How has the Pandemic affected you as a cancer patient/survivor

Trishyla

Not holding my breath, Alice. At this point I'm not sure anything will get through to them.

---

Jelson

https://www.phillyvoice.com/covid-19-pfizer-pill-a... This would be a game-changer re: hospitalizations If the anti-vaccine crowd embraces this treatment to be taken early in a covid infection. Frankly, I don't know why they would find this preferable to a vaccine, but then I wouldn't dose myself with de-wormer or drink bleach, but one can only hope.

To stay on topic about how the pandemic is affecting me - Yesterday I attended an outdoor rally where only the speakers were unmasked, so while it was the largest gathering I have attended since March 2020 I felt safe. However, as a 70+ year old, I am not sure that I will ever totally resume what had been my normal activities, I feel like I will subconsciously continue to rule out certain activities like going to concerts, plays etc. as if I will be prematurely shutting down.

wrenn

"Prematurely shutting down" is a perfect way to describe how I am feellng about the pandemic. I am 74 and feel like isolation is how I will spend my remaining time. It no longer feels temporary and I am so done with the people who made this happen. It could have ended long ago if not for the selfish nutjobs who need to be seen as independent thinkers. They are sheep following other nutjobs with very little/no thinking involved.

Anonymous

“Tamiflu-like drug” let’s hope it works more like the anti HIV drugs they mentioned in the article, rather than like Tamiflu which is not much better than useless.

(Even the protease inhibitors used for HIV must be used in a combo with other drugs

Chowdog

Merck reported positive data from its covid antiviral pills, but i doubt antivaxxers will take it. I already saw some tweets from antivaxxer claiming its the renamed and rebranded horse worm from Merck.

https://apnews.com/article/merck-says-experimental...

Sadiesservant

I understand the frustration completely Wrenn. I’m 59 and, with MBC, my time is running down quickly. I do want this situation to end soon so that I can enjoy the time I have as much as possible. But, while it’s frustrating that there are so many unvaxxed among us, it’s shocking to realize that we actually haven’t had them available for that long. And unfortunately, there are still fully vaccinated and partially vaccinated being hospitalized from Covid. I’m not sure we are going to see “normal” for quite some time. Sigh..

Anonymous

I'm sure positive reports were presented for Tamiflu, too, else it wouldn't have been approved.

Sorry, I'm skeptical. I'll believe it when it's actually in use and saving lives.

PS - fringe voices may be loud but they are a tiny minority, one that I don’t pay attention to hence I can’t join in on that aspect of the conversation

nopink2019

I'll consider the new Merck drug a game changer if it frees up lots of hospital beds occupied by the unvaxxed so that people with emergencies and other issues (like...BC?) have a chance for care also. Do you think the unvaxxed will take a drug that has EUA only? They used that excuse for months to not take the vaccine. But they grapple for monoclonal antibodies when in ER? Yes, and that's what is in the vaccine too. I wonder if the cost will be similar to some of the drugs we take for MBC? No, it will probably be fully covered.

Effects of pandemic? I'm cynical about Americans' intelligence, someone has passed around the kool-aid. "Prematurely shutting down" also describes my outlook on life, especially since summer when this could have been behind us.

Chowdog

Urg, this sucks that even New Zealand is giving up zero covid? I was really rooting for NZ.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/04/world/australia/new-zealand-covid-zero.html?smid=tw-share

With regarding Merck’s antiviral, it is most affected if takenas soon as symptoms appear, so access to covid test and quick test turnaround are crucial.

Anonymous

I do hope the protease inhibitors Merck is developing are effective. We do need treatments/early interventions, for sure. That Tamiflu comparison just kinda pushed my buttons a little. Merck’s PR team should get on that ASAP ; ))

sbelizabeth

This morning, my hubs and I walked into a local credit union to open an account. Maybe half of the employees were wearing masks. A teller escorted us into her 6-foot square office and closed the door. She was wearing a dirty, beat-up mask under her chin.

Me (as politely as I can muster): "Excuse me, are you vaccinated?"

Teller: "We don't disclose that."

Me: "OK, would you please wear your mask?"

Teller, tapping on the little plexiglass shield between us: "That's what this is for."

Me: "Please wear your mask."

The teller rolled her eyes and pulled her mask over her mouth.

Me: "Have a nice afternoon." And we are out of there.

Dammit.

Traveltext

Well done SBE. What an inconsiderate teller. I'd 1. Go elsewhere with your business. 2. Report the teller to the company.

Betrayal

SBE: I would take "we do not disclose" as a firm "no" and call them on it. The plexiglas shiled is working only while she is not talking since it has been documented that air currents go over the shield and thius provide a false sense of security. I hope you can take your business elsewhere where you are regarded as a valuable client.

Anonymous

SBE - Good call to leave. I'd send an email to the bank stating everything she did that cost them a new account.

