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Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of June 28
This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the situation is like where you live!
We got a call yesterday from my MIL, who updated us on the news that my FIL was in the hospital earlier in the week. He's got some COVID related pneumonia and other complications. He's also a COVID denier, doesn't think the virus is real, or at the most is a wildly exaggerated "standard flu". Also a Trump supporter, by wild coincidence I'm sure.
He's not doing well. They helicoptered him from the hospital he was in to a larger one in a nearby city. He's intubated and on a ventilator. Wife is currently trying to get MIL to get advanced directives in place, which is touchy. Wife's parents are highly toxic narcissists, I've only met them twice and don't really care to ever meet them again. She cut them entirely out of her life a number of years ago, and is better for it. But that complicates this situation all the more.
What's an advanced directive?
Maybe it’s called something else where you live, but it’s a document saying what medical care you want to have if you’re incapacitated and can’t make decisions yourself.
Doctors often have to do things to try to prolong life that are likely to increase suffering without much likelihood of success, but without clear instructions they don’t really have a choice.
This is something most people don’t like to think about but it becomes important as you get older, like writing a will.
@skybrian is correct. It's sometimes called a "living will". My wife has worked in hospice care, and so is intimately familiar with what can often happen when someone's wishes are unknown or unclear. And even telling you're family things like "no extreme measures" is not good enough, it doesn't provide enough clarity. What's "to far" for one person may be ok with someone else.
The other part is that it happens in small steps. Especially with something like COVID, the body degrades gradually. Each step seems very reasonable and logical, especially while you're focused mainly on hoping that your loved one will get better. What quality of life someone will have after coming off a ventilator can vary wildly especially across age groups. Some people might not want that of they where able to think about it in advance before it happens to them.
Got my 2nd vaccine ahead of schedule! I'm not sure how I feel about it - I was told I may have to wait until August to get it, but ended up getting it about four weeks after my first. The issue is that when the appointment was scheduled, it said I'd be getting my 2nd dose of Pfizer, but when I arrived and was in line there was a security person verifying everyone had the right appointment time and everything and they said that the Vaccine of the Day was Moderna due to shipping issues with Pfizer and it would be a few weeks before Pfizer was available again.
I did end up getting it rather than waiting longer, although it took me a minute to decide. Although I am just a humble layperson, as far as I am aware Pfizer and Moderna are both mRNA vaccines and differ only by one ingredient, as well as maybe the way the doses are distributed between 1st/2nd shots. There's some talk about "mixing" vaccines making people nervous, but I'm not sure the term "mixing" really applies because it's not like the vaccine itself hangs around in your body to protect you. It's your own body's immune system which retains the experience of responding to the vaccine.
My one real concern is that I might not be considered "fully vaccinated" by other countries which do not allow for different 1st and 2nd doses, but I don't plan on traveling internationally for a while.
As for side-effects, the 2nd dose kicked my ass and kicked my partner's ass even more. I couldn't move my arm the day after, developed an aching, tiring fever in the evening, and was sick through the second day with some soreness lingering into day three. My partner had a fever for two full days and the injection site swelled up a lot, to the point we got a bit worried and drew circles around it for reference in case we needed to go to the hospital. It looked like she was smuggling a golf ball under there. Fortunately that died down around day