robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

A warning from personal experience.

The over hype and freak out panic is causing problems and deaths from other things because people are avoiding any medical facilities.

My wife is a retired Surgical RN/OR Charge Nurse so inclined to be a germaphobe to begin with. It seems like if I don't remove at least one layer of skin I didn't wash my hands enough.
Well she watches the major networks, talk shows etc a lot and they were the biggest Panic Mongers. So several days ago when she started to get blocked up and have trouble breathing she got out the meds etc we have for asthma (3 of us in the family have asthma to one degree or another - the two kids very mild, me="acute" it ain't cute) and using them.

For three days I tried to get her to go to the doctor, "I'm not going near Kaiser. Too many people with Covid go to the clinic or hospital."
Well we have a blood oxygen meter but I hadn't seen it for a couple of years or more. She asked for it as she had more trouble breathing and still refused to go to the doctor. Sunday just after lunch I finally found it buried in the back of a desk cubby hole under stuff.
She used it and her blood oxygen was in the high 80's, about what I have with a mild asthma attack. Then it dropped to the low 80's and then the 70's so she finally called the help line and they told her to get to Urgent Care NOW!
Our oldest son put her in the car and took her. This was Sunday evening. She will be coming home from the hospital later today-maybe. She tested negative for flu and covid but had blood clots in both lungs and they put her on oxygen and meds to clear it up, slow her racing heart (heart rate very high trying to move oxygen that wasn't there to the body) and pain killers-it hurt her a lot just to breath. They haven't figured out what caused it yet.

They told her that if she hadn't come in when they told her to she might have died in a few hours. And she should have come in at least two-three days sooner!!!!!!!

FOLKS IF YOU DON'T FEEL GOOD - GO TO THE DOCTOR OR AT LEAST CALL AND ASK WHAT TO DO!!!! IT MIGHT SAVE YOUR LIFE!"

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I'm glad it was caught in time. Thanks for sharing this experience. It might save someone's life.
--Bob

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

WOW!
Glad she decided to go get it checked out!

Beowulf Loc: Aquidneck Island, RI

Robert, glad that she is going to be okay. Thanks for the warning. My wife and I have a couple health problems, so we are prepared with blood pressure monitors, oximeter, and the pocket kardia electrocardiagram device which is a godsend.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

You are welcome. I hope it helps. I hope even more that the warning is not needed at all.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Me too. She actually texted me from the hospital saying if I hadn't found the meter (which showed her how low her blood oxygen was and how high her heart rate was) I might be a widower.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

thanks

Keep a watch on your condition and get medical help if needed. You might get Covid at the doctor's/hospital and it might kill you but those things you already have can kill you also.

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

Robert, glad to hear that your wife is going to be ok. Hang in there!

Mr. SONY Loc: LI, NY

Only a few weeks ago I purchased one of those meters.
Wait until I tell the wife about your wife's experience.
Good luck with her recovery.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thank you.

Our oldest is picking her up to bring her home now. She will be back in an hour or two.

He has announced that she and I should not use the same bathroom and stay in different rooms away from each other all day for a 10-14 day period.
He also says if he isn't available to do it for us no going to the store, even for curbside pickup. Either use Instacart or pay extra for delivery.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

The pulse oximeters give you your blood oxygen level and your pulse rate. You may think you are just tired or sleepy when it is really low blood oxygen and that means your organs and tissues are oxygen starved.

Normal for healthy people is 95-100, I usually run low 90's due to my asthma. 88 or below is cause for concern in healthy people and below that, well that is what finally got my wife to go to the Urgent Care and they shuffled her next door to the hospital - actually first she went to a large medical tent in the parking lot for over flow during Covid and then to an inside room-we are on the tail end of a heat wave with temps up into the lower 90's and dry so the tents are fine right now. But a few weeks of 50-60's and high chance of showers or rain is starting. Then those tents may not be very comfortable. At least here in So Calif. the tents work well. Colder climates - not so well.

Our oldest son is picking her up and bringing her home right now.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

My wife is home, feeling much better. Has meds, one of those low pressure air compressors like a CPAP but bigger to breath positive pressure air with a mask and an oxygen tank with a "trickle" value to enrich the air coming out of the compressor.

I do believe she will be sleeping on the living room couch for a while, all our bedrooms are upstairs and that gear renders her only "semi-portable" Next we may have to make a trip to the Spectrum office a mile away for a new remote for the cable box. They are cheaply made and the buttons wear if you use them much and the office doesn't even blink when you walk in and say "This remote isn't working like it sh..." They interrupt you handing you a new one from the large case of them under the counter and ask if you need anything else while tossing the one you brought into a large recycle bin. And just last week she said one or two of the buttons are getting funky.
Gee, mine in the back room last 3 or 4 times as long as the one in the living room.

She commented that she could use one of those campers "potties" so she doesn't have to disconnect to go to the bathroom. Do you think I should check the family Amazon Prime account?

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

Glad to hear she's recovering.

ltj123 Loc: NW Wisconsin

Had my annual physical, eye exam, an appointment for migraines, coming appointment for rheumatoid arthritis, hair cuts, and next going setup dental appointment.
Yes followed the precautions required but had Absolutely no fear doing any of these.

nanaval Loc: Cornwall

Very good advice Robert and so glad your wife is ok...