How has the Pandemic affected you as a cancer patient/survivor
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So sorry sorella. My friend in my previous post is 100% Italian decent and can speak the language. Still has a few relatives in Italy. Her husband was placed on the ventilator yesterday. She calls me sister in her texts. So, so so incredibly sad. I find this very hard because it is bringing back visions/memories of watching my husband struggling for air and eventually die. She says to me that she knows I know how she feels. I do, that's true, but I really don't want to feel this sadness and loss all over again. I don't know what to say to her. A small part of me wants to run the other way! I've been keeping things short, like sorry and that I'm praying.
I had to really really bite my tongue last night when my other unvaccinated friend called to see how things are going with our other friends. I wanted to scream! Gee Gina, you sound awfully good today, and happy. She honestly thought I was going to tell her things were much better. I could not. I told her the truth, but not the complete truth of how this all could have been avoided if you would just go and get the m'fng shot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This one, vaccinates her mother, takes care of her, yet her and her family won't do it. I can't explain it, other than they are hanging onto the thought that something the rest of the world is doing is going to fail, and they will end up right? All because some crazies out there actually think like this and then it spreads, to people like my friends. Makes me angry. So sad and angry.
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Here's my take. We're pretty lucky in my circle: none of us have gone through chemo or immuno/checkpoint therapy, or have undergone radiation within the past 12 months, We've all been triple-vaxed/boostered. (Back in late Aug. I got the full Moderna as my third shot; because I'm 70 with ocular melanoma and had plaque brachytherapy radiation only a year earlier--with some lingering ongoing effect--Walgreen's deemed me sufficiently immunocompromised to qualify for a third shot).
We are living our lives as normally as can safely be done. Because one friend is nearing 80, another has COPD and his wife takes methotrexate for RA & scleroderma, and yet another is NED for NSCLC, we all wear our masks in indoor public spaces. In fact, in my bluest neighborhood in the bluest city in the bluest state in the US, if anyone walked into our WholeFoods or CVS without a properly-worn mask, if they manage to get past security they'd immediately be set upon and pelted with unripe avocados and hog-tied with cheap five-buck corded earbud sets. When we do go out to eat we keep our masks on till the drinks arrive and re-don them whenever servers approach or we get up from the table. All the staff wear masks. When we go to a movie, we choose the most isolated pair of seats and don't eat or drink, so out masks stay on. I've recently resumed occasionally taking public transit when parking or rideshare would be too pricy--but again, everyone masks. I've flown only once, an overnight in July to see a Colbert taping in NY. In fact, even though at the time almost every business in NY or Chicago had "masks optional for the fully-vaccinated" signs posted, the only place we didn't mask was in the studio audience--but we had to show proof of vaccination to get in and we had to stay masked till we got to our seats. We will be having Thanksgiving dinner in a skyscraper-top restaurant, but no buffet this year; and there will be strict elevator occupancy limits.
I have a full array of cloth masks in various colors & patterns--I use them at restaurants & businesses I know and trust. But I always have at least one KN95 in my purse or pocket just in case. We plan to visit friends in SC in Jan. (it's one of the few states no longer on Chicago's travel-rules "fecal scroll"); but I'd be lying if I said I have no qualms about going to a red state where nobody masks and relatively few are vaccinated (even if its transmission rates are lower than IL's and the same as Chicago's). We still don't know what we'll do for New Year's Eve, as our old-standby restaurant--where we've hosted friends for the past 14 years--went out of business after Labor Day.
Tonight I was watching Bill Maher again, and he was complaining "when can we stop calling it a pandemic and go back to living already?" Sadly, Fareed Zakaria and NYC Mayor-Elect Adams agreed with him (Chris Christie I expected to). Forgive me for shouting, but WHAT THE EFF YOU SEE KAY is wrong with these people? Don't they know that "we're so over masking" is what brought Delta raging in? (Trouble was that "masks optional for the fully-vaccinated" was a free pass for the anti-vaxers, because who was going to challenge them)? The recently-opened Hard Rock Casino just over the city/state line in IN advertises "Extra Cleaning" (which we all know by now is "mitigation theater") and "Masks Optional" (not just for the fully-vaccinated). Remind me if I ever decide to take up gambling (which I don't do not even when in Vegas), which local casinos not to patronize!
The whole point is that we are not locking ourselves into our homes and getting everything delivered (at least not till the weather sucks so hard that nobody in their right mind in even the most robust health would go out to shop or dine)--and we will not acquiesce to the selfish anti-vax anti-maskers who insist we stay home so they can whoop it up and keep spreading new variants.
