Friday, July 31, 2020

Covid Scare



Today is my birthday... 

This happened last week, the day after this picture was taken. Luisa wanted to walk by the water. And even though I was feeling a bit under the weather, I went along. Alas, Wednesday morning I wasn't feeling great. 

Let me be clear here. I had a cold. Stuffy/runny nose. Not much in the way of a sore throat. A minor cough, but that cough was more of a clearing out the stuffed up nose than anything else. I knew it was a cold. It felt like a cold. And I'm all better now. 

But Tuesday night the landlady got notified that a friend had tested positive for Covid. A friend that she had just been with. 

She has a group that meets up once a month. They usually go out to dinner. Since the shutdowns, they hadn't been meeting, but as things were opening back up, they figured it was safe. They met at one of the ladies houses. Masks, social distancing, etc. 

The median age of the group would likely be in the 70s range. The lady that tested positive was 86. She had gone to the doctor for an unrelated issue, and the doctor had ordered the test. 

Uh oh. Had we been exposed? 

Landlady frantically tried to find a place where she could get a test with rapid results. (I don't know why she didn't want to make an appointment with one of the city run testing sites. They've been expanding testing, so we totally would have gotten in.) She found an urgent health care facility that was performing tests. 

We scooted on down there. No line. But, the only person who was going to be let in was me. And that was no guarantee. Because I had a cold, I had enough symptoms to go in, but I was told that I'd have to see a doctor who may or may not order the test. 

I wasn't running a fever. I knew I had a cold. I'm pretty certain I would have been turned away test-free. 

So, we left. 

Once the initial panic subsided, we gave it some thought. Landlady had seen her friend 13 days prior. Wouldn't we have been showing symptoms by now? 

Considering how long this has been going on, it's a wonder we've not had a scare like this before. Fingers crossed that we don't again.

34 comments:

  1. Oh I understand. Glad it was only a cold, but the idea of Covid is scary.

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  2. That much time had elapsed, you're probably good. From that source anyway. I've had it circle around me four times now.

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  3. Hi Liz - I'm glad it's no worse ... difficult when one lives amongst others albeit in separate places ... take care. In a few weeks I hope you can have some celebrations ... in the mean time here's a happy and successful year. All the best - Hilary

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  4. Very scary! Sorry you had to go through this.

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    1. Thanks. I figured I'd have a scare sooner or later. Glad it was a mild one.

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  5. It's scary. And, the problems with testing have become a disgrace; happy that apparently your chances were minor this time. One of my husband's cousins had a COVID scare about three weeks ago, with symptoms that "could have been". And, as of two days ago, she was both feeling better and still waiting for the results of her test (lives in a suburb of New York City). She's in her 70's and is a two time cancer survivor so it would have been good for her to know. And you, also.

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    1. Yes. I hope she's all well now. As for me, I knew I would have a scare sooner or later.

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  6. Such a scary thing to have happened. I'm glad you're all right. Go have a fun birthday.

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  7. Happy birthday!

    Sorry for the scare. Sounds like it worked out though. You don't want to get tested anyway. They'll just hound you whether you are positive or negative.

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  8. Happy birthday!! Glad you are feeling better from your cold. Reading over test results here they say in them that people can be positive and it could be from Covid 19 or one of the other corona viruses or even the common cold. So if you had tested you might have been showing as positive. Who knows these days about anything with this virus.

    Betty

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  9. Yeah, there is that wonder. But my inner self is pretty confident it's not, so at least there's that.

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  10. We limit ourselves in contact with strangers, so we consider ourselves safe enough. But teaching? So many unknowns.

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    1. Good news is they're doing school virtually for now. At least here.

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  11. realisme your birthday was full of blessing. I am more aware of my enviroment

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  12. That's the scary thing about the US re-opening (or lightening restrictions) too soon: People assume "the government says it's okay, so we must be safe." Getting together with friends, even wearing masks and trying to maintain distance - are you 100% sure you're far from everyone 100% of the time?

    Please, only go out when necessary, or for walks in isolated areas (gotta exercise).

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  13. Sorry you had a scare, but sometimes you can have it and only show minor cold symptoms. Hope you had a happy birthday. Have a great weekend :)

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  14. Happy belated birthday! It's scary when COVID-19 comes that close to you. People seem to think masks and social distancing mean we can basically go back to normal, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

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    1. When we get lax, things can happen. It's an interesting time.

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  15. A belated Happy Birthday, Liz. :-)
    Glad it's just a cold. Take care. Do everything you can to boost your immunity levels.
    Here in my apartment complex now there are six positive persons, and in a 1 km radius there are around 30 cases.
    I take vitamin supplements, B and C especially. Also, warm milk boiled with turmeric powder. Turmeric they say has a whole range of health benefits.
    These are not sure-shot protection against any infection, but at best a psychological satisfaction that I am taking some precautions!

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  16. Happy Birthday to You.
    And I pray for you to quickly regain your stamina. Get plenty of rest and help with supplements.

    Regards.

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  17. Oh my gosh what a terrible feeling for sure. And NOT a good bday. Being sick is never fun but on a special day it is worse, then add that scare to it I would have been nuts. That is what happened to my daughter only her's was sinus, the week she was to take me for surgery. Tomorrows post goes into that. But thank goodness she only ran a fever the first day she was sick, then it was just the stuff nose and cough....clearing the throat and all that nice stuff that goes with sinus crap. You would think, yes you would have showed signs before then but who knows, this virus tends to take a life of its own. I have read about folks having it and not having a fever. I have heard of folks having it and it only appearing like a cold....and yet, the worse can happen. Stay safe and Happy blated bday.

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    1. Thanks. The scare itself happened a week prior, on July 22nd. I write all my posts a week ahead, and the story of the scare just happened to fall on my birthday. My birthday was a fairly uneventful quiet day.

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  18. Ugh... I feel for you. Take care. And I hope at some point soon you can do something special to make up for your crappy birthday.

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    1. The scare happened a week prior. The story just happened to appear on my birthday. My birthday was fine. Thanks.

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  19. Now a days any form of discomfort creates a question mark? Is it.....?
    I am just going on with the precautionary method..... steam inhilation.

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  20. Cheers, Liz! Here's to a new trip around the sun without any more scares!

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  21. First, Happy Belated Birthday! Second, thank goodness you're okay!!! Also. I'm sorry you were sick on your birthday. I hope you're feeling better now. STAY SAFE!

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    1. Thanks. The post appeared on my birthday. The illness was the week prior.

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  22. Happy Belated Birthday, Liz! What a Covid scare! I would have had heart palpitations, just from thinking about it. Even though you knew it was just a cold, there's still that possibility, when someone you know has been exposed to it. Glad you're better.

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