The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

taurusgb

I'm having my vaccine tomorrow - and I'm very scared right now.  Not of the vaccine, as I'm Clinically Extremely Vulnerable I've been carrying my phone EVERYWHERE (even to the loo), because I've been so desperate not to miss a call to have it.  What I'm most scared of is catching covid while I'm being vaccinated.  I know they will do the best they can to keep everyone safe, but there is no getting away from the fact that a mass of people, no matter how well dealt with, presents a risk.  The staff on duty I'm sure will be well versed, the people waiting to be vaccinated maybe not so much.  I was diagnosed with a new cancer in my kidney last September, nothing to do with the blood cancer I already have, which meant a fair amount of hospital visiting and oh my goodness the lack of care by some of the people I had to dodge in corridors made my hair stand on end! 

I'm a little worried by the new strain but trying to keep my fears under control.  I haven't seen any of my adult children for a year, except our youngest son who lives fairly locally (our others don't) does come and shout through a closed window (and I cry when he leaves again).  I've been majorly grateful for priority grocery deliveries, and for all the stores I have prepped over the years....whatever I thought I would use them for, locked away for a year in a pandemic wasn't one of them, which just goes to show that prepping is a must - you never know what is ahead.

My DH has been shielding with me all this time.  His employer has been fantastic and actually sent him home to work before the first lockdown and work from home instructions last year.  They know about my blood cancer, as he's had to have a fair amount of time off over the last few years to take me to appointments, and they were well on the ball and very pro-active in seeing the danger of DH working in the office.  I feel really sad for him as his mother died last week (of covid caught in a care home in East Sussex).  He hadn't been able to see her since January 2020 due to shielding me and us living 4 hours away.   Ironically she had been sent into the care home after discharge from hospital where she had an operation for a broken hip, to keep her safe as she wasn't fit straight away to look after herself, so DH and SIL thought a few weeks in the care home would set her up for a return to her flat - then covid struck, and she never left there again until it killed her.

I sort of feel I went to bed one night reading a cosy Agatha Christie and woke up slap bang in the middle of a Stephen King novel.

[Deleted User]

JVT was so down to earth sensible in the broadcast this evening that fears raised by the media yesterday in the report of the Oxford vaccine not being effective for the South African variant were put into perspective and common sense practicality has replaced them.  He's a reassuring man to have fronting for the government and is calm and calming in his responses. I could wish that the media generally were a little less precipitous in publishing information that isn't peer group reviewed, specially at a fraught emotional time like this.

daz378

Quite a few fellow carers  have had covid     and thankfully recovered,  though  3 clients have died  wether from covid  or from delayed treatment cos of covid...which has been upsetting   professional distance notwithstanding ...back in work thursday....weekly covid tests now....stay safe

[Deleted User]

Taurus GB it was very well managed and VERY quick from arriving in the queue and having my temperature taken outside while standing socially distanced, and everyone was, to stand by the door, in to give my name and take off my coat, on to the next blue line, being called to the vaccination station in a room where I was alone with just the nurse, required questions and answers, which arm? and all done and out again in 2 minutes flat, didn't come close to anyone else staff or patients, doors and windows wide all over the building and out through a different door at the end so I didn't have to pass anyone at any point.  The greatest care was taken of us all and by us all, it wasn't a fearful experience.  Hope it's as quick and safe for you xxx.

greenbee

thriftwizard said:

Paranosmia? Oh good golly - just looked that up & am wondering whether OH has it; he 's been hunting the "foul smell" in the kitchen which turned out to be the newly-opened daffodils on the table. Not to mention him complaining that his lungs feel as if they're burning when he goes for a run, and he can only manage half the distance in his normal time... he spoke to the practice nurse and she was arranging for the doc to ring him "on a Wednesday at lunchtime" but it wasn't last Wednesday, which was nearly a week after he spoke to the nurse - sigh. But none of us have been ill, and she obviously didn't think it could be anything serious.

GQ, I'm so sorry about your colleague; I take my hat off to you and all who are keeping the whole country going despite the spectre of Covid-19 stalking their workplaces & transport. That's real courage and I thank you all for it.

