1. < Asthma

I'm high-risk with asthma. How to stay safe with viruses?

Posted by suerc @suerc, Apr 20, 2020

I am very afraid of contracting this virus. I have asthma and high risk. Afraid when this country open. Some are pushing to open and it scares me.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Asthma Support Group.

Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 21, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, efforts are underway to find a new normal and begin to reopen the country and the economy. While people are eager for strict social distancing rules to end, public health measures, including testing and tracing for the virus, will be important tools needed to control the spread of the virus and prevent an uptick in new infections.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, discusses the steps needed to reopen businesses, schools and other activities as the fight to control COVID-19 continues.

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JACK SIMKHAY | @fair2all | Apr 21, 2020
In reply to @colleenyoung "@fair2all, Hi Jack. You and your family certainly were well prepared and wise to go into..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

@fair2all, Hi Jack. You and your family certainly were well prepared and wise to go into quarantine early before it was mandated, especially in New York. Do you live in an urban center or rural?

I can certainly understand your concern about planning for "an exit." and you are well advised to consider that ahead of time in as far as that is possible. Is your son seen locally for his medical needs and coordinated with his team at Mayo Clinic. Do you still go to Mayo for followup visits? I ask because I'm curious to know how that may look for your son in the near term and how telemedicine might now play a role in his care.

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Thank you Colleen! We live in Larchmont in Westchester County, a Northern suburb 20 miles from Manhattan. It's a small town in the County that became the ground zero of the beginning of the spread of the virus in NY, that started a week after we enclosed ourselves at home. All the main Doctors of our son are and have always been at the Mayo. We visit the Clinic every 6 months for regular checkups and we were actually due for a visit 2 weeks ago. We have here his General Practitioner, but we don't do anything without the approval and directions of his Doctors at the Clinic. We spoke with his Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist at the Clinic, and we were satisfied with their approval of our plans, they monitor his Heart Rhythm electronically through his Defibrillator, he is doing well, we know to look and to determine if there is any changes in his wellbeing, and as long as he is stable as he has been since his last surgery, we are staying in place, and make the best of it. When there is going to be an absolute safe window of possibility for safe travel to Rochester, we will go for a checkup. His wellbeing's importance to us is such that if we notice that there is a change in his stability, we won't hesitate to fly him on a fixed wing Ambulance Jet. His Physicians at the clinic, know that we rely on them to see down the road, what safe vaccine for his immune system will be available that they could recommend.

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fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Apr 22, 2020
In reply to @fair2all "What we are concerned about is the plans for exit, in what seems to us in..." + (show)
@fair2all

What we are concerned about is the plans for exit, in what seems to us in our case probably at some point within the next 2 years!

Our 44 year old Son that lives with us, has a whole long list of Chronic Health issues, and if there was a list of High Risk people to the Covid-19, he would probably be somewhere on top of the list. He was born with a serious Congenital Heart problem, and throughout his life the Mayo Clinic Doctors and Staff, performed 7 open Heart procedures, managed his eventual acquired Ventricular Tachycardia successfully through a series of Ablations, and partially recovered from 3 strokes that caused some Neurological difficulties.

Thanks to the dedicated and compassionate care he receives at the Clinic for the last 44 years, he is stable and enjoys his life the best he can.
Knowing his vulnerability we voluntary Quarantined ourselves at home with our Son 2 months ago. In addition to our son of course, my wife and I never live the house, we let no one in, and are very careful and cautious, knowing that his chances from recovery from being exposed to the Virus are almost none.
In addition to that, we live in "New York", which is not exactly the open spaces of other communities.

We are comfortable, and all 3 of us are in high spirit, we do everything we can to stay safe, we constantly update ourselves on what is known to the Medical world, and what they are still trying to learn about this Pandemic.

We are by nature positive people, and we don't worry about things that are absolutely not in our control. We are confident that a solution will be eventually found, but until then, we are convinced that we cannot take any chance, before a tested and approved vaccine will be available.

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@fair2all, Your post should be "mandatory reading" by all. How daunting and inspiring that you remain positive and upbeat despite your family's serious vulnerability to the virus. If you can be this positive, surely the rest of us can be less whinny...thinking only of self here, by the way! Thanks for your post and best wishes going forward.

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fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Apr 22, 2020
In reply to @lioness "@fiesty76 Thank you I am fine now I think this was the case Anxiety and the..." + (show)
@lioness

@fiesty76 Thank you I am fine now I think this was the case Anxiety and the heavy boxes . After I rested the pain started to leave . I feel bad we have to endure this at this time . Also Amazon didn't deliver the one small package so I called them had a nice customer service agent that helped me out with the post office . Since they are paying them I thought this is what is happening . Thanks feisty76 for you concern How are you doing? Stay safe

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Hi, friend @lioness. Glad it was primarily anxiety. although that is no small demon itself!! Also happy to learn that Amazon rep was nice and helpful...really good to hear because they must be facing a deluge of calls now.

Thanks for asking. I am doing well; following my diet as closely as possible; "celebrating" 41st day of self-quarantine; utterly humbled and grateful that I have remained healthy despite several chronic health issues.

However, I am beginning to become discouraged by the many I fear who will be flooding back into more normal life" too soon. I and others here can only continue taking the precautions we can to continue to stay well and safe. Just feeling a bit down because that time may stretch far longer than I'd first imagined. We can do this and this group is making it so much easier to stay on track. Best!

