COVID-19

Well, That Was A Nice Surprise

A month ago I wrote about the 2020 Moss Motoring Challenge and how it was the last one and it looked like we finished out of the money. In today’s mail was an envelope from Moss Motors and inside was a $50 gift certificate.

Wow, that was not expected, but thank you very much. I guess because it was the last year of hosting this event they were extra generous with prizes. In spite of COVID-19 there were 6 people who scored 304 points, only missing the five points each for visiting the Moss warehouses. Also probably because of the pandemic there were quite a few who signed up (looks like about 200 total) and nearly half scored no points at all.

I have already spent the prize money on some new silicon wiper blades. When I drove the Miata to the a doctor’s appointment back in January it started to sprinkle on the way back and when I turned on the wipers they squealed like a stuck pig. Needless to say, on the short drive home, they were used sparingly.

Masks

This has sitting in my drafts folder since October which was right after I bought some face masks online (the Mark III.) I was going to write a little review and compare it to the first masks used to keep us from breathing in virus particles, but never got around to it. Now, having just bought some more from someplace else, I thought now was the time to write about something that has basically become daily wear.

Mark I Mask

Mark I – We made these in house not long after it was recommended that folks wear face coverings as a prevention device. Three layers. The two outside are of old pillowcase with a center section of dish towel. We had some 1/4″ elastic that I cut in half lengthwise for ear loops. Worked out OK, but they were loose fitting and non-adjustable. We made just two, one for me and one for her. This one is mine because it had a B written with Sharpie on it.

Mark II Mask

Mark II – Donna found someone locally that was making them in their home on Facebook. They were $5 each and made of a couple layers of some sort of cotton material. But, you could get them in all sorts of patterns. The patterns were mostly aimed at women and children. They were sized that way also, as mine were a bit small for my face. And the closest we could get for men was Star Wars themed! The ear loop elastic was narrower than ours and were adjustable by retying the knot in a different spot which made them a bit more comfortable, we bought two each.

Mark III Mask

Mark III – I found these from an Instagram ad in my feed. These folks, Bows-N-Ties, are a in San Francisco and had a bountiful selection of patterns aimed as business folks (you could even get matching ties to go with the mask.) They were their 1st generation masks of two layers of cotton for $7.50 each. Again we bought 2 each. The ear loops were easily adjustable and more comfortable than the others. These were supposed to be anti-fog for us glasses wearers, while better than our first two masks, metal wire didn’t hold up through several washes. It was easier to just take off our glasses when wearing them. While bigger than the homemade masks, these were still a bit small for me.

Mark IV Mask

Mark IV – From another Instagram ad, this is my most recent purchase. This is a company in Kansas that make the self-proclaimed World’s Best Undershirt, Mr. Davis. They are $12 each, but the second one was 1/2 off, so in essence they are $9 a piece. I bought two. These have nice adjustable ear loops and a flexible nose bridge that seems to work better than the Mark III (we’ll see how it holds up.) There is also a built in filter pocket and flexible ends for sealing at the cheek area. The big draw though was it came in three sizes. I bought the large and it fits my whole face, from top of nose to under the bearded chin.

Stress Tested

I am reminded of the George Santayana quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Which most often remembered as “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” I think that both those who do not learn history, and those who do, are doomed to repeat it. And I know history, mostly because I write it here and can look it back up, so I know that I am repeating it.

From June of 2002, Stress Test.

Last week I had another stress test. This one was in two parts, Tuesday was the resting version, inject some nuclear stuff in, wait an hour, take pictures. Thursday was the actual stress part. I packed my sneakers and a pair of shorts to run in and when I got there I was thrown a curve ball. Because of COVID they didn’t want me (or anyone else for that matter) to be exhaling forcefully in a little room with other people, so they medically stressed me. I got an IV shot of Lexiscan which made my heart think I was exercising. Very weird feeling…laying flat on my back feeling flush and having to breathe heavy. Then I had to wait 45 minutes before laying down for more 3D pictures of my heart.

