Recent experience

Well, after all this time, I finally managed to get covid while taking a trip to visit family. That isn't a big deal - covid is a failure of a disease.

No, what got me was the severe interstitial viral pneumonia. Automatic in-patient for that one.

I have had pneumonia before, three times actually. The first was completely unexpected and new to me but never really became anything big. The second one nearly killed me. I literally saved my own life with some clever in-the-moment thinking, but I don't recommend it just because it worked for me.

We made our first stop at the half way point of our trip. In the morning we went to the free hot breakfast at the hotel and that is when it all went sideways. I know I will get roasted for this but hey, I am just being honest. A black woman came in with four kids. Each one was sicker than the last. The older, around ten, was literally a walking ball of snot. Another woman was using the waffle machine. This kid just wedged himself in between her and the country and kept using his body to shove her away. When her waffle was done she put it on a plate and the kid just reached up an grabbed it with his slimy little snot covered hands. His mother, who had seen all of this said, "Oh, did you make my son a waffle?" The woman said, "No, I was making myself one and he just stole it right off my plate." "Oh its just kids...." "Not my kids lady. Not my kids."

At that point another four kids obviously of the same lineage entered the small breakfast area. The noise in there skyrocketed as did the germ count. My wife and I just said "Nope." We left. That was on the 20th.

Five days later our trip was at its end and we headed home. About two hours in my wife and I both started feeling a little sick, scratchy, coughing, achy, etc. We both knew we were getting something and neither of us was looking forward to dragging the trip home out any further than necessary. No more hotel stays but we did stop several times to just get some rest and I did the whole trip, 19 hours worth, basically in one shot. I never felt worse after driving than I did that day. We landed on the 25th.

By the 27th my wife was feeling better but said straight out if mine didn't break she was going to drag my sorry ass to the ER. Next day - ER.

Now this is what ticked me off about all of this, besides the woman whose kids are a walking cyclone of disease. I was on 10 liters of O2 in the ER. It took a day and a half to get an actual room. In the room I was on 6 liters of O2. Doc said the goal was to ween me off the O2 so I can go home without it. The lead to the O2 was short and I could do nothing but sit in bed. I asked for a long lead so I could at least use the restroom without having to remove the O2. They hooked me up with a nice lengthy hose. I could see the knot in the hose before they even hooked it up. Every nurse, CNA, Doctor, and RT that came in that room saw that knotted O2 line. I finally got fed up and started looking at it more closely. It wasn't just knotted, it was literally creased the way you would crimp a garden hose to stop water from flowing. I called the nurse and said I want that knot removed or a new hose. It turns out that with the O2 on 4 liters I was actually getting less than one. The next day I told the doc that and he said if you aren't getting the O2 you need there is no reason to have it. I agreed and said I am taking it off, and we can check my O2 levels in an hour or two. If I need the O2, I can put it back on. If I don't - I am going home tomorrow. Long story short - I went home the next day.

The big treatment plan for covid? Identify it and let it run its course. The treatment plan for severe pneumonia? Identify it and let it run its course. Some steroids are nice to ease inflammation, but thats really about it unless you start some kind of treatment within a few days of the first symptoms. Other than that, there is nothing. After all these years and all these vaccines and all these protocols - let it run its course. Oh, BTW, it could take several months or even up to a year to feel like normal again...

originally posted by: Vroomfondel
Well, after all this time, I finally managed to get covid while taking a trip to visit family. That isn't a big deal - covid is a failure of a disease.

No, what got me was the severe interstitial viral pneumonia. Automatic in-patient for that one.

I have had pneumonia before, three times actually. The first was completely unexpected and new to me but never really became anything big. The second one nearly killed me. I literally saved my own life with some clever in-the-moment thinking, but I don't recommend it just because it worked for me.

We made our first stop at the half way point of our trip. In the morning we went to the free hot breakfast at the hotel and that is when it all went sideways. I know I will get roasted for this but hey, I am just being honest. A black woman came in with four kids. Each one was sicker than the last. The older, around ten, was literally a walking ball of snot. Another woman was using the waffle machine. This kid just wedged himself in between her and the country and kept using his body to shove her away. When her waffle was done she put it on a plate and the kid just reached up an grabbed it with his slimy little snot covered hands. His mother, who had seen all of this said, "Oh, did you make my son a waffle?" The woman said, "No, I was making myself one and he just stole it right off my plate." "Oh its just kids...." "Not my kids lady. Not my kids."

At that point another four kids obviously of the same lineage entered the small breakfast area. The noise in there skyrocketed as did the germ count. My wife and I just said "Nope." We left. That was on the 20th.

Five days later our trip was at its end and we headed home. About two hours in my wife and I both started feeling a little sick, scratchy, coughing, achy, etc. We both knew we were getting something and neither of us was looking forward to dragging the trip home out any further than necessary. No more hotel stays but we did stop several times to just get some rest and I did the whole trip, 19 hours worth, basically in one shot. I never felt worse after driving than I did that day. We landed on the 25th.

By the 27th my wife was feeling better but said straight out if mine didn't break she was going to drag my sorry ass to the ER. Next day - ER.

