Have been spending time in the ER and hospital taking care of my Mother, who fell and broke her hip. Unfortunately I just tested positive for COVID. Bloody inconvenient! I expect I got it at the hospital, but who knows. The Urgent Care doc told be about 1 in 5 people walking around the store are positive for Omicron right now. The doc did note that my presentation was consistent with Omicron, but specific variant is not tested for.
Of note - the Rapid Test was negative. The doc said they are useless - wrong about 40% of the time. PCR results were positive.
At this point it just feels like I have a moderate case of the flu. Congestion, achy, fatigue, scratchy throat, cough, etc. My PCP put in an order for monoclonal antibodies, but I probably will not meet criteria. Monoclonal antibodies are not particularly effective with Omicron. Supplies are so limited that they are reserved for high-risk patients. Per Johns Hopkins MPN Clinic nurse, PV + Pegasys does not make me high risk.
Planning at this point to just ride it out. I am all stocked up and will just isolate at home. I was not planning to be part of the database of people with PV and COVID, but can now add to the data. Might as well look for the silver lining!
All the best to all of you all. Stay well and stay safe.
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hunter5582
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Sorry to hear about your moms hip. Not good for anyone especially an older person hope she heals well. And yeah. Covid! Had it a year ago in sept. Mild case but still have a lot of breathing problems. Doc said it had damaged my diaphragm and it atrophied. Still.. very blessed. Good luck with yours.
My kids were in your area not long ago. Said harpers ferry is “adorable”. Looking forward to getting there.
Oh my goodness you are definitely taking it from all sides. All the very best to you Hunter for the speediest recovery and I hope your mother’s hip mends soonest too
Oh dear I am so sorry and hope you don’t suffer too much from covid and will soon be ok and I would also like to say I hope your mum makes a speedy recovery and doesn’t catch covid herself .
So sorry to hear about this, Hunter. Sounds like you're holding your own, but it is a lot to deal with. All the best to you and your mom and hope you are both better soon. Kim
Well dang!!! Sorry to hear this news, both your mom and you! I do hope your bout with it is short lived. Take good care of yourself and I hope all goes well for your mom. All my best to you!
It never rains but it pours, does it? I have no doubt you picked up Covid in the hospital. I hope you recover quickly and that your mum is able to get her hip fixed In whatever way is best for her. As you say, you've just got to ride it out. 🤗🤗 Glad you have supplies. Stay warm.
Get well soon as they say on the appropriate card for such an event, at least you have had one of the minor variants, something you can add to your medical cv👍all the very best Hunter🤗
Thank you for telling us, that’s such bad luck. Hoping that both your Mother and you improve swiftly, and that Omicron treats you with a light touch - the vaccines should be kicking in for you. Keeping everything crossed for you both, and please keep us updated as and when, Lucy
Well Hunter I hope that your Mother continues to do well and that she avoids getting Covid. Sorry to hear it “caught”you! It certainly is everywhere. My Partner had open heart surgery today, quadruple bypass. I visited him yesterday, briefly, to discuss plans with his surgeon and Lord only knows if I will end up with Covid or not! I wish for you a quick recovery and increased immunity against any future exposures😊🙏🏻♥️
Hello fellow Mountaineer,Sorry you contracted covid, I pray you mom does not contract it.
My understanding is that the pcr test does not identify the strain of covid. Our Parkersburg newspaper reported on Monday morning Jan 10 that there were over 16,000 active cases in WV and of those only 97 are Omicron per the WVDHHR. Likewise in Wood County we have 727 active cases but only 5 are Omicron. Our state covid Czar recently said that 85% of all WV cases are Delta not Omicron. So maybe you don't have Omicron and the monoclonal antibodies would help you. Our Governor this week tested positive for covid and received the monoclonal antibodies and said he was feeling much better 2 days later. When I get covid I will push to get the monoclonal antibodies. I have known people who got the antibodies and they all were better in 2-4 days. I know people who had to fight like crazy to get the antibodies. Best of luck to you in fighting off the covid, get well soon.