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1 reply
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Apr 22, 2020
In reply to @lioness "@merpreb Hi I probably wont change anything . I,ll stil l wear my mask for awhile..." + (show)
@lioness

@merpreb Hi I probably wont change anything . I,ll stil l wear my mask for awhile I One thing is to use the bus more to go to stores but will still use Clorax more in cleaning . My son will be able to come over I,ll get to see my grandson go and use there pool hot tub for my back and to relax . We will be able to communicate with out neighbors here Other then this my routine will stay the same . Exercise class will resume and adult coloring . I will plan a trip up to see my friend which will be like a vacation for me . Just taking precautions when out How bout you Merry ?

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Good morning Linda. What I meant was how will you decide when it's time to venture out? What will you consider a safe time?

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1 reply
Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Apr 22, 2020
In reply to @fiesty76 "@merpreb, I apologize, I went off on another tangent about dreams...hard for me to stay on..." + (show)
@fiesty76

@merpreb, I apologize, I went off on another tangent about dreams...hard for me to stay on topic and need to work harder at behaving and observing our guidelines...don't wanna' have Connect privileges taken away for bad behavior. Will work to do better!

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@fiesty76- You've been wonderful on Connect. Very very helpful. And I would like to thank you for this! We all go off on tangents! And it's especially easy to do right now. But our groups have a purpose and we'd like to try and stick with that, otherwise, we will be all over the place. It also helps offers structure, which I think that we all need. I certainly do!

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1 reply
lioness | @lioness | Apr 22, 2020
In reply to @merpreb "Good morning Linda. What I meant was how will you decide when it's time to venture..." + (show)
@merpreb

Good morning Linda. What I meant was how will you decide when it's time to venture out? What will you consider a safe time?

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@merpreb I don't know when things will get back to order
Last week protesters in Huntington Beach now a nursing home in that area has covid virus in the home .These people scare me they are in my opinion spreading the virus.So right now I'm staying in wearing mask .Now Dr s are predicting it will be worse this winter it's beenn40+ days now so getting use to it

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1 reply
lioness | @lioness | Apr 22, 2020
In reply to @fiesty76 "Hi, friend @lioness. Glad it was primarily anxiety. although that is no small demon itself!! Also..." + (show)
@fiesty76

Hi, friend @lioness. Glad it was primarily anxiety. although that is no small demon itself!! Also happy to learn that Amazon rep was nice and helpful...really good to hear because they must be facing a deluge of calls now.

Thanks for asking. I am doing well; following my diet as closely as possible; "celebrating" 41st day of self-quarantine; utterly humbled and grateful that I have remained healthy despite several chronic health issues.

However, I am beginning to become discouraged by the many I fear who will be flooding back into more normal life" too soon. I and others here can only continue taking the precautions we can to continue to stay well and safe. Just feeling a bit down because that time may stretch far longer than I'd first imagined. We can do this and this group is making it so much easier to stay on track. Best!

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@fiesty76 Woops just made you 77 but removed that. It is hard but there will be a 🌈 coming As long as we can find things to keep us busy 😊 in our home we will be O.K There is a nursing home in Huntington Beach that has the virus now protesters last week ,crazy people.You know what we can do hide things then like Christmas find a present think that may give people a lift 😂. Take care , stay safe 🙏 I'm going to repot today when I find my potting soil ,on the hunt feel better

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1 reply
mayofeb2020 | @mayofeb2020 | Apr 22, 2020
In reply to @lioness "@merpreb I don't know when things will get back to order Last week protesters in Huntington..." + (show)
@lioness

@merpreb I don't know when things will get back to order
Last week protesters in Huntington Beach now a nursing home in that area has covid virus in the home .These people scare me they are in my opinion spreading the virus.So right now I'm staying in wearing mask .Now Dr s are predicting it will be worse this winter it's beenn40+ days now so getting use to it

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@lioness.. Yes, I'm worried too. With temperature going to the 90s this weekend and Orange County is opening the beaches, I suspect they will be packed, I doubt there will be social distancing there. I'm checking the county's statistics, hoping that the virus has slowed down, but with the beaches re-opening, I'm not so sure anymore. My car battery died the other day because I haven't been driving, and my son came to over to restart it, we both wore masks just to be safe. Now I have to remember to take my car for a spin at least once a week.

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2 replies
lioness | @lioness | Apr 22, 2020
In reply to @mayofeb2020 "@lioness.. Yes, I'm worried too. With temperature going to the 90s this weekend and Orange County..." + (show)
@mayofeb2020

@lioness.. Yes, I'm worried too. With temperature going to the 90s this weekend and Orange County is opening the beaches, I suspect they will be packed, I doubt there will be social distancing there. I'm checking the county's statistics, hoping that the virus has slowed down, but with the beaches re-opening, I'm not so sure anymore. My car battery died the other day because I haven't been driving, and my son came to over to restart it, we both wore masks just to be safe. Now I have to remember to take my car for a spin at least once a week.

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@mayofeb2020 Just heard that a nursing home in Huntington Beach has the virus now Protesters there last week about opening up These people scare me Good for you on wearing mask ,wash hands I even wear gloves I take all precautions this is a virus unlike anything I've ever seen yes run your car to keep battery charged Be safe

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