Be Gone Covid!

Last Sunday:) Steve now works for another church as their media minister and Selah is staying home for safety concerns most Sunday.  We were so glad to have Shad home!

My pretty girl

I know I don't update as much as I used to do!  But we were having a WONDERFUL family holiday...Shad is home from his first semester in college and Steve is home until January as he is on the wait list for a new apartment.  Everything just lined up perfectly and I was so happy as only a mom of adult kids can be!  I couldn't believe it worked out with them both being home together:) THEN.....Sunday after church Jon felt strangely fatigued.  Honestly I was terrified it was his heart but he wasn't having any heart symptoms then the CHILLS started.....  But he woke up Monday morning feeling ok but to be safe he went and got a Covid test expecting it to be negative...it wasn't!  However Monday he felt ok.  Then I noticed Sarah was also acting very fatigued .  Then she started running a fever and I got a headache.  So Tuesday Sarah, Shad and I went and got tested.  Shad had had a slight fever.  AND our friend who drove Shad to the airport the day before Thanksgiving tested positive for Covid.  But we'd already had Shad tested and he was negative.  So...Sarah tested positive and Shad and I tested negative.  

We were in north Tampa (only place we could get an appointment.  I called our pediatrician and he told me of a new treatment that was being used at Lakeland Regional for children and adults who are more at risk of serious complications.  So we drove home and I ate (finally at like 4pm) then I took Sarah to Lakeland Regional where she was given the BAM treatment Bamlanivimab

Sarah was the first pediatric patient to get this treatment at the hospital and possibly the first one to get in in Florida!!!

Read about Bamlanivimab

This is the treatment President Trump received when he tested positive.  After he had such a turn around, he signed an emergency act for this medication to be used for people more at risk.!  Sarah thans President Trump because she had an amazing turn around!!

Before treatment 

And after

She literally was back to her normal self after the treatment ran!  The doctor told me they'd had adults who said it felt like an infusion of strength and although Sarah does not' speak she let them know she felt better.  It was remarkable to see the difference within an hour!!

So of course I asked for Jon!  The admitting person actually set Jon up for treatment on Wednesday morning.  That was relieving to me as he has underlying heart conditions.  Jon had his treatment and did not respond as fast as Sarah but when he woke up this morning he said he basically feels back to normal!!!!  today he walked his 10,000 steps out in the woods near our house (yes the doctor said he could if he felt like it and NO he did not see anyone on his walk!  We live in the country remember!) 

While Jon was getting his treatment Sam and Shad were testing for covid  Both had had temps-but both tested negative and feel normal today.  

Sam has trouble wearing a mask but right after this picture I did get him to wear one and he wore it the rest of the time he was in the ER

Jon and I found a doctor some months ago who believes that the medicine HCQ hyddroxychlorquine helps reduce the severity of Covid.  So we got the prescription on Monday and began taking it immediately  We have a  good friend who got covid back in March and was on a vent close to death when she was given HCQ and she began recovering within 24 hours.   Then the whole controversy  started over HCQ & we were determined to have a doctor who would prescribe it for us if we got Covid    We also have been taking Vit C, D,. E and Zinc since March.  I personally do not have much faith in face masks especially the cloth ones but we have faithfully worn our masks while in indoor public areas.  When Sam was born we had to wear masks around him many times.  We were told to wear the kind doctors do and to change the every time we had a direct interaction with him.  Of course this was 16 years ago before masks became political!  So I believe what my doctor told me years ago.  Not what the media tries to tell us.  We still wear masks but we have no real faith in them.  

 Jon is a prison chaplain and his prison has been amazing. There have only been a couple of cases and the staff and inmates work together to keep it clean.  Jon basically goes to work and to church.  He doesn't go shopping or much of anywhere else except out in the woods.  He nor his staff know of anyone in his prison who is sick that he has come in contact with and there is no one at church.  At this time he does not have the contact with the inmates as much as he normally would and so his contact list has been small.  So we have no idea how he got it.  

When all this mess started  I was scared of covid.  Now i think of it as I would a snake or a gator.  Yes I'm wary of it but the awareness of it does not control my life!  Every year we get the flu shot to help protect our family.  We had a church member die of the flu some years ago.  It happened quickly and was shocking.  But I didn't live in fear of the flu.  I wash my hands and stay away from sick folks.  For years if my kids went to the pediatrician, we waited outside till they are called in because I know that's where the sick folks are at and I don't want sit there for 30 minutes with a bunch of sick kids! Now everyone waits outside.   We never wear our shoes in the house and now all these studies tell us how germy our shoes are...I guess I'm just ahead of other folks LOL Anyhow I feel like it's really about common sense and common sense has left the building!  

Covid can be serious.  But living in FEAR is serious too!  I'm not a positive thinker by any means-actually I'm pretty negative.  Generally I expect the worse to happen in any situation.  And maybe because I struggle with that, I see how so many people are letting fear control their lives.  I won't say I didn't feel my stomach drop when Jon called me to say he was positive.  But I know statically that this virus has a 99% survival rate  We were as prepared as we could have been for this  We had a plan in place to start a proven medication, we've been taking the vitamins, and we both exercise so our lungs are strong.  Through this Jon has walked every day except for Wednesday, moving is key if you can.  But there is a point one just has to trust God  Jon calls me Mrs Noah because I'm prepared for every type of calamity.  I think it's my way of coping, doing everything I can and then I have to leave the rest with God.  

It does seem like cases are up.  My recommendations are to be prepared.  Speak with your health care providers to see how they are advising their patients and if you want more options find a new doctor BEFORE you get sick!  Exercise to strengthen your lungs, take the recommended vitamins but live your life!

In practical ways, I'd say have paper plates, bowls and cups so you don't have to touch each other's dishes. Keep your freezer stocked, I do alot of freezer meals and that's been a lifesaver.  Keep things like Gatorade, canned soup and crackers, soft drinks on hand.  Have unopened medicine like Tylenol, cold and cough meds if you use them.  Keep your cleaning supplies up- I use vinegar and clorox mostly to clean .Also have LOTS of laundry detergent.  I have washed 900 million loads of laundry this week!   Even I needed some things and a dear friend ran to Walmart for me-I was out of aluminum  foil!   I HAVE to have that to cook with-it makes clean up easier.  Plus I needed a themorator that we could use so we didn't go into Selah's room at all.  

We are blessed because Selah and her nurses have a private suite.  They have their own entrance and bathroom.  So we are communicating by test and calls.  Luckily our pharmacy delivers so everything is being done for her with no contact from us.  We trust our nurses and do not feel the need to check up on them  We know they would always do the very best for our daughter.  We also have not ran the A/C or heat (yes it's been cold) that way the air doesn't circulate throughout the house.  We've wanted to turn the heat on but we know it's safer if we don't.  We live in Florida it's not that cold.  

So we have coped!  Please remember our family in your prayers that we will all continue to improve and no one else will test positive. 

By the way-next pandemic I am going to be the one who gets sick first!  I have worked my tail off and I'm sleeping on a cot in our family room... I tried the couch the first night and they are gorgeous (my birthday/christmas present) but they are not comfortable to sleep all night in!  I think they need to be broken in more LOL

my bed- yes I use lots and lots of pillows.  The best thing is by the end of the day I've been so tired I've gone to sleep.  That's the only good thing.  This camper cot is not enjoyable for me!!! 

So I hope everyone has a wonderful christmas and stays well!!!!