PatSeg]

41. Sometimes there's more than one strain

or a strain mutates enough that the vaccine is not effective. The 2018 flu vaccine was only 29% and the 2019 vaccine was 40% to 60% effective. So there is no guarantee that one won't get the flu if one received the vaccine.

[LisaL]

10. I know several people who got the flu this winter despite being vaccinated.

So don't be so sure you can't get the flu.

[Aristus]

14. The point is to reduce the risk. And the flu vaccine does that.

Substantially.

Incidentally, and I can say this as a medical provider, everyone thinks they've got the flu even when it's just a common, garden-variety cold.

I try to avoid giving credence to anecdotal evidence the purpose of which is to discredit vaccination.

[LisaL]

15. The people I know were tested and test came back positive for influenza.

So it wasn't a cold. If you don't believe it, so be it.

[Aristus]

16. Sure...

n/t

[LisaL]

17. Influenza type A to be precise.

But you are welcome not to believe it.

[Aristus]

18. Belief has nothing to do with it.

When it comes to

"Vaccines substantially reduce deaths from preventable disease"

and

"I believe vaccines are ineffective and even harmful"

the science is on my side.

[LisaL]

19. I haven't said that I believe vaccines are ineffective and even harmful.

But flu vaccine is far from being highly effective. Thus you can be vaccinated and still get it.

[Aristus]

20. The whole purpose of your responses here is to discredit vaccination.

No one who supports the medical importance of vaccination says things like "Well, you know, I had a friend who..."

[LisaL]

21. So if I actually have a friend who got vaccinated and still got the flu, I can't post it?

Because it discredits vaccinations? Even if I am telling the truth and nothing but the truth?

[Aristus]

22. Add the caveat that the vaccination, if it wasn't the one for the flu strain she was exposed to,

still offered a partial immunity and may have saved her life, and post away.

[LisaL]

23. I can't argue with you there. I am not psychic so I have no idea what would have happened.

[Brainstormy]

70. don't bother. You're going to be excoriated if you say

anything about flu shots. And whatever you do, don't send anyone to the CDC to discover that for a decade there hasn't been any flu vaccine with an efficacy rate over 50%. They'll call you an antivaxer and that will be the nicest thing they say.

[cilla4progress]

30. Thanks,

A.

Husband and I (65) get the vaccine every year, even tho we know there might be some precautions / downsides.
Neither of us have ever had a bad reaction. I am sympathetic to the distrust of government with these vaccines, but it's a personal decision and we always have gone with it. Cost-benefit analysis.

Sounds like it's a sound decision!

27 yo daughter doesn't; wish she would

[pnwmom]

60. I know someone like that. But she just assumed it was the flu -- no one tested her for it.

Now I'm wondering if she could have been an early case of Coronavirus -- because her job did put her into regular contact with people who traveled back and forth to China.

[cayugafalls]

11. Stay well my new DU friend.

Sending love and positive energy your way from our family to yours.

Peace

[ploppy]

13. Take care

and stay safe!

[Niagara]

24. You know the drill

Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated.


Keep an close eye on your symptoms and please keep us updated.

[Aristus]

25. Will do...

[cilla4progress]

26. Well, this is concerning!

What will you do if you test positive? Stay home, so long as you can?

I've been reading some folks feel like this virus has been around since at least December, based on symptoms of their own, or people in their lives.

When will you get your test results? You will let us know?

TAKE CARE, ARISTUS..BELOVED MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY!!!

[Aristus]

31. Thank you, Cilla. I will.

If I test positive, I'm already doing really the only thing anyone can do; treat the symptoms, rest, and avoid spreading the infection. Patients experiencing respiratory distress should go to the hospital. Anyone not having it should keep the exams rooms clear for those who are.

[cilla4progress]

32. Wise words.

Thank you and take care!

[Varaddem]

39. +1

[greatauntoftriplets]

27. Take care and do what the doctor/PA tells you.

[alwaysinasnit]

28. Wishing you and all your loved ones well. Please take good care of yourselves.

[LuckyCharms]

29. I'll be thinking of you and Mrs. A. Best wishes to both of you, and I hope

you both are feeling better very soon. Rest up!

[emmaverybo]

33. Wishing you and Mrs. Aristus to recover and stay safe.

❤️

[gademocrat7]

34. Take care

Hope you feel better soon.

