My daughter works for a mason supply company. Her boss went on several trips for meetings throughout 3 provinces. When she returned to the office both she and my daughter work in, she stood beside my daughter for about 45 minutes telling staff about the meetings to get everyone on the 'same page'. She also told me her boss did this while NOT wearing a mask, which is mandatory in Alberta in ALL public buildings. She was diagnosed on Monday with Covid.
I asked her, "did YOU have your mask on?" She said yes. I said I think you should be okay. But I knew there was still a small chance.
"Well?" she said, "after work I sat in her office to wait for my boyfriend to pick me up and I took mine off." My heart sank. I couldn't be mad at her because I work in a store and 99/100, when I'm in the back room or in my bosses office, I take mine off as well. But I know my boss works and goes home. Works and goes home. Works and goes home. She only allows her brother inside her house because their mother lives with her and her brother has the same life.
She went for a Covid test Tuesday and Wednesday morning I texted her to see if she was feeling well. She was taking her inhaler because she was 99% sure her asthma was acting up. She said she felt much better than the day before, "it's probably just a cold". Denial set in.
She called me 2 hours later on my cell at work, just as I was about to relieve a cashier for her break. "I need to take this call, sorry!'
"Hi mooommmmm! I have the vid...."
I had to sit down. And I had to get her to repeat it twice because I was hoping I heard her wrong. "I'm okay mom!" "sure, okay" I said. "Mom, really. I'm okay!" My voice shook and I started to cry. "Okay Mindy. You're going to be okay."
My fear: she has asthma. And when she was little, she had bronchitis and pneumonia a few times. Her lungs are already compromised. Last time she had pneumonia was grade 12 and it was double pneumonia.
"Keep using that inhaler! And keep hydrated!!"
A talked to a co-worker who had it before Christmas and she gave me a list of advice that I forwarded to my daughter: move move move. Drink drink drink, especially hot herbal teas. She gave me a list of things to buy to make tea, such as oregano leaves, ginger, cinnamon sticks and lemon. Another coworker made a super spicy Indian tea and brought it to work twice for me to bring to her. A doctor from health services phones her daily to check on her because of the asthma and she has no regular family doctor. I bought her a pulse-oximeter and her readings have been VERY good according to him He says she is not breathless while talking to him which is also good. She lost her sense of taste and smell so all her food tastes the same: cardboard. She gives daily updates on her Facebook page with a great sense of humour. I brought her snacks and a big teddy bear. My son dropped off a veggie platter, magazine and a hand made get well card from my grandson. We put the items on her doorstep, ring the bell and stand back about 20' to visit.
Her boyfriend tested negative so far. He will have to quarantine another week longer than her, once she feels well to make sure he doesn't get it in the meantime. She says right now her chest feels tight like it does when your asthmas is bothering you, but there's no wheezing or rattling. She's drinking so much herbal tea and water she's about to float away. She's lost 8 pounds so far but was finally able to get some food down yesterday. I made her a huge pot of chicken soup. It was all she could eat two days ago so she had a few bowls. Chicken soup fixes everything... it's all I can do to help her. Her doctor said she's over the worst of it. She said if this is the worst, she's doing great. She wasn't able to sleep at all the day she was diagnosed because she was so afraid she wouldn't wake up. Once the doctor assured her she was okay, she got a good sleep, until her cat woke her up at 3:30 a.m..... She's very fatigued. Walking from the couch to the bathroom exhausts her and its only 15'.
For anyone here who thinks it can't happen to them and you decide to let your guard down; IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU. KEEP THE MASK ON EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU CAN TRUST THE PERSON IN THE ROOM WITH YOU. I don't take mine off at work at all now. I wear it 8 hours a day, less 1/2 an hour for my lunch break. If I can wear it that long while doing a physical job (I'm a shipper receiver and merchandiser, and cashier) who lifts very heavy items all day.... you can wear one grocery shopping.
Annegriet