COVID-19 Coronavirus and Lung Health: What can you do?

Posted by Merry, Volunteer Mentor @merpreb, Mar 1, 2020

Good morning- I have hesitated to post anything about this new and dangerous group of viruses because I am certainly not qualified to discuss any science. And certainly not about genetics and viruses. But I can discuss how we can lessen our fears, be as prepared as we can and very simply if we get it, what do we do?

First of all the COVID-19 is the name for many similar viruses. It's not just one. It is believed to have started by bat guana in Wuhan, China. Wuhan is the very large capital of Central China’s Hubei province. It is a commercial center divided by the Yangtze and Han rivers. This virus spread very quickly, perhaps like the flu. And because of travel. it is spreading throughout the world, and it is here in America. This is a group of very dangerous viruses has the potential to kill and has. Many of us with breathing problems must be very diligent to protect ourselves as much as we can.

You can help protect yourself by doing these things:

Keep your hands clean. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Cover your cough and sneezes to keep germs from spreading to others. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces routinely. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay home when you are sick.

If you have these symptoms please see a doctor: Fever, Cough, Shortness of breath

I know that a lot of us have at least two of these symptoms already. So if your shortness of breath or your coughs become worse and you feel ill then it is time to seek medical help.

Here are several sites that have addressed the Coronavirus for more information.

If you know of anyone who is ill please stay away from them. Passing along the facts about this group of viruses is the best that you can do to help others avoid getting ill.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

Are you feeling antsy, jumpy? Spring fever has me and other than my yard or a short walk how do I deal with it? How do I deal with my stress and worries about the future? What will the world be and if I do get COVID-19 how will my poor lungs react? Stage 4 lung cancer is no walk in the park with respiratory illnesses. There's so much to think about. I can't stand to think about those that are trying to make decisions for us, rather I try and center myself on what I can control. There are many good suggestions on Mayo's Podcast dealing with.
Isolation: How Do We Handle it?
A New Kind of Grief in These Times
How are you handling anxiety at this time of COVID-19?

https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/podcasts/newsfeed-post/managing-stress-and-anxiety-during-covid-19-pandemic/

What can you control now so that your future might look less threatening?

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It seems that COVID-19 has turned into quite the stinker. In the beginning, it looked like if you had a fever, cough, and shortness of breath you probably had COVID-19. But now these three, seemingly benign symptoms have grown into a cacophony of additional ailments. COVID-19 has not followed a lot of rules that are known for flues. It has it's own rule book and likes to surprise. I just came across several articles that include skin rashes, GI tract, kidney, and heart, and liver infections that are also caused by COVID-19 and that GI symptoms can come before fevers and other early signs of the virus. This virus's trip happens after you inhale the virus from someone else and it attaches to cells in the nose. From there it's intent, using the host's body, goes about replicating itself so that it can take over its host.
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/how-does-coronavirus-kill-clinicians-trace-ferocious-rampage-through-body-brain-toes#
https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/skin-rashes-an-emerging-symptom-of-covid-19/

Do you think that you might have had COVID-19 and not known it?

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Covid-19 is a moving target. Dermatologists are now concerned that broken blood vessels in the feet, lower leg are a symptom of the virus.

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@spudmato

Covid-19 is a moving target. Dermatologists are now concerned that broken blood vessels in the feet, lower leg are a symptom of the virus.

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@spudmato- I'm curious, where did you get this information? I thought that it only guess work at this point.

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Some patients with COVID-19 need help breathing because their lungs have been so damaged that they can't breathe by themselves. And yes, sometimes a breathing tube can injure a lung. When patients with COVID-19 need intensive care support drugs are used to help control that person's
breathing. I found this video and think that it gives a clear understanding of this procedure. No graphic details!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILgZ_EqFKAs&feature=em-uploademail

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I don't knowingly guess.
Unfortunately a member of my family has been diagnosed with the virus on the basis of the symptoms I described, broken blood vessels in the feet. A dermatologist was involved with the diagnosis. I do believe that this symptom is not in the mid-stream of the symptoms for Corona Virus.
Unfortunately, as you pointed out, this virus causes more damage to more organs than we are currently aware of at this time. Yet there is still a significant problem with the attitude of many who disregard behavioral directions, putting others at risk.

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@spudmato. I agree, I think at this point even scientists and doctors do not know the whole spectrum of this virus because it happens so quickly and spreads even faster. We don't know why some elderly patients recovered and yet young patients die from it. I can only guess, and I stress the word guess, that immunity has alot to do with it. Until there's a vaccine, or a drug that we are positive would work, we have to continue to be vigilant not to put ourselves and everyone around us in danger of exposure.

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@mayofeb2020

@spudmato. I agree, I think at this point even scientists and doctors do not know the whole spectrum of this virus because it happens so quickly and spreads even faster. We don't know why some elderly patients recovered and yet young patients die from it. I can only guess, and I stress the word guess, that immunity has alot to do with it. Until there's a vaccine, or a drug that we are positive would work, we have to continue to be vigilant not to put ourselves and everyone around us in danger of exposure.

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I know my opinion may not be popular, but, my question is how many of those who have "died" have only been caused by the virus? I know many countries don't keep statistics like we do, but I have a question how America has more deaths than 99% of the rest of the world!
Richard (Sundance)

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What is the point of your post? Should we hide the truth like some countries?
Your answer lies i the political process, and our leadership.
Here we are, the richest country i the world, and our response led to our current numbers. The effort to increase the numbers continue.

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