ShetlandPony

DH and I were hungry and tired after running errands and helping family members, so we pulled into a shopping center near home and were happy to discover a brand new quick-food restaurant of one of our favorite cuisines. We happily stood outside and pored over the menu on the window. Our orders decided, we put our masks on and entered the restaurant. There was the guy standing behind the counter by the warm bins of food, with his mask around his chin. When he saw us he raised it over his mouth and adjusted it, nose still hanging out, then went on handling the food (which is like handing food after touching your nose and mouth). I turned to my husband and quietly told him we would not be getting dinner. Then I turned back to the guy who was expecting to take our order, and informed him that we would not be ordering because he did not wear a mask properly. He looked surprised. And we left very disappointed. It's a little thing, but all the little things added up are what make up our days, ya know? I ought to contact the owner but I already have too much on my to-do list. Would he or she be disappointed to have lost potential regular customers?

And sbelizabeth, how can people still not understand that face shields and plexiglass shields are useless against virus aerosols?

wrenn

I'm stunned by how many take this pandemic as a set of imposed rules to follow or not follow or follow when being watched. I am so happy to come across someone who understands the significance of "pandemic" and who understands how aerosols enter and exit bodies. This thread gives me hope.

Anonymous

wrenn - My millennial daughter needed to explain it to her boss. Fortunately her boss listened and bought air purifiers and masks for the office.

ShetlandPony

The young child's mentality of "No, you can't make me!" And the very immature "morality" of "It's only bad if you get caught." Adults are supposed to mature out of self-centeredness.

ShetlandPony

Look, the US and Canada and many other countries have sophisticated media, big movie industries, animation expertise, so why can't we have public service announcements with short videos that explain, with good graphics, some basic science about viruses, vaccines, clinical trials, etc.? They should be on YouTube and social media sites and news channels. For example, a video depicting unmasked, unvaccinated people in a room, virus aerosols moving into the air and hanging around, and a person breathing them in...time lapse...now that person is coughing...and so is their family...positive test result...hospital...

ChiSandy

Those plexiglas shields have been shown to be ineffective unless they reach all the way up to the ceiling--on all sides, like an isolation booth. They concentrate the middle layers of aerosols around the person behind them, putting them at greater risk of inhaling the particles and then spreading them when they emerge from behind the shields. The nail salon I frequent got rid of their shields, makes all their techs wear properly-fitting masks, and will not let unmasked clients in (the sign in the window even says "please wear your mask when you ring the bell"). They also keep a box of masks on the desk.

Face shields or goggles are still recommended for health care professionals--still along with masking or even double-masking. And the UIC eye clinic where I see my ocular onc will not let in patients wearing only a cloth mask--it hands out surgical masks at the door.

Alaska has had to resort to "triaging" people "to death"--if there is no room in the ER or ICU, only the patient most likely to survive gets treated. And not all those "left behind" to die are COVID patients. The nearest place to transfer patients is WA, and the only way to get there is to fly, as Sen. Lisa Murkowski found out when a family member without COVID needed an ICU bed and had to be flown to Seattle. (And WA & OR are dealing with their own surges).

Meanwhile, IL's numbers are improving: positivity is 2.2% and test positivity 2.7%. Chicago's at 2.4%. New case numbers are dropping, and most hospitals in the Chicago area are seeing lower ICU occupancy rates. When asked at a press conference whether that means he can remove the state's indoor mask mandate soon, Gov. Pritzker demurred, saying he has to study the metrics more carefully and make sure they continue to fall to at least where they were last June, when indoor mask mandates were lifted for the fully-vaccinated. Don't cave, Gov.! One of the reasons for our surge was that the state relaxed mitigations too soon. (Indoor restaurant capacity limits were fully removed July 1--and even at the height of the subsequent surge were not reimposed--though theaters have voluntarily blocked off two seats on either side of a patron or group of patrons attending together).

Anonymous

But he is waiting! In the meantime is he isolating completely?

His "research" probably had a setback after the FB outage yesterday. 🙄

https://twitter.com/TorontoStar/status/14453669217...

Chowdog

Well, looks like our local public health officials are finally caving and are planning to get rid of indoor mask mandate if a county hits certain metrics. I just hope they set the metrics low enough and help us get through this fall & winter season, especially it seems vaccine for 5-11 is just around the corner. Honestly, do they really believe antimask ppl are going to keep an eye on metrics? i can already hear these ppl complaining the bar is too low, too confusing, etc.

My county 7 day average case rate finally hit slightly below 10 per 100K less than 2 weeks ago. our 7 day average case rate was 1.2/100K back in June before Delta hit.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/When-w...

Anonymous

Our provincial case rates are similar. They're loosening some restrictions, but I worry about the kids. They may have a lower risk of death, but they can have serious long-term effects. It seems eventually everyone will be exposed to the delta variant. I'd rather the kids are vaccinated first.

Trishyla

Went to see my lymphedema therapist today at the Rehab center I've used for all my rehab, including for my lymphedema, my broken ankle and helping with lower back issues. It's the largest rehab center in the area and I've been there enough for them to all know me by name.