I expect that I contracted COVID in the hospital down in Newport News, Virginia. Omicron is rampant there. I am in the que to be evaluated at the local WVU hospital in Jefferson County. They were completely booked today, so I would have to wait until Monday at the earliest. They only have 3 doses left. My plan is to see how I am doing until Monday. If it is Omicron, I should be doing better by then. If I am not doing better then it is likely not Omicron. I which case I will certainly push to access the monoclonal antibody treatment.
We have a major Winter event coming Sunday. 4-8 inches snow. .15 -.25 inches ice. Might make getting to the hospital on Monday interesting if I need to go. Good thing I have a 4WD F250!
Hoping that you do have omicron if you have to have it. It seems to be much milder than the delta. I really don't understand how the country could be 98% omicron per the cdc but WV would be 85% delta, just doesn't seem logical to me. Best to you whichever you have. Need you back full time on this site.
One might be tempted to think that some folks do not really know what is going on. That would include folks in elected office. Hard to say what is what sometimes.
Best we can do is be careful and use common sense. Masks help but are not foolproof. I was masked and using good hand hygiene the whole time I was in the hospital.
So sorry Hunter to hear you contracted COVID and your Mom is in the hospital with a broken hip. Hoping you only have a "mild" case and will be better in a few days, as I know you want to be with Mom for support.Yes we are getting that storm in GA too and they are calling for snow and ice. Get better, be careful, and prayers for both of you!!
Really sorry to hear of your mom's hip. I experienced this with my mum too. I pray all goes well for her and for your recovery from covid. May it be a speedy one and that your mom stays covid free.
Hey Hunter, hope you have an easy ride there in comparison to all you have endured. Trust you to be looking for the upsides , fair play. Wishing you a speedy recovery with no lasting effects.
Hunter, very sorry for both Mom and son. Medicine + med staff can do amazing things to help our bodies heal. Even in distress your humor is intact; that will help your recovery. I'm curious about zinc-Vit C- Quercetin supplement treatment and think I will try them if Covid catches up with me. Also, as preventative, I just started 1% hydrogen peroxide nasal spray since I'm around people all day. Our family tell us Spain is all about these nasal sprays now.
Quite a journey for you and Mom. Wishing you well. Your symptoms are consistent with Omicron. Supposedly only one of the antibody treatments, Sotrovimab, is reasonably effective, but that must be the one you're not able to get.
You might also ask about Paxlovid, the Pfizer pill. It's supposed to be mutation resistant but also very hard to access.
I know many who have caught Omicron, the experts say "mild" but doesn't mean pleasant or trivial or indeed mild. I wear a good N-95 in public in southern Calif area with our extra high case rates. I had original Covid almost 2 years ago. We'll see. I've noted the majority of mask wearers have a gap beside the nose. This greatly negates the benefit esp against omicron.
Mild = I feel lousy. Have had worse cases of the flu, but this is no fun either. Thanks for the info on Sotrovimab. I won't have any control as I have to go where they will even consider me for treatment. My hospital only has 3 doses left of whatever they do have. Can't do it until Monday/Tuesday. If this is Omicron, I plan to be better by then anyway. Maybe a moot point.
I did consider Paxlovid and Molupravir. My PCP felt there is just too much unknown with these two emergency-use authorization meds. Not worth the potential risks for a really mild case. Amantadine is also being used off-label (very off-label). Decided not to opt for that either. If I start feeling worse, I may change my mind.
The guys who make it say "no worries" , but forcing mutations is anti-intuitive to me. But more important, it doesn't work very well, ~30% efficacy.
Paxlovid is based on long proven AIDS treatments, (but does have new things in it) and is about 90% efficacy. It does have cautions for patients with kidney or liver impairment, as do so many of the meds we take.
It's all confusing, hope there are easier ways to sort it soon. It seems most who are fully vaxed, boosted don't need to worry about needing these treatments. But nothing is 100%.