[GentryDixon]

35. Take care of yourself! 🤒🌡️

I know your patients will miss you.

[barbtries]

36. how wonderful for you

that you have testing readily available. be sure and let us know your results. i tend to think you're right and it's something else, because fever seems to be a hallmark of this virus. IF you end up with one, all bets are off.

hope you get well soon!

[Aristus]

38. Washington State has been hit pretty hard by the virus.

Not as hard as New York State and a couple of others. But we're fortunate to have Governor Jay Inslee calling the shots for the state government, and he's been calling some good ones. From a stay-at-home order to ensuring a plentiful supply of testing kits. I don't know how many of my medical colleagues have been tested so far, but I didn't want to get tested unless I had symptoms, so we could save testing kits for patients who have them.

[ancianita]

37. Please take care. Hope you both return to health soon.

[wendyb-NC]

40. Sorry to hear you are not feeling well, Aristus.

Glad you are being tested for Covid-19, you are self isolating at home. Take care, get the rest and treatment you need to feel better.

[lillypaddle]

42. Fingers crossed

for a negative test. Feel better soon.

[Aristus]

43. Thanks. I'll keep you posted...

[GemDigger]

45. Well that just sucks. Even if it is just a cold or mild flu, that timing just sucks.

What is the wait time for results?

[rurallib]

47. very best wishes

[hurple]

48. Hmmm...

I have those exact same symptoms. My wife has something approximating a really nasty head cold.

I'm curious about your test results, it might give me some insight into what's in this house.

😁

Added on edit: part of me hopes it is COVID since it's not that bad, and we have nowhere to go for awhile. (I'm working from home for at least 2 more weeks) it'd be great to just get it over with so we don't keep worrying how bad it'll be on us.

[agalisgv]

49. Get well soon

[tblue37]

50. But this year's flu vaccine is said to be less effect than usual, and flu vaccine don't 100% protect

against flu anyway. You might still get the flu, but have a milder, shorter case.

[Anon-C]

52. Self-care on steroids, my friend. You and Mrs. A please get better.

[Aristus]

66. Right now, my self-care consists of coffee with a generous dollop of Irish Cream.

[Phoenix61]

53. Hope you and yours get to feeling better soon.

Maybe a nice hot toddy and a little nap?

[samnsara]

54. so even if you test negative is it still 2 weeks isolation?

[pnwmom]

61. Unfortunately, one negative test doesn't preclude coronavirus, especially

in the case of symptoms. Sometimes the viral load isn't sufficient at the moment of testing, and it is later on. And some people have even given false negatives at a point when they were feeling better, and then they relapsed.

[Ohiogal]

55. Get better soon, Aristus

We know you’ll take care ....

[StarryNite]

56. When they test are they only testing for COVID19?

Or do they test for flu strains as well?

[Aristus]

67. They tested me for Influenza A&B, too.

I left the clinic to come home before the results were up. I know I don't have the flu, and they would have called me by now if it popped up positive.

[steve2470]

57. hope you and your wife feel better soon! nt

[Just_Vote_Dem]

58. Feel better!

[Chainfire]

59. In the Deep South

Every tree imaginable is flowering out, the pollen is crazy, my wife and I have been sniffling and snorting for three weeks. You can probably tell by my typing that I am hoarse. Every time I cough, I become concerned that I have IT.

[hlthe2b]

62. I'll be thinking of you and hope this is just a cold or bronchitis. When others depend on you to be

there, it makes one feel a lot differently about getting sick. I've been checking my temp every morning for three weeks now, but it is hard not to imagine a tickle in the throat or understandable fatigue as suggestive of something more.

Rest up and do whatever you have to do not to dwell on all going on. Meditation for the stress.

[Fla Dem]

63. All the best, hope it's just a cold. Do what you'd order others to do and follow your instructions!

[ailsagirl]

64. Take care of yourself, Aristus

And keep us posted.

[area51]

65. Hope you feel better soon. n/t

[smirkymonkey]

68. Hope you feel better soon Aristus!

Take care of yourself and go see a doctor if things get worse. This could get serious!

[Aristus]

69. I visited with one of my colleagues this morning. We did it just like any other patient visit.

I've got meds for my symptoms, and time off from work until my symptoms resolve, and maybe longer.