Scared, but have to go to work!

[Gmaoftriplets]

I hate writing this but I think all of you are the only ones that will understand my anxiety about this virus. I still have to go to work every day, I work as a scheduler for the ophthalmology department in a medical clinic for a major health organization. I contacted my oncologist and all I got was a scripted message to stay away from sick people and wash my hands. To say I'm scared would be true!! Thanks for letting me rant about this!!

[Hidden]

Oh wow! That is scary. Have you talked to a supervisor? You certainly need to protect yourself with precision.

Wear latex gloves all the time. I would wear a mask. 6 feet keep distance from people. Change gloves after bathroom visits. Don't touch your face or hair. Disinfect any surface you and other people use. When you get home take a shower and wash your clothes as well.

Very hard situation. Wishing you good luck in being very cautious

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to Hidden]

I did talk to my supervisor on Thursday, I also stayed home Friday as well. But she said I had to have a note from my doctor. I will go in Monday and see how it goes. Unfortunately because my scan in September showed no active disease I think my MD thinks I'm fine. But I'm also a type 1 diabetic. Will see, wish me luck!!

[Hidden in reply to Gmaoftriplets]

Wishing you all the luck in the world my friend🙏❤️

[mariootsi in reply to Gmaoftriplets]

Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

That seems a bit extreme. She works for the ophthalmology dept. (that is eyes, right)? I would not worry. We expect/still need our medical personnel to show up for their jobs to treat our cancer and they have more to lose than we do and yet I have not received any notification that my treatment is cancelled bc not enough staff is coming in.

A good friend of mine lost a good job during the recession. She then had to take a job at a hospital in the maintenance dept. She is 60 years old and it is back-breaking work. She has to clean all the patient's room and their bathrooms and when a patient is leaving, she has to change the sheets and grab all the towels and such. But she still goes into work every single day and she told me I have to go in. I am needed there and what would happen if all in my dept. didn't come in. We have patients so I will go to work and her job is much more involved with various sick people and she does not make much money. I am so proud of her and respect her for realizing she is needed and she is taking the CDC requirements and her hospital's protocol and is fine.

The CDC states wash your hands frequently, use paper towels or something to hold onto a pole on the bus and when I come home, I wash my hands. DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE. I do my laundry once a week. Who has the time to come home every day and immediately wash your clothes. I dont think my onco or the ladies who do my butt injections or the women who do my blood work are going to stay six feet away from me. It would be hard for them to do their jobs.

I have my regular monthly cancer appt. on Thursday. Blood work, injections and meeting with onco. I got no notice that it is cancelled. If these medical personnel can make it into the cancer center so that I can get my treatment, then I am going to go because they are making it in for me and other patients that need our treatment.

It's the panic that people are spreading. Sure, its scary but I think again its just common sense and not going to extremes, but doing what the CDC suggests and still living our lives. Otherwise, I may just stop my cancer treatment bc what is the point?

Sorry, I think I am just so over this virus frenzy and people getting others all worked up but read the CDC website. This will be our new normal until they come up with a vaccine.

[Gmaoftriplets]

Thank you, that is very good advice. What you told me about the medication I had never heard that until now, thank you I really appreciate it. actually I am retiring in 2 weeks so I will hold out till then.

[Rhwright12 in reply to Gmaoftriplets]

Absolutely wait the 2 weeks! U don’t want to miss out on any benefits including some balloons and cake! U deserve it! 😀💕

[mariootsi in reply to Gmaoftriplets]

Good time to retire! Maybe leave this week!

[Andersl]

I understand. Its worrying times for vunerable people like us.

Are you able to work alone ? Ie in an office away from others? And/or change your hours so you're not travelling at peak times to avoid crowds?

I think also cleaning surfaces around you before you start would be sensible.

Anything you can do to minimise risk must be given due consideration by your employer who has a duty of care.

Good luck x

[Hidden in reply to Andersl]

Anybody who is sick or has any sort of respiratory issue is at risk. Not just us with cancer. Most that have died in NY have been 70 or older and had loads of other health issues. The reality is that the CDC said many young adults may have it but bc they are young and healthy, it will just resolve itself.

