Health, Hygiene and Safety Tips for living under Coronavirus quarantine

[JrzyGirl70]

My BIL just had his 5 year cancer check up (Colon Cancer Stage 3) diagnosed at 45yo. During his colonoscopy my sister was advised that she could not come inside the building during the procedure and had to wait in the parking lot. She was absolutely not allowed to leave the premises. I'm really not sure why that was the case, it's not like she could do anything if something were to happen during the procedure. So she sat there for 2.5 hours, she finally had to beg the security guard at the door to let her use the bathroom.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

My BIL just had his 5 year cancer check up (Colon Cancer Stage 3) diagnosed at 45yo. During his colonoscopy my sister was advised that she could not come inside the building during the procedure and had to wait in the parking lot. She was absolutely not allowed to leave the premises. I'm really not sure why that was the case, it's not like she could do anything if something were to happen during the procedure. So she sat there for 2.5 hours, she finally had to beg the security guard at the door to let her use the bathroom.

That is the case with any outpatient procedure that DH and/or I have had (colonoscopies, cataracts, arthroscopic procedures). Medical personnel want to know that a patient's responsible party can be reached in case of an emergency, as well as having the driver available immediately following the patient's discharge. All of the medical facilities have had spacious waiting areas with comfortable seating, TV, magazines, Wi-Fi, coffee service, etc. Due to COVID, some of the amenities will probably not be available, but I'm sure that responsible parties who accompany patients will be well cared for like they have in the past.

I hope your BIL is going to be alright, JrzyGirl70.

 

[JrzyGirl70]

@BetteDavisEyes THANK YOU!! We are VERY fortunate and had wonderful doctors on our team. The five year mark of diagnosis just past and we have NED (no evidence of disease) so we count our blessings every year. If you saw him now, you would never believe how sick he was.

Hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life was tell my niece who was in High School at the time, starting to look at colleges that her Dad was sick, her mom couldn't do it. I'm normally the emotional one in our family, but somehow by the Grace of God, for the entire time during his treatment I became the strong, tough one, managed his care and managed my sister. You truly never know how strong you can be until you have to.

 

[Laughing]

re: friend/relative waiting during procedures. That's all about facility scheduling. The facility needs to know that the patient will be picked up on schedule after their procedure because the next scheduled patient needs that recovery room space once their procedure is complete.

We asked that question when I had a colonoscopy. A staff member explained it to us that way, they know how long you're in prep, how long your procedure takes, and how long your recovery takes. The building & the staff is scheduled for that day's patients.

She showed us parts of the schedule, I had bigger time blocks because apparently I'm tricky to sedate/anesthetize -- so specific personnel need to be there for my procedure.

Kinda like falling dominoes -- and your domino needs to leave as scheduled or the whole rest of the day is screwed up!

Not an expert, just what we were told.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

re: friend/relative waiting during procedures. That's all about facility scheduling. The facility needs to know that the patient will be picked up on schedule after their procedure because the next scheduled patient needs that recovery room space once their procedure is complete.

We asked that question when I had a colonoscopy. A staff member explained it to us that way, they know how long you're in prep, how long your procedure takes, and how long your recovery takes. The building & the staff is scheduled for that day's patients.

She showed us parts of the schedule, I had bigger time blocks because apparently I'm tricky to sedate/anesthetize -- so specific personnel need to be there for my procedure.

Kinda like falling dominoes -- and your domino needs to leave as scheduled or the whole rest of the day is screwed up!

Not an expert, just what we were told.

Thank you for your on-pointe description of how these outpatient procedures work. It has been my experience (and that of DH) that outpatient colonoscopies tend to run like an assembly line. Our respective surgical suites accommodate about 12 patients at any given time. The first group of patients arrives before 7:00AM, and most will be discharged by 9:30AM. In the interim, new patients are admitted and prepped so they are ready for the procedure as soon as the physician has finished with previous patients. A very well-choreographed process, to be sure.

 

[JDG]

That is the case with any outpatient procedure that DH and/or I have had (colonoscopies, cataracts, arthroscopic procedures). Medical personnel want to know that a patient's responsible party can be reached in case of an emergency, as well as having the driver available immediately following the patient's discharge. All of the medical facilities have had spacious waiting areas with comfortable seating, TV, magazines, Wi-Fi, coffee service, etc. Due to COVID, some of the amenities will probably not be available, but I'm sure that responsible parties who accompany patients will be well cared for like they have in the past.

I hope your BIL is going to be alright, JrzyGirl70.