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ChiSandy- You are lucky. I am in Southern Illinois--- same State as you -- but wwaayy different experiences. I do not attend church in person (have not since March 2020), but I watch online live stream. No mask wearers in church service that I can see from the camera that is set up. I do my grocery shopping online and pick up curbside--- very few masks on people as they are walking in the stores. No masks in the veterinary office when I took my cat for his appointment. Our vaccine percentage for my County is 39% (from the information I found online). A lot of my friends are not vaccinated and do not plan on getting the vaccine.
By the way, I am immunocompromised with my cancer treatment. I have had 3 Moderna vaccines and plan on the "booster" in 6 months. I mask everywhere I go--- mainly to the doctor.
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Candy, I’m sorry to hear that there’s still so much covid and resistance in your area.
I too am very lucky, hospitals are doing fine, my zip code is 70% vaxed and the county positivity rate is down to 4.6. We mask and see many others doing so as well. The media image of a reckless Texas just isn’t very accurate.
Sandy, I always gamble in Vegas. I always win more than I spend too. I’m just a lucky person.
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ChiSandy,
urg, bill maher really needs to STFU about the pandemic and mask. this is the 3rd episode he has spread misinformation. amy klobuchar was on his show a couple weeks ago, and he asked her the same thing, but she didn't give into his "pandemic is over" bs.
I like mehdi hasan's critic over his remarks.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2021/11/02...
Edit to add, bill maher belongs to the ultra privileged group. he has access to free rapid covid tests weekly (maybe even more frequently) coz of his show, while the rest of us have to pay for these. even at reduced price, it costs like $12-$14 for 2 tests. He could afford to stay at home and skip his show when he got breakthrough covid a few months ago, while the majority of people can't. so, he really needs to stop gaslighting the public with his privileged view of the pandemic.
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I was never a fan of Bill Maher.
wrenn - I’m sorry to see you’re going through yet another disaster. Be safe.
We have over 75% of the province with 2 doses (88% in 12+), but cases are rising still. Most of the new cases are in young kids and their parents. Hospitalizations, which are mostly unvaccinated, are stable, but I wonder how many will suffer long COVID even with a mild case.
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Wrenn, are you in the area where the flooding is? Like most in the U.S., I am stupid about your provinces except that they're mostly enormous. Hope all is well with you.
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ChiSandy, you may want to think again about your array of cloth masks. My DH has been telling me about recent research that indicates cloth masks are significantly inferior to surgical masks. I'm sorry I can't cite the sources, but you might want to do some research.
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We are on vacation in Page, Arizona. Not much mask wearing here, surprising because the nearby Reservations have been hit hard by Covid and are taking it very seriously. I knew dinner would be challenging in this town. It’s cold here, and after 3 nights of microwave meals, I really wanted a nice night out, but I don’t feel comfortable eating indoors. A couple of restaurants were not accommodating but the third one went above and beyond to make us comfortable, seating us outside with a heater. I almost cried that they were so nice to me after the other two restaurants couldn’t have cared less. To top it all off the food was verygood as well.
If you are ever visiting Page, AZ, go to Grand Circle Grille. It’s rare for people to go out of their way these days.
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ShetlandPony, not all cloth masks are equal. Many of the ones on the market are only two layers of cloth and are inferior to surgical masks. Those with three layers can be equivalent to surgical masks. I made our masks following a pattern developed at a medical school and approved by their surgeons.Used tightly woven cotton and a special liner for the third layer. So far so good...
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Good point, Beaverntx.
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Wren sorry to hear about the flooding but thankful you are safe.
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I ditched my cloth masks once N95s became widely available. Before that, I was using my N95 for medical appointments and cloth masks outside. Now, I just wear N95s everywhere.
"Why We Need to Upgrade Our Face Masks—and Where to Get Them
High-quality respirators such as N95s and K95s are now widely available and provide the best protection against COVID, according to experts. Why aren't more people wearing them?"
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-we-...
(my hospital has their own surgical masks they give out & depending who's manning the door, sometimes they insist I take it so I put it on over the N95. No way am I taking off my N95 & replacing it with a procedure mask...)
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wrenn, I did a pulmonary function test last spring in Surrey. They did it in a private room with only 1 person in & she was masked the whole time & were sitting quite a ways apart. I felt pretty safe . I didn't have to do the treadmill lung test tho, just breathing into the machine. I hope it goes well for you!
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I wear the hospital issued surgical mask over mine too. I have a 50 pack of N95 but the head straps are not very comfortable and I have chubby cheeks, however, my KN95’s are very comfortable and seal my face perfectly, they’re the best. DH still uses a cloth mask most of the time though because of his big beard. Not ideal but he is cautious at least.