The follow up with the Cardiologist is next month.

Negative

Donna received her results on Monday bright and early, I didn’t get mine until this afternoon. So in a way I already figured what my results would be, because of our situation, whatever she was I was, sure to be as well.

SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19), DIAGNOSTIC
—–
Performed at: 01 – LabCorp Seattle
550 17th Avenue Ste 300
Seattle, WA 98122
Lab Director: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx MD, Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
—–
Testing was performed using the Aptima SARS-CoV-2 assay. This nucleic acid amplification test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by LabCorp Laboratories. Nucleic acid amplification tests include PCR and TMA. This test has not been FDA cleared or approved. This test has been authorized by FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). This test is only authorized for the duration of time the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of in vitro diagnostic tests for detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 infection under section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 360bbb-3(b) (1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner.

When diagnostic testing is negative, the possibility of a false negative result should be considered in the context of a patient’s recent exposures and the presence of clinical signs and symptoms consistent with COVID-19. An individual without symptoms of COVID-19 and who is not shedding SARS-CoV-2 virus would expect to have a negative (not detected) result in this assay.
—–
Component Results

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) by RT-PCR
Standard Range Not Detected
Your Value Not Detected

—–
Collected on 10/16/2020 12:02 PM from Nasopharynx (Swab)
Resulted on 10/17/2020 10:05 PM
Result Status: Final result

Tested

I have been to see a couple of doctors recently and every time I check in to be seen, one of the questions asked is, “Have you been tested for COVID in the last 14 days?” My answer has always been, “No.” Why bother? Neither Donna nor I are exhibiting any symptoms…

Today we changed that answer. Firstly, so that next time (at least for the next two weeks) the answer to that question can be, “Yes.” And secondly, although we have no COVID-19 symptoms, for the last week I have been randomly getting when inhaling through my nose a sort of weird sweet smell and occasionally my back teeth will hurt when biting down. These are not any COVID symptoms I have ever seen listed anywhere, but in the past, these things have meant to me personally, that I am coming down with a flu. But in that case these symptoms show up for maybe a day and then I’m sick. Right now I’m not feeling sick.

The local hospital system has a testing site in a parking lot of one of their medical clinics that is right up the street from us. We pass by it at least every other day. There has rarely ever been a line and today was no exception, but by the time we circled the building to get tested there was one car ahead of us. They weren’t ahead of us for long as they were not in the system and were unsure if their insurance would cover the cost, so they pulled through and parked to the side.

The paperwork took the longest, even with us being already in their system. The test took all of 5 minutes total, but just 5 are seconds spent with a long handled mini brush looking thing in your sinus cavity. Not too unpleasant, but I’m glad I am not in any sort of position where I have to get tested daily.

The test results will take a couple days and I’ll be sure to let you know the results.

Football is Back

We watched the Kansas City Chiefs play the Houston Texans last night. It was a slightly toned down version of their AFC Championship game from last year, the Texans scored first then the Chiefs racked up an insurmountable lead and basically cruised to the win.

One thing was really different though, the crowd in the stands. Early in the third quarter when the game was still kind of close, Al Michaels comments on a shot of the stands by saying, “It looks like it is late in the 4th and the home team is up by 50 points.” Later they announce the actual attendance at fifteen thousand something, or roughly 1/5 of capacity.

The broadcast had added some piped in noise to make it almost sound like a full house. I want to know was it the just NBC adding it, or was it piped into Arrowhead Stadium too? And if they did, what was it like for the 20% in the seats to hear the fake sound?

20 Seconds

The rule for washing your hands is for you to do it for 20 seconds to thoroughly remove all the bad germs. Easy way to time this is to sing the Happy Birthday song, twice. I use a different method for timing it. I turn on the hot tap in the upstairs bathroom and when the water turns hot it has been 20 seconds…

Oh, and late to the game, I just picked up on the origin of COVID-19.
COronaVIrus Disease 2019….