When I recently went to a Toronto hospital, they called the week before to be sure that I was NOT bringing anyone with me. Another person can come if you have cognitive dysfunction, hearing loss etc but if you 'just' have mobility issues, they will arrange for a porter to wheel chair you to and from the clinic to the door where you can be picked up by your driver. I use a cane for a bad knee but declined the wheel chair. I wanted to get in and out asap and that means Shanks pony!

There were a lot of people on cell phones, communicating with patients, waiting to drive them etc, outside by the doors. Security was moving them along, get in and out and drive off, as it was fairly crowded at the entrance to a major hospital.

I know a woman who was in a dreadful car crash, spent three months in the hospital this summer and had only two appointed family members visit the whole time. Its very hard on the patients, family but necessary to keep COVID at bay. She is now, thankfully, home.

A neighbour was hospitalized, not expected to survive and the ex husband was told to choose two family members only. Between her sisters, brother and her own two children, it was very difficult to decide. She passed away within a couple of days and I have no idea if her adult children even got to see her in her last hours.

JrzyGirl70, hope your BIL will continue to beat his cancer.

COVID has created a whole new world for us and we have to adapt to the changes.

Toronto is back in a partial lockdown. No eating indoors at restaurants, drinking in bars and casinos, gyms and other rec. programs have been shut down for a month to see where the numbers go.

COVID is back in LTC again and many people are on ventilators, again.

 

[JrzyGirl70]

Thank you @JDG!

I have a few annual exams coming up at the end of the month, hopefully I can get them done before we go on Lockdown again as I'm very afraid New Jersey is heading in the wrong direction after we were doing so well for last few months.

 

[anneg]

Thank you for your on-pointe description of how these outpatient procedures work. It has been my experience (and that of DH) that outpatient colonoscopies tend to run like an assembly line. Our respective surgical suites accommodate about 12 patients at any given time. The first group of patients arrives before 7:00AM, and most will be discharged by 9:30AM. In the interim, new patients are admitted and prepped so they are ready for the procedure as soon as the physician has finished with previous patients. A very well-choreographed process, to be sure.

Well-choreographed process...except when something goes wrong. My last colonoscopy was screwed up badly because for some reason they skipped calling me and called another patient who had arrived later. Then the patient procedure before me took much longer than expected, and by the time they tried to put an IV in me, I was quite dehydrated and it took four tries. In the end the anesthesiologist succeeded. I was very unhappy. At least there were no polyps.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Opinion | The grief pandemic will outlast the Covid pandemic, and no one's prepared for it

The "third wave" of coronavirus may very well be its emotional toll. In the absence of a comforter in chief, it’s up to all of us to fill the vacuum.

What do I say? That’s the No. 1 question we get from people who are looking to support a friend, relative, colleague or acquaintance who has lost a loved one.

Offering comfort, after all, can be pretty uncomfortable. It demands that we sit with someone’s pain and its ungainly sidekicks: waterworks; sideways (or sometimes direct) anger; gaping silences we try to fill with the “right words.”...

 

[anneg]

Opinion | The grief pandemic will outlast the Covid pandemic, and no one's prepared for it

The "third wave" of coronavirus may very well be its emotional toll. In the absence of a comforter in chief, it’s up to all of us to fill the vacuum.

What do I say? That’s the No. 1 question we get from people who are looking to support a friend, relative, colleague or acquaintance who has lost a loved one.

Offering comfort, after all, can be pretty uncomfortable. It demands that we sit with someone’s pain and its ungainly sidekicks: waterworks; sideways (or sometimes direct) anger; gaping silences we try to fill with the “right words.”...

Thanks--well worth reading.

 

[PayrollNerd]

A little smile for today.

 

[roche.analisa]

DH is due for a colonoscopy (10 years) and scheduled the procedure for Monday, December 14. Most medical/dental facilities in Michigan closed in mid-March and began reopening in late May. None of these medical offices/outpatient surgical units, etc. have been through a COVID winter yet, so the protocols currently in place for the surgical center where DH will have his colonoscopy will require some revision.

Only the patient is allowed into the outpatient surgical facility. Responsible party/driver must remain in their car in the parking lot for the duration of the procedure (approximately 2.5 hours). On December 14, the calendar might not reflect that it's winter, but it will definitely not be warm enough in southeastern lower Michigan to be outdoors in my car for two and a half hours! DH inquired about this practice that might have been acceptable through the summer months, but it is not going to fly when winter comes. The gastroenterology group has not planned ahead, it seems, so DH was told that I might be able to sit in the foyer of the building, but I definitely won't be allowed into the surgical suite. Hopefully, they'll have this figured out by mid December. DH will be advised about what time to arrive and other details regarding the procedure in the coming weeks, and he will be required to have a COVID test three days prior.