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My daughter's fully vaccinated brother in law returned from a paintball convention, or some such nonsense in Florida, this past Wednesday - not feeling well. Wednesdays are the day that his wife, her sister in law, takes our 2 1/2 year old granddaughter, whom we care for M, T, Th and Fridays. He retreated to their bedroom as soon as he returned because he didn't feel well, tested positive for Covid as has the sister in law, since she began feeling ill on Friday. Thank heavens, their symptoms are "mild" which means awful but so far not requiring hospitalization. Since the baby didn't spend any time with her uncle on Wednesday and hasn't shown any symptoms, we don't think she was infected. We are concerned, however, about their eleven year old daughter who has an unresolved congenital heart defect and is not vaccinated.....oiy
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Paintball convention? That's on my list of things I would never do. I don't understand why he would risk it when he could expose vulnerable people. I hope the kids don't get sick.
My older daughter moved downtown in September, but she comes back once or twice a week. This week she's going to a gala that requires a vaccine passport. She will quarantine at her apartment afterwards and get a COVID test before visiting us again.
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Why would he risk it, you ask? Because some people will not be denied their own personal pleasure. That's just the way it is for a certain percentage of the population. It's always been there, the pandemic only magnified it to the masses. Look, most of us had those group projects in school where one, maybe two people did all the work yet the whole group got credit for the results and the non-contributors who were off having a good time really made out if the grade was good. A minuscule microcosm of our world today.
I'm glad your daughter is so responsible, Serenity. We could sure use many more like her.
The woman who teaches my line dance class went to a 3 day line dance convention in Virginia this summer. Came home, she and her husband got Covid, she was very sick, he died. I cannot specifically claim to know all the details but I can surmise some things. The convention probably required no masks, I know my instructor has claimed she cannot dance wearing one. From what I can tell, she and her husband were probably not vaxxed. Why did she risk it? She was married over 55 years and is having a difficult time as a widow. Is some of that guilt? Did she fly in the face of logic, reason and science? Was that convention worth it?? She's relying on her faith now; did she think faith would keep she and her husband from getting Covid? A couple simple jabs would probably have prevented his death. All I can do is shake my head.
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speaking of conventions, conference etc,
"Seven doctors contract Covid after attending Florida anti-vaccine summit"
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Chowdog, I'm just nasty enough to find that quite satisfying.
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Divine - The world would be better off with more thoughtful people like my daughter. I’m not biased or anything. 😀
Chowdog - These doctors must be the ~4% of doctors refusing to be vaccinated.
Alice - I must be nastier then. Some or all of these doctors are involved with the group pushing ivermectin as part of their protocol. They’ve been doing harm. They shouldn’t be doctors.
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Serenity, same here. these people are clearly in the wrong profession.
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I hate to say it but I was thrilled when I read it
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Update on daughter's brother in law down with Covid after paintball convention.. You know, it might not have been a paintball convention in Fl, but he did attend one in Chicago about 6 weeks ago...Anyway, a week later, he is very ill at home. His PCP has been informed, but I am wondering: we were all advised to stay out of the hospital if possible due to shortages of beds, personnel and vents earlier in the pandemic and because he is vaccinated, the need for hospitalization should not be as necessary. In our area cases are rising but beds are still available. I am wondering if now, vaccinated people with serious symptoms are hunkering down at home and not even considering hospitalization when actually that is where they should be. So far, the eleven year old is still ok.
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US may have a 'game changer' new Covid pill soon, but its success will hinge on rapid testing
CNN — Within a few weeks, perhaps before many Americans finish decorating for the holidays, the U.S. could have access to a new antiviral pill from Merck expected to alter the deadly trajectory of the covid-19 pandemic — with a second option from Pfizer to follow shortly after.
Now under federal review, both pills are being hailed by infectious-disease doctors not prone to superlatives.
"This is truly a game changer," said Dr. Daniel Griffin, an expert on infectious diseases and immunology at Columbia University. "This is up there with vaccines. It's not a substitute for vaccines; we still want to get people vaccinated. But, boy, this is just another great tool to have.
The new regimens, which require 30 or 40 pills to be taken over five days, have been shown to dramatically reduce hospitalizations and prevent deaths in adults with mild to moderate covid who are at risk for severe disease because of age or underlying conditions. But experts say the success of the treatments would hinge on one uncertain factor: whether high-risk patients infected with covid will be able to get tested — and then treated — fast enough to make a difference.
"Early, accessible testing and access to the results in a time frame that allows us to make a decision is really going to be key to these medications," said Dr. Erica Johnson, who chairs the Infectious Disease Board of the American Board of Internal Medicine. "It puts the onus on our public health strategy to make these available."