[Hidden]

I am also scared about going to work. Mainly because they are moving staff from the acute hospital to my small hospital to make room for extra beds. I have also heard some stories of people being incredibly stupid and selfish in their actions.

I know my bloods are ok and our meds don’t put us in as much danger as IV chemo patients. I have mets in my lungs, and that is my worry because my lungs are already weaker, and therefore vulnerable.

I would be as cautious as you can right now because other people might not be. Then get out fast on your retirement, and go enjoy it

Clare xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Don't listen and believe everything you hear. People love to start spreading rumors that have no basis in fact but people because they are anxious believe it and get more agitated. Read the CDC site. That is where I go for my information. Not fb or the web.

[Mindysooty in reply to Hidden]

I got my information from Boris Johnson our Prime Minister who said this evening on the news if you're vulnerable isolate as much as possible for 12 weeks.

[Mindysooty in reply to Hidden]

Also from my medical team who I phoned today. Key message from them is you are at higher risk and vulnerable because your immune system is severely compromised. Important to continue with treatment but wherever possible you should isolate including working from home. Thats not a rumour, its directly from the hospital I attend.

[Kiera49]

Everyone on here keep safe, wish you all well and sending you virtual hugs

[Hidden in reply to Kiera49]

You too.

[Mindysooty]

Same here. Wondering what's best. Never ever been one for panic and drama but reality is we need to take precautions where we can. Might not have same effect on bone marrow as IV chemo for example but my neutrophils are always low and I have mets to chest wall and one lung so its most definitely a worry. Just trying to be sensible and stay away from crowds where I can and obvs the hygene stuff but it is the work thing thats biggest worry for me at the mo.

[mariootsi in reply to Mindysooty]

I have never been as concerned as I am now either.

I'm not panicky but have decided to stay away from crowds... in stores, church etc. Why take chances with this virus?

[Mindysooty in reply to mariootsi]

Exactly that ,why take unnecessary risks. i will go out, we went to the beach at the weekend, but it was lovely wide open space, no one near to us so thats fine.

Take care and stay safe x

[Hidden in reply to Mindysooty]

Bring Lysol wipes. Wipe down your desk every day and use hand wipes to keep your hands clean and more importantly, keep your hands away from your face. We all have cancer so that puts us a bit ahead but in NY the only ones that have died have been 70 and older and have had a myriad of other health issues. The CDC said that many kids and young adults have probably had it already and it resolved. My friend's daughter who is 30 was sick three weeks ago, felt like the flu, but didn't go to doctor and after a few days went back to work. She works for Apple at Grand Central Station in NY, one of the most crowded areas. She was told by a doctor that she may have had the virus but bc she is young and healthy, it was just like having the flu. My friend, her mother, lives with her and is 60 years old. Her job is back-breaking. She works as a cleaner in a hospital. She has to clean patient's rooms, change their sheets when they leave and scrub the bathrooms. She said she just follows the CDC and her hospital protocols which is wearing gloves and a mask, but she said I have to go in. What if everybody in my dept. decided not to go in, it would be chaos? She makes low money yet she understands the important of her job.

We will get used to this new normal until they get a vaccine. If my medical personnel at the cancer center are making it in so that I can get my treatment, then I am going to to the cancer center.

It is not AIRBORNE. That is the important thing. I think the fear will subside as the weeks come and we get used to it. Remember Aids and the fear of even being near a gay person. This too shall pass.

I am already over the frenzy and just taking the precautions that the CDC suggests. If I start to feel like I am getting sick, then I will quarantine myself for the safety of others, but in the meantime, spring is coming to NY and I am going out and live my life.

[mariootsi]

You are not ranting! The fear of this virus is real especially for us.

You may want to get a note and take a leave from work. You don't know which patients who come in may have been exposed or are sick. Take every precaution.

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to mariootsi]

My oncologist won't give me a note, just said wash your hands and stay home if you feel sick.

[Hidden in reply to mariootsi]

What would happen to our society (at least here in NY) if firemen, police officers, bus and train operations or our own medical personnel at our cancer centers decided they did not want to take a chance. People need to read the CDC site.

More people died from the regular flu in 2018-2019. I understand this is new so people are anxious but spreading the fear is 10 x worse. This is going to be going on for months so we get used to this new normal about be extra cautionary about washing our hands and not touching our faces and holding onto door knobs with tissues or whatever. Just use common sense and check daily on the CDC site.