I was pleasantly surprised when they told me I had to bring in proof of vaccination in order get therapy. It's a new policy and apparently very popular with their patients, who tend to be older with at least some health issues.

I'm happy to see more places insisting on vaccinations before you can patronize their place of business.

On another note, my husband's cousin just tested positive for Covid19. She's fully vaccinated and seems to have a mild breakthrough case. That's reassuring as she has two kids, including a baby. She's a single mom, so she is caring for them. Hopefully neither of them catches it.

sbelizabeth

Several friends and family members caught breakthrough cases. No one was seriously ill, and strangely enough, other vaccinated household members didn't catch it.

There's a big hoo-ha on the news here about a hopeful kidney transplant patient and her prospective donor. Local hospitals won't allow the surgery until they're both vaccinated, and they're both refusing. Oh, well. I guess she'd rather go to dialysis, or die of kidney failure, than get vaccinated. My compassion is at a low ebb for this stuff.

Anonymous

A work buddy told me today that his girlfriend tested positive for Covid a second time. She got it last year about now (they had to travel to Poland due to family death and picked it up not on the packed bus but from a taxi driver to the airport!) and was double vaxxed with Pfizer. Apparently it was just a bad headache, fatigue, and fever for about 12 hours and sniffles/sore throat after, bad enough to run a PCR test. She does work in a university and these just restarted in the last week here, so suspect low mask compliance in that environment and lots of exposure and voila - there you have it.

Probably a good PSA to stay vigilant and not get too cocky

AlwaysMeC

Sbelizabeth, my parents were vaxxed in March and both had breakthrough cases last month. My younger brother and sister both live with them. All were tested and they did not catch it. I think it was inevitable for my parents since they share a sleeping space. I am glad my mom wasn't very sick from it. She was upset just two weeks prior from losing her favorite uncle to Covid. He was one of the younger siblings, so it was more like losing an older brother for her. He was hesitant to vax and was waiting for other options.

ChiSandy

I just watched the news report featuring the kidney patient and her daughter. She claimed that "they're holding my transplant hostage." They are refusing the vaccine for "religious" reasons. But NO religion--save Christian Science, which forbids any medical or pharmaceutical treatment--forbids vaccination. Religious leaders worldwide--the Pope, rabbis, most priests, Protestant officialdom & most ministers, imams and the Dalai Lama--are all urging their followers to get vaccinated. The official central organization of Orthodoz rabbis (the Union of Orthodox Judaism) has declared that the Torah (which is part of the Christian Bible as well) actually mandates vaccination, in order to fulfill the supreme mitzvah (commandment) to preserve life--whether one's own or that of another. The Union has condemned the practice of certain Haredi rabbis (in NY) warning women of childbearing age that vaccines cause miscarriage or even infertility--but sadly, it has no authority to defrock, deconsecrate or excommunicate.

Even the renegade ultra-Catholics (who consider the Pope a heretic) who object to any vaccines developed using a fetal cell line (however decades-old) as part of the research don't forbid any other of the thousands of medical treatments or drugs developed using fetal cells. Nobody was encouraged to get an abortion

Ultra-conservative politicians are arguing that, analogous to draft-era conscientious-objector status, any "sincerely-held religious belief" must result in an exemption. They claim that, per Strait v. Laird (which my Criminal Trial Practice prof won while still a law student) not being a member of a recognized organized religion--or any religion--doesn't disqualify one from being declared a conscientious objector; that a sincerely held moral belief that taking a human life under any circumstances is wrong.

But this analogy fails--forced conscription is not for the benefit of public health, nor meant to prevent the spread of disease. SCOTUS decided back in 1912 that a state could mandate vaccination. Moreover, conscientious objectors still had to perform prescribed national service. My law professor refusing to go fight in Vietnam endangered nobody in the U.S., especially nobody with whom he had contact. And anti-vaxers are getting online "ministers" and "doctors" with whom they've never consulted to issue them letters of religious & "medical" exemption (usually for a fee or a donation to a PAC or megachurch).

ChiSandy

One of my son's friends visiting his dad here got COVID last fall at a local gym. Fortunately, none of us who'd been in a theater, Uber or restaurant with him tested positive. He got vaccinated here this spring, then moved back to L.A. in July, went back to gyms, and got a breakthrough case. The first infection was almost asymptomatic; but the breakthrough kept him in bed for nearly a week. He is slightly obese, and if heredity is any indicator (his late mom was a brittle Type 2 diabetic), he probably is at least prediabetic.

Rah2464

My niece's best friend's mother has just passed from Covid. Lives in Texas, fully vaccinated and was very careful about exposure as she had an underlying condition, Lupus. She was 58. So very sad for this young lady who is 25 facing the loss of her mother. I am very sad for my niece as well, experiencing the grief that death can bring at her young age. I just hope this virus doesn't mutate again and get stronger before we find enough ways to effectively combat it. I see my reg doc in early Nov, hope I qualify for the booster by then.