Handling of the Coronavirus outbreak reminds me of women, Republicans and abortion.

[BadgerMom]

Bear with me here.

I’m in our California home as I write this. The state has resources and Democratic leadership. Still I cannot take a test to learn if I have COVID-19.

I’m a 67-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer in 2016. My treatment, which has been successful so far, included lumpectomy, radiation and 5 years of taking Tamoxifen. My oncologist sees me every 3 months to check on me before renewing my prescription.

Tuesday I began to feel achy. I was sneezing, sometimes 13 times in a row. My sinuses were filling. I was coughing. Today I have had a low grade fever. I have had my annual flu shot. This could be a nasty cold. I do, however, have a friend I lunch with weekly. Three weeks ago she returned from a cruise from Sydney to Bali. They flew home through Seoul. She returned with a stuffy nose but had set off no concerns on the ship at health checks.

Next weekend we have a family party planned to celebrate my older brother’s 80th birthday. Our 82-year-old sister will be there. I’m supposed to be there. If this is a cold, I should be over it.

Something else bothered me. My oncology appointment was to be Monday, before the party. Most of my oncologist’s other patients have compromised immune systems. The practice encourages and provides flu shots. I felt I needed to let the office know I was feeling ill. I admit to hoping perhaps the practice could get me tested. Nope.

They asked that I postpone my appointment a week. I explained I’d be in New Mexico the following week. Okay. End of April then. No chance of being tested. (I feel that last sentence should be in all caps with exclamation points.) I’m left to decide about the party with absolutely no solid info.

Okay. How does this link to abortion? In this way: I cannot do what citizens of other countries can do. In other countries, test kits are available. Similarly, women in other countries can avail themselves of safe means to terminate a pregnancy. My government is restricting access to Coronavirus tests just as they try to restrict access to abortion. My government is involved in my healthcare in a detrimental way.

I don’t believe I’m going to die. I still am worsening. How will I know if I’m a danger to my family? I probably won’t. I guess I’ll wait and hope things resolve themselves and I have greater clarity at the beginning of the week.

Thoughts?

[Kath2]

1. Hope you are well soon.

The Trump administration has been anti-science. anti-choice and anti-woman from the start.

[BadgerMom]

2. Thank you.

And they certainly have been. I don’t believe I’ve ever met an individual as vile as Trump.

[pat_k]

3. If the doc can't/won't test for COVID 19, what about...

... testing for other possibles?

Perhaps unavailability of tests makes it impossible to rule out COVID 19 right now, but what about doing other testing?

If you "rule in" something else as the cause of symptoms, that might give some peace of mind.

And whatever the cause, if I were you, I think I'd plan to stay away from the celebration. Depending on cause, you may be contagious longer than symptoms last and probably want to avoid infecting others, whatever you've got.

Bit from the web on testing

Direct antigen tests are routinely available for influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Some centers offer direct antigen tests for parainfluenza and adenovirus. Increasingly, microarray and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays are being used to detect rhinovirus in respiratory specimens

[BadgerMom]

5. Thanks.

Good advice.

[Girard442]

4. Are there still naifs out there who think...

...that “pro-life” has ever been pro, y’know, actual life.

[Johnny2X2X]

6. They have protocols to follow for testing

There are a limited number of tests, they have strict protocols to follow, you do not fit under them.

Basically you have to have several symptoms and have been exposed to someone with it or yourself have just traveled back from Italy or China to qualify for a test right now.

As of a couple days ago, only 500 tests had been administered in the US.

[lunatica]

7. I can only speak for myself

But it might be much better to err on the side of caution. Just make a decision based on what’s best, and right now you have a reasonable doubt about how you may have caught what you have. It was from a sick friend who went on a cruise. That’s flag number one. Right now that’s a big flag since so many people on cruises have become sick, leaving many people stuck on the ships in quarantine.

I would self quarantine at this point. I know I would never forgive myself if my elderly relatives got sick because of me. Even if they survived.

But if you have it you can pass it on to everyone and anyone. To strangers coming in contact with a doorknob. To someone who uses a grocery cart after you or who shops behind you or is in your vicinity when you cough or sneeze.

Gavin Newsom has already declared a state of emergency. Try not to spread it if you have it and not to get it with your reduced immune system from being sick.

It’s better to have a disappointed family than the unthinkable alternative.

[BadgerMom]

8. I agree.

Living as far apart as we do and given the advancing years, throwing in the towel on a chance to see each other is very difficult. But if I don’t feel much better or have a better idea of what this is or isn’t, I have to bow out.