This has taken me aback, so very sorry for you both. Everything has been said and my sentiments are the same, I just really hope you can access the antibodies and importantly that long covid will not get you and mom remains virus free.Good to hear the stats on the RATS tests, I guessed as much, our reliance on these in Aus is shameful…Trumpian, hey, keeps the numbers down. And I hear they’re like hens teeth in the US too.
Look forward to hearing of your progress. Best of luck, Hunter!!
Oh Hunter, this is just awful. Bad enough your Mom’s having trouble but now we & you have to worry that you don’t get really sick from COVID & I’m sure your Mom feels bad thinking she’s responsible for your getting it. Do you live with someone who can keep an eye on you in case you suddenly need to go to the hospital? Thermometer and pulse oximeter at home? If you live alone can you have a friend call you twice a day to be sure you’re ok? I’m in FLORIDA where it’s just about all Omicron but doesn’t sound like that where you are. Does the fact that you caught it mean it’s not enough protection to wear KN95 masks? I’m immune compromised, our Governor gave away almost all monoclonal antibodies when national media showed hour long lines outside ER departments at the hospital. And since the vaccine provided very little response in my body I’m now wondering what I need to do not to catch it. I’ll keep positive thoughts it’s a mild case of Omicron but please keep us posted & if you live alone, have a check-in procedure set up please. Katie
My Mother's dementia is so severe that she cannot remember anything that happens in present time. She has no idea I have COVID (or PV, NF1, arrhythmia, etc.) The dementia had been one of the big challenges. She does not remember that she fell and broke her hip. the surgery/anesthesia triggered protracted delirium. She also got a urinary MRSA infection wile in the hospital that is now a bigger problem than the hip. it is quite a mess.
I was in Newport News, Virginia when I contracted the COVD. Likely in the ER (AKA "COVID Central"). It is all about Omicron in Newport News too. The doc-in-a-box told me "1 in 5 people walking around the store have Omicron." I was masked, but nothing is 100%. For all I know I picked it up at the grocery store. I have had three full doses on Moderna and based on how I reacted to dose three I did pick up antibodies.
Thanks for your concern, I do live alone but have friends and family in the area. I am in frequent contact with people of a daily basis. I do have thermometer and pulse-oximeter. Temp varies from 98.0 to 100.9. O2 hovering around 95%. I am all stocked up and ready to hunker down a sit out the winter weather headed my way. Even arranged for a friend with a plow to come by and do my driveway so I can get out if I need to.
So I am doing OK and will just ride this out. I am 98% sure that this is an Omicron variant. We will see how the next couple of days goes.
So sorry to hear about your mom’s dementia, on top of everything else. My dad had dementia and at one point he slipped and fractured his coccyx bone. He was in massive pain, but had no idea why. The doctors gave him pain medicine but it really didn’t help. He passed away 11 years ago next month. It sounds like you are handling everything like the trooper that you are. You have much on your plate. Stay warm and wishing you a speedy recovery.
Sorry to hear of your mom's dementia and the MRSA, hoping and praying she can fight off the infection. I think you deserve some kind of Ironman award for all you have had to endure. Get well soon
So sorry to hear Hunter - hope it’s omicron and goes quickly. Your poor mum - horrible for her.My 96 year old mum broke her back in September - very hard for her but can now walk with zimmer/ get well soon both.
Wow your Mum is amazing, her resilience is admirable. Up,until very recently I had a 95 yr old neighbour just like your Mum, a battler. She is now in a home which I think was best as she wasnt eating very much, I know coz I took her shopping sometimes. My Dad is 86 with a very bad hip on one side and I dread him falling. It's such a worry especially if they live alone , luckily I don't live too far away from Dad.
Sorry to hear about your mum and hope she is OK. Also sorry to hear you've picked up the virus. Wishing you a speedy recovery and not feeling too poorly. Take care.