Now this is what ticked me off about all of this, besides the woman whose kids are a walking cyclone of disease. I was on 10 liters of O2 in the ER. It took a day and a half to get an actual room. In the room I was on 6 liters of O2. Doc said the goal was to ween me off the O2 so I can go home without it. The lead to the O2 was short and I could do nothing but sit in bed. I asked for a long lead so I could at least use the restroom without having to remove the O2. They hooked me up with a nice lengthy hose. I could see the knot in the hose before they even hooked it up. Every nurse, CNA, Doctor, and RT that came in that room saw that knotted O2 line. I finally got fed up and started looking at it more closely. It wasn't just knotted, it was literally creased the way you would crimp a garden hose to stop water from flowing. I called the nurse and said I want that knot removed or a new hose. It turns out that with the O2 on 4 liters I was actually getting less than one. The next day I told the doc that and he said if you aren't getting the O2 you need there is no reason to have it. I agreed and said I am taking it off, and we can check my O2 levels in an hour or two. If I need the O2, I can put it back on. If I don't - I am going home tomorrow. Long story short - I went home the next day.

The big treatment plan for covid? Identify it and let it run its course. The treatment plan for severe pneumonia? Identify it and let it run its course. Some steroids are nice to ease inflammation, but thats really about it unless you start some kind of treatment within a few days of the first symptoms. Other than that, there is nothing. After all these years and all these vaccines and all these protocols - let it run its course. Oh, BTW, it could take several months or even up to a year to feel like normal again...

Hope you are doing well and you are on your way to recovery

What an ordeal. I’d be livid at that lady, especially saying it’s just a kid. I was taught not to get up and n peoples business as a child and to wait my turn, and definitely don’t touch things that aren’t yours. Not only is it awful they she couldn’t be bothered to leave her walking infectious payloads in the room, but letting them run amok touching everything with their snot fingers. Gross. The hospital sounds equally bad and the hose being knotted ::smh:: Sounds like carelessness and ignorance all around between the lady and the hospital sorry you had to deal with that. It seems you are on the path to recovery and hopefully will be back to 100 percent soon.

a reply to: cocnutcrab883

Thank you.

I was really disgusted by the behavior of the kids but it was the mom who just ignored it that really ticked me off.

All the nurses, docs, cna's, and respiratory therapists that were in my room, every one of them saw that hose and it wasn't until I demanded it be fixed or replaced that something happened. Oh, BTW, there was garbage on the floor in that room when I got there and the same garbage was still there 5 days later when I left. Used gloves, empty water cups, whatever crap was just laying around - it was all there the entire time and not one person ever made an effort to pick it up or throw it away. I almost did it myself, but then I remembered why I was there and wasn't about to go handling someone else's filth. It was bad enough just to be in the same room with it.

a reply to: Nordics

Yes, much better, thank you. My O2 levels are fine and most of the achy dragging feeling has gone. I can tell it will be a while before I feel 100 percent again. But that is okay. At least I know where I am and what I am doing and that, when need be, I am still my own best advocate.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

We made our first stop at the half way point of our trip. In the morning we went to the free hot breakfast at the hotel

Say no more!!
Last hotel I was at not one, but two crumb catchers were coughing up a lung with no deflection.


Drink and eat spicy foods, feel better soon!

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: Vroomfondel

We made our first stop at the half way point of our trip. In the morning we went to the free hot breakfast at the hotel

Say no more!!
Last hotel I was at not one, but two crumb catchers were coughing up a lung with no deflection.


Drink and eat spicy foods, feel better soon!

I would avoid spicy foods to be honest.

(Spam removed)

a reply to: Vroomfondel

One reason I very rarely go to buffets, if I do, I use a paper napkin for the serving utensils and hand sanitizer before I start. And only use a spoon. Forks hold gems in between.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Thank you.

It was so obvious in retrospect. Everyone at the ER kept asking when or how I thought I got infected. I went through the story and it was own GP who said, "... thats is right there - the new covid is a straight 5 day incubation period. Exposed on Monday, symptoms on Saturday."

Lots of fluids, plenty of rest. And one thing I learned the hard way long ago - keep your back warm. Cold air settles in to your lungs if your back is exposed or has a fan blowing on it. The cold makes the mucus less viscous and it doesn't flow out like you want it to. It just makes clearing it that much harder.

Stay safe!

a reply to: 38181

I don't usually have a problem with a buffet not that I go to many. It was the complete indifference from the mom who had to know every single one of her kids was sick and likely contagious. No excuse for that in my book.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Last Christmas Eve n Day....wife-hospital downstairs, me upstairs Flu AND COVID....and pre-existing AFIB....AND we coulldnt comm with each other....it was awful....but as a Christmas miracle ...we both made it...God is everywhere.

Even in a completely dark top floor hospital...by myself in quarantine....looking down at the city, Christmas Eve...I had my miracle.

God bless everybody!

And the saga continues...

I started feeling sick again and it got worse every day for about a week. Fast forward to Christmas Eve. Around midnight I started to cough - hard. At 1:30 I told the wife we needed to get to the ER, something was very wrong. At 2 AM I found out I had a collapsed lung. All I got for Christmas was a chest tube.

I had some issues with the hospital during my first inpatient stay. I hoped this one would be better. Wouldn't you know it, it was actually worse. Much worse. Twice during this stay I got so pissed off I said I wanted transferred to another facility. The level of incompetence by the majority of people I encountered was staggering. Some of them were great. I don't deny that at all. But some of them were not just bad, they were dangerous.

I won't go in to detail on all the stupid things that I encountered, but I will say it began with a violation of Hospital 101 - use an alcohol swab before sticking a patient, and ended with my chest tube being accidentally pulled out. That can start a pneumothorax all over again not to mention the possibility of infection.

I was battered with a stunning barrage of lazy stupid incompetent imbeciles. I will NEVER set foot in that hospital again.