To be fair, some of us do find daffodils smell pretty unpleasant... my uncle always sends scented narcissi from the Scillies, and my mum, my brother, my SIL and I can’t bear them in the house. It’s worth keeping an eye on though. And chasing for the phone appointment.

DryTheRain

thriftwizard said:

Paranosmia? Oh good golly - just looked that up & am wondering whether OH has it; he 's been hunting the "foul smell" in the kitchen which turned out to be the newly-opened daffodils on the table. Not to mention him complaining that his lungs feel as if they're burning when he goes for a run, and he can only manage half the distance in his normal time... he spoke to the practice nurse and she was arranging for the doc to ring him "on a Wednesday at lunchtime" but it wasn't last Wednesday, which was nearly a week after he spoke to the nurse - sigh. But none of us have been ill, and she obviously didn't think it could be anything serious.

GQ, I'm so sorry about your colleague; I take my hat off to you and all who are keeping the whole country going despite the spectre of Covid-19 stalking their workplaces & transport. That's real courage and I thank you all for it.

Hi thriftwizard, can’t remember where I heard it (probably bbc newscast or somewhere on the Guardian), but apparently the unpleasant smell indicates a lingering pocket of infection in the nasal passages, which could be covid or something completely unrelated.  If funds permit, my inclination would be to order a Roche antibody test (£69 from Lloyds) to see how the land lies, and give him something solid to present to the GP.   The case I heard about turned out not to be C19, and was easily cleared up with a course of antibiotics.. fingers crossed all round xXx 
https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com/uk/coronavirus-covid-19-testing/covid-19-antibody-test-kit

MingVase

Fabulous pic from Aberdeenshire

[Deleted User]

A suggestion on the newsfeed this morning that a top up dose of tweaked vaccine against covid-19 might be given in the Autumn alongside the annual flu vaccination which seems sensible as a way of administering it without having to work the logistics of a national vaccination scheme again and those who don't qualify for or want the flu vaccine would be able to get an appointment at the GP surgery for their top up covid vaccination.  Sensible if that's what is to happen.

3secondmemory

DryTheRain said:

thriftwizard said:

Paranosmia? Oh good golly - just looked that up & am wondering whether OH has it; he 's been hunting the "foul smell" in the kitchen which turned out to be the newly-opened daffodils on the table. Not to mention him complaining that his lungs feel as if they're burning when he goes for a run, and he can only manage half the distance in his normal time... he spoke to the practice nurse and she was arranging for the doc to ring him "on a Wednesday at lunchtime" but it wasn't last Wednesday, which was nearly a week after he spoke to the nurse - sigh. But none of us have been ill, and she obviously didn't think it could be anything serious.

GQ, I'm so sorry about your colleague; I take my hat off to you and all who are keeping the whole country going despite the spectre of Covid-19 stalking their workplaces & transport. That's real courage and I thank you all for it.

Hi thriftwizard, can’t remember where I heard it (probably bbc newscast or somewhere on the Guardian), but apparently the unpleasant smell indicates a lingering pocket of infection in the nasal passages, which could be covid or something completely unrelated.  If funds permit, my inclination would be to order a Roche antibody test (£69 from Lloyds) to see how the land lies, and give him something solid to present to the GP.   The case I heard about turned out not to be C19, and was easily cleared up with a course of antibiotics.. fingers crossed all round xXx 
https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com/uk/coronavirus-covid-19-testing/covid-19-antibody-test-kit

I had a very expensive MRI scan that revealed nothing more than a deep seated sinus infection 😂😂

thriftwizard

Thanks, everyone - he definitely does have some kind of problem in his nose, which he's had for over a year now - pre-covid, in fact. Because he's a tough guy he hasn't wanted to make a fuss until now, and of course downplays it when speaking to the (rather glamorous) nurse. I suspect that when someone does finally get around to having a look, there will be something deep-seated in there, which will hopefullly clear up with some relevant treatment. But in the meantime, he's not able to sleep properly, which means I'm not either! And the "lungs on fire" bit is worrying, as he's had pneumonia in the past, but of course he didn't really mention that to the nurse, just "hard to catch my breath sometimes," when he's actually going bluey-grey & barely able to stand.