My husband had to wait in the car in 100 degrees (Texas) during mine in June. I'm sure he could have gone in to use a hallway bathroom if necessary. I was so nervous to go into and out of sedation without him, but it was fine.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Covid-19 can last 28 days on glass, currency, study finds

"It really reinforces the importance of washing hands and sanitizing where possible," said the study's lead researcher Shane Riddell.

The virus that causes Covid-19 can survive on banknotes, glass and stainless steel for up to 28 days, much longer than the flu virus, Australian researchers said on Monday, highlighting the need for cleaning and handwashing to combat the virus.

Findings from the study done by Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, appear to show that in a very controlled environment the virus remained infectious for longer than other studies have found...

 

[Forumetiolo]

If anyone needs to take a deep breath and get out of their head for a few minutes, here's my prescription:

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ETA: It's video surveillance of a "log" across a stream in Pennsylvania. Talk about diversity in wildlife! And, the sound of running water is a sound I like.

Cats from the domestic are some of the most beautiful and graceful animals on earth.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

If anyone needs to take a deep breath and get out of their head for a few minutes, here's my prescription:

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ETA: It's video surveillance of a "log" across a stream in Pennsylvania. Talk about diversity in wildlife! And, the sound of running water is a sound I like.

Thanks, I loved this - At 4:38 I jumped lol. And the credits at the end, ha!

He has a pandemic edition out since this one that has more. Just lovely to watch and listen to the running water.

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[BetteDavisEyes]

‘COVID-somnia’ -- how pandemic impacts sleep, dreams

Researchers find people reporting pandemic-specific dreams as they struggle to find good sleep

Sleep neurologists have dubbed it “COVID-somnia.”

They’re seeing an increase in patients suffering from insomnia, sleep disturbances and the misuse of sleep medications. The pandemic is even impacting our dreams, and not for the better...

 

[Betty P]

When I recently went to a Toronto hospital, they called the week before to be sure that I was NOT bringing anyone with me. Another person can come if you have cognitive dysfunction, hearing loss etc but if you 'just' have mobility issues, they will arrange for a porter to wheel chair you to and from the clinic to the door where you can be picked up by your driver. I use a cane for a bad knee but declined the wheel chair. I wanted to get in and out asap and that means Shanks pony!

There were a lot of people on cell phones, communicating with patients, waiting to drive them etc, outside by the doors. Security was moving them along, get in and out and drive off, as it was fairly crowded at the entrance to a major hospital.

I know a woman who was in a dreadful car crash, spent three months in the hospital this summer and had only two appointed family members visit the whole time. Its very hard on the patients, family but necessary to keep COVID at bay. She is now, thankfully, home.

A neighbour was hospitalized, not expected to survive and the ex husband was told to choose two family members only. Between her sisters, brother and her own two children, it was very difficult to decide. She passed away within a couple of days and I have no idea if her adult children even got to see her in her last hours.

JrzyGirl70, hope your BIL will continue to beat his cancer.

COVID has created a whole new world for us and we have to adapt to the changes.

Toronto is back in a partial lockdown. No eating indoors at restaurants, drinking in bars and casinos, gyms and other rec. programs have been shut down for a month to see where the numbers go.

COVID is back in LTC again and many people are on ventilators, again.

Glad to hear they're shutting down the rec programs. A couple of months ago, in my state, they allowed the school sports teams to start up again. My niece and her entire soccer team ended up getting COVID 19. Who knows how many other teams it spread to? Terrible to think these kids may suffer long term or permanent damage to their health just to play sports. I don't understand the parents who pushed so hard for them to restart.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

When is someone who had COVID-19 safe to return to work, school?

How long should someone avoid other people after catching coronavirus?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

What's your blood type? It may affect your risk for Covid-19

New research suggests a link between blood type and infection risk — but that won't change how doctors treat patients.

A growing body of evidence suggests that blood type may play a role in the risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus or developing life-threatening complications from the illness.

But it does not mean that any single blood type is more protective or more dangerous regarding Covid-19, and the evidence may indeed raise more questions than answers...

 

[CSIDreamer]

What's your blood type? It may affect your risk for Covid-19

New research suggests a link between blood type and infection risk — but that won't change how doctors treat patients.

A growing body of evidence suggests that blood type may play a role in the risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus or developing life-threatening complications from the illness.

But it does not mean that any single blood type is more protective or more dangerous regarding Covid-19, and the evidence may indeed raise more questions than answers...

A- here.