Get well soon Hunter I hope your Mum makes a speedy recovery too. I just had Covid, similar symptoms and the congestion dragged on a bit, took about 10 days to get back to feeling normal. Sounds like you’re well prepared!
Keep strong, and keep safe, mothers eh! Who'd have them😉 I suppose all of us 😃 my own mother is 94 and bed ridden, while my wife's mother is only 88 and broke her hip 14 months ago, trying to break her husband's fall. She's fine now and has been for 12 months! Still driving etc. Hope all goes well with your recovery.
2022 started well then!!! Oh dear. I’m sorry to hear what has happened for you and your mum. I hope you recover swiftly. I find the LFT being negative a bit worrying as I rely on my family taking these before we meet up. I was in A&E twice last weekend (a long story!) so have been on tenterhooks all this week. I have an upper respiratory tract infection but have tested negative on PCR. Get well soon. X
Hope there is some improvement today - sounds very unpleasant. Having twice, pre covid, caught nasty bugs in hospitals while helping relatives, you have my sympathy. I think you were quite restrained in your response to catching it! The anti viral/antibody routes certainly don't sound straightforward. Also hope your mother's broken hip is mending.
Family who have had it in South Africa say its no wors than a bad case of flue and told me not to worry some people think they have a bad cold they think it's hyped up by the westen press
In the Uk I’m on Peg and have ET. We are consider very high risk. I’ve got a PCR test on standby and a list of meds to ask the doctor for as soon as I’m positive. My husband has type2 diabetes and my friend is very asthmatic. The same applies to them.
When the nurse says not high risk, is she referring to vaccination status plus mild case, Hunter? My understanding is that a bad case for us is very dangerous. I'm sorry to hear about your mum! I know you'll keep both of you as safe and well looked after as possible but I'll be wanting updates...
The nurse was referring to both having PV and taking Interferon (mild immune compromise). I m not considered "high-risk" based on the current guidelines. I expect the high probability that I have the Omicron variant and am only as sick as a moderate flu is part of this determination. This COVID has not moved into my lungs at all. That is typical for Omicron. My own evaluation is that I am "moderate-risk" - neither truly high or low. I have received three full Moderna vaccines and I am weathering the COVID Okay.
Sorry to hear this. My mum had vascular dementia & broke her hip - this was pre covid, which made things easier. Still very worrying. Unfortunately she didn’t receive very good aftercare / physio, I am in the Uk so imagine things are different here. I hope you feel better soon & that your mum makes a good recovery.
Actually Mom had the same experience. That is why she ended up back at the hospital only hours after discharge. The Rehab facility was truly appalling. I hate to think about what would have happened if I had not been there
I’m glad you were able to be there for her. When my mum was in hospital, I was working full time & when I went to see her she told me she wasn’t having any physio, the staff insisted she was! I realised when she was discharged she certainly wasn’t. Keep fighting for you mum. Best wishes to you both & hoping for speedy recovery.
You are always so nice and kind to me not to mention knowledgeable as heck. Thinking of you and wishing you well and speedy recovery Hunter. Love ❤ Dana Keep us posted
Wish you a full and speedy recovery! I caught Covid in October - despite being super careful. Bloomin’ lateral flow test was negative, too, at first, despite my being symptomatic. Anyway, I’ve had worse colds in my life and it came as a relief to know that I wasn’t as ‘clinically vulnerable’ as I’d been led to expect. Maybe I was lucky, who knows? Anyway, one less thing to stress about, I guess!
Sorry for hearing this, Hunter. The bright side is Omicron is not that lethal as Delta and most of my friends got Omicron recently show mild symptom and recover in 1-2 weeks at most. You will definitely be fine and drink plenty of fluids, water, Vitamin C, and have a good rest. take care and look forward to hearing good news from you soon.
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Post Covid infection - nearly 4 weeks since positive test and treated with antivirals - have ET and still feel awful 
Covid
Newly diagnosed with PV JAK2 positive 
