COVID-19 on a personal level

[gnuyork]

Seriously, from a common cold?

I'm not 100% sure. It could have been that. I had a cold while out in Vegas for CES one year... when I got home it took me quite a while to even realize my lack of smell, I remember one time about a month later slicing an orange and I couldn't smell it.

The other possibility is that while I was out in Vegas CES, there is a section outside the main doors that have trade magazines. I leaned over to get one on a bottom shelf (Stereophile) and as I stood back up I was inhaling in a split second while somebody smoking was casually holding their cigarette inches from my nose (not on purpose) I felt like my nose and throat was on fire. I didn't really think anything of it except the smell of ash in my sinuses for a while.

I eventually saw a doctor, and got a scan and he told me the good news/bad news... It's nothing serious, but I most likely will never smell again. I did mention I had a cold, but I did forget to mention the story about the cigarette. To be honest I hadn't considered that as a reason until after thinking about it.

Who knows. It sucks, but could have been worse. At least I can still hear, see, and feel.

[chuckmiller]

In Fire Rescue I have been in and around the medical world since 1984 and I have never run into anyone who said they lost the sense of smell from a common cold. Hearing it here now it obviously happens, but wow.

[gnuyork]

In Fire Rescue I have been in and around the medical world since 1984 and I have never run into anyone who said they lost the sense of smell from a common cold. Hearing it here now it obviously happens, but wow.

To be clear, I am not sure what it was, but the doctor did say it could have been from the cold. The more I think about it, I wonder if I singed my nerves from inhaling that smoke. It was fiery hot burning my nose. As I mentioned I forgot to tell him of that, and I wonder what he would have said if I did. Like A Ha!

I'd really like to know, and wonder if there is any way to correct it.

[chuckmiller]

I can't say what the probability is but the possibility is there.

[Dan R]

So, I can't say that I have it. Can't say that any one I know well has it/had it. But it impacts all. So I'll impart this little story just to share.

On October 20, my father, while walking their mongrel after 10PM, fell and hit his head. No one will ever know if his hip broke and he fell (he is 89), whether he fell and broke his hip, or whether the mongrel tripped him and he fell and broke his hip. Needless to say, he laid there until found (they live in a different state) and was rushed to a local hospital. He was chipper the next day and was fine until bleeding of the brain caused him to have a seizure. It set off a long chain of events, but after 21 days, is back at the community but in rehab.

So the covid tie in.

At the hospital, they only allow one family member in to visit due to covid. My little sister (10 yrs younger than I and in law enforcement) told them our mother was a fall hazard (true at that) and they allowed one person to escort her. So sis, my brother, and I shared the duties. Each day we were scanned prior to admitting, and once on the seventh floor had to watch most of the nurse staff with the mask below their nostrils. We wore ours dutifully to help minimize the spread.

After 22 days of hospitalization, they released my dad back to his community for rehab. But rehab is in the assisted living portion which means he has to go a 14 day quarantine. So now my mom, who could see him every day at the hospital, can only see him through a window and do virtual meeting only. it is affective for the assisted living group. During this whole thing they may have had only one if two infections and no deaths. But it really tears up my parents. I guess I could be sympathetic, but after 60 some odd years of marriage 14 days won't kill them.

As for my brother, sister, and I, we are counting the days off to make sure we weren't impacted.

Cheers!

Dan

[mlcor]

So, I can't say that I have it. Can't say that any one I know well has it/had it. But it impacts all. So I'll impart this little story just to share.

On October 20, my father, while walking their mongrel after 10PM, fell and hit his head. No one will ever know if his hip broke and he fell (he is 89), whether he fell and broke his hip, or whether the mongrel tripped him and he fell and broke his hip. Needless to say, he laid there until found (they live in a different state) and was rushed to a local hospital. He was chipper the next day and was fine until bleeding of the brain caused him to have a seizure. It set off a long chain of events, but after 21 days, is back at the community but in rehab.

So the covid tie in.

At the hospital, they only allow one family member in to visit due to covid. My little sister (10 yrs younger than I and in law enforcement) told them our mother was a fall hazard (true at that) and they allowed one person to escort her. So sis, my brother, and I shared the duties. Each day we were scanned prior to admitting, and once on the seventh floor had to watch most of the nurse staff with the mask below their nostrils. We wore ours dutifully to help minimize the spread.

After 22 days of hospitalization, they released my dad back to his community for rehab. But rehab is in the assisted living portion which means he has to go a 14 day quarantine. So now my mom, who could see him every day at the hospital, can only see him through a window and do virtual meeting only. it is affective for the assisted living group. During this whole thing they may have had only one if two infections and no deaths. But it really tears up my parents. I guess I could be sympathetic, but after 60 some odd years of marriage 14 days won't kill them.

As for my brother, sister, and I, we are counting the days off to make sure we weren't impacted.

Cheers!

Dan

Not much to say to all that other than I'm glad your dad is doing better, and hopefully everything else will be OK. This is an incredibly stressful time for anyone to get hurt, or even to just have a sniffle. Our son (24) came down with a fever last week, luckily it was just a 24 hour bug. But it was a stressful 24 hours for us, not least because he lives 750 miles away.

[chuckmiller]

In my experience for that age group the hip breaks first and causes the fall. Not always of course but way more than half the time. Its great to hear he is recovering.

[skywatch]

So, I can't say that I have it. Can't say that any one I know well has it/had it. But it impacts all. So I'll impart this little story just to share......

These hard times make these stories sharp. It's difficult to be sick alone. My sister had a stroke in August, and it turned out to be COVID related. She's OK, although recovery will not be complete, but we are all a bit shaken. Our tenant in the cottage next to our house was infected in April and we were very cautious, staying distant during those months. These cautions kept us from getting infected. The long term effects from this virus are still unfolding. These are emotional and difficult times. I am glad to hear that your father is recovering, and that your family is navigating this hardship. I wish love and patience to everyone in the folds of this time.

[gnuyork]

Sorry to hear that Dan. Hopefully 14 days goes by quickly for your parents. Tough times indeed. I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe. We'll get through this one day.

And PS - Hospital staff should know better (masks). Shaking my head.

[Jeannie]

My mother lost taste and smell after a very bad cold. Roughly three years later they came back.

We lost my 64 year old uncle to complications from COVID in September. The loss is unspeakable. He was the last of my mom’s siblings and in relatively good health. He survived the virus but had an aggressive and fatal autoimmune response.

Jeannie