This too shall pass. And we will get used to a new way of living until they find a vaccine but that will take months and we cant shut ourselves away. They are waiting until the have more info and I believe our lives will go back to normal or the new normal and we will live our lives otherwise why even go for cancer treatment. Certainly, not bc I want to be locked in my small apt. I will only do so if I feel ill and quarantine myself. Otherwise, my life will go on as it did before, even as dull as it was LOL

[Hidden in reply to mariootsi]

What if our medical personnel at our cancer centers or hospitals decided they were scared and didn't want to go to work thus we would not be able to get our treatment. They are probably less fearful bc of where they work and they are being given true information, not this sense that is panicking people and being spread on fb and the internet.

What if they decided we were too sick to be around? I have an appt. on Thursday and still no one cancelled it and if the workers can make it in to work so that I can have my treatment, then I will not cancel it and I will go in.

[Hidden]

Amen. I think we share the same brain (LOL). Just when I am about to type away, I read your post and it is exactly the same point I was going to get across.

This is just beginning panic frenzy. I worked in downtown NY on 9/11. For weeks afterwards, the fear of seeing soldiers with army guns, having man with dogs sniffing out bags, having to wait on long lines to get our bags scanned to get into our building. The fear that while walking or when on the train a bomb would go off. It was new and it was scary.

And then it became the new normal. I am so used to having to open my bag to go into almost any office building or the ferry. It became our "new normal".

So it will be with this. The reality is that more people died in 2018-2019 due to the regular flu. The people here in NY that have died from it have primarily been 70 or above and had a myriad of other health issues.

The CDC has said that many young children or younger adult may have felt a bit ill a few weeks ago and that they had the virus but it resolved itself.

So its new and its scary. I still have a life to live. I still need to take public transportation bc I dont drive.

What if in NY all our policemen decided they did not want to come to work, or bus and train operators, or firemen or medical personnel in our cancer centers? It would be terrifying.

I have an appt. this Thursday at my Cancer Center for blood work, my injections and visit with onco. It has not been cancelled and if those workers are willing to come to work so that I can get my treatment, than I am going in.

This will be going on for months ahead of us. So what am I going to lock myself in my apt.? No. Otherwise I have no quality of life.

It seems simple enough so far. Wash your hands, carry hand wipes, stay away from people that seem to be sick, and do not touch your face (very important), so I will do that and continue on with my life otherwise I may as well die from the cancer now.

Friends of mine that do not even have cancer or are sick are "staying in". How long are they really going to do that for? Months? No.

I think things will quiet down and we will adjust to a different way of doing thing and being more aware until they come up with a vaccine. But if you can do your job, then go in and do it bc we are going to have this issue for months.

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to Hidden]

You are so right, I plan on carrying on as normal with precautions.

[Hidden in reply to Gmaoftriplets]

We are going to have to live like this for a while and soon it will become second nature and then with God's willingness, a vaccine which is being tested will be available. "This too shall pass."

Remember aids and how terrified people were of being close to gay people. Unfortunately, here in NY we have alot of ignorant people. American Chinese people just walking the streets are being spit at and punched in the face for no other fact that they are Chinese and ignorant people are blaming Chinese that live and were born in USA. If I see that happening, you better believe this 60 year old will put my foot up their (well you know). Of course being overweight, it may take me a while to get my foot up far, but I will try LOL

[SusieIM]

Scared is normal but I understand the dilemma of needing to go to work. Do the things with washing hands, etc., for some of us if we don't work, we won't have food on the table. If we don't have food on the table, we will get sick so we do the best we can to take precautions. I suggest that we all take precautions, and try to do something for relaxation. This is abit of a stressful time. Virtual hugs and love to all.

[Mindysooty]

I do Sandra. Ive been working through my diary converting meetings to video cons. Its weird but doable. I hate all the silly panicking but do think if we all heed the proper advice, it helps everyone including the poor over stretched health service who are doing a marvellous job. I was talking to a nurse of the maternity ward last week who said theyve had to lock away hand sanitizer as they caught someone pumping it into a plastic water bottle. How awful is that, stealing it from baby ward. Shocking.

You take care too, stay safeX