In clinical trials, molnupiravir, the antiviral drug developed by Merck & Co. and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, was given to non-hospitalized, unvaccinated, high-risk adult patients within five days of their first covid symptoms. Pfizer's product, Paxlovid, was tested in similar patients as early as three days — just 72 hours — after symptoms emerged.
Results from the Merck trial, released last month, showed the drug reduced the risk of hospitalizations by about 50% and prevented deaths entirely. It will be considered by an advisory panel to the federal Food and Drug Administration on Nov. 30. Pfizer officials, who requested FDA emergency authorization for their drug on Nov. 16, said Paxlovid cut the risk of hospitalizations and deaths by 89%. Both drugs work by hampering the way the covid virus reproduces, though they do so at different points in the process.
But those promising results assume the drugs can be administered in the narrow window of time used in the trials, a proven challenge when getting antiviral treatments to actual patients. Similar drugs can prevent dire outcomes from influenza if given early, but research shows that only about 40% of high-risk patients during five recent flu seasons sought medical care within three days of falling ill.
"That's just not human nature," said Kelly Wroblewski, director of infectious disease programs for the Association of Public Health Laboratories. "If you have a sniffle, you wait to see if it gets worse."
Even when patients do seek early care, access to covid testing has been wildly variable since the start of the pandemic. U.S. testing capacity continues to be plagued by a host of problems, including supply-chain bottlenecks, staffing shortages, intermittent spikes in demand and results that can take hours — or far longer.
PCR, or polymerase chain reaction tests, the gold standard to detect SARS-CoV-2, can require scheduled appointments at medical offices or urgent care center, and patients often wait days to learn the results. Rapid antigen tests are faster but less accurate, and some medical providers are hesitant to rely on them. Over-the-counter tests that can be used at home provide results quickly but are and remain expensive. And it's not yet clear how those results would be confirmed and whether they would be accepted as a reason for treatment.
"Get ready," Griffin said. "You don't want to call someone four days later to say, 'Ooh, you're now outside the window,' and the efficacy of this oral medication has been lost because of problems on our end with getting those results."
The situation is expected to improve after a Biden administration push to invest $3 billion in rapid testing, including $650 million to ramp up manufacturing capacity for rapid tests.
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Divine, I was just talking about this with my mom. One of our relatives (not a teen) who had heart valve replacement is convinced that moderna vaccine he took back in March has made his heart condition worse. Now he is refusing to get a booster despite being in the high risk group. He is counting on the oral antiviral if he gets breakthrough COVID. I was just telling my mom that by the time he gets covid results back, an appointment with his PCP, then a prescription, he will most likely miss the window for oral antiviral.
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Chowdog - Yes, I agree. Thi is why treatment options aren't as good as being fully vaccinated. Unless someone is getting tested regularly, it will be hard to get these treatments in time.
Jelson - Was he not wearing a mask? Hope his daughter doesn't get sick. We're having rising cases while hospitalizations remain stable. I think it's because most of the new cases are in the under 12 and 18-39. They're less likely to be hospitalized, but of course, some are.
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All my cloth masks are 3-layer and some have filter pockets. For the ones that don't, I have self-adhesive filters. And public health experts specifically advise against wearing a procedure or surgical mask over or under an N95, KN95, or KF94. The latter three provide 95% filtration--and any combo that would theoretically raise filtration to 100% would be so uncomfortable as to be not worth it. All the medical offices I visit that insist patients wear the surgical masks issued to them over or under one's own cloth or surgical mask make an exception for those wearing an N95, KN95, or KF94. (At the eye clinic, when the gatekeeper saw my KN95, she said "take the mask anyway--it's free, we have plenty, and you might need a spare one day." Quite a change from early 2020, when surgical masks were being sold at drugstores for $3-5 apiece, and not even doctors & nurses had for themselves). And N95s have to be specifically fitted to one's face lest they leak (Bob had to trim his beard for a close fit); the KN & KF masks conform much more closely to one's face--especially if they have straps or you twist or knot the ear loops.
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Hello, dear All
Today all news about this new variant, and the fact that countries closing borders(UK, Israel) makes me very anxious. It is like all this what we did is for nothing? Vaccines, I mean. I had 3 already(including booster). What do you think, dear ladies?
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marinochka, first breath and don't panic. it's too early to tell with a lot of speculations and misinformation now. Let's wait for the data. I read more data will be coming in couple of weeks. In the mean time, keep masking & distancing. I do hope this is a wake up call for the global response that the "live with covid/vaccine only strategy" is not working and we need multilayer approach and use all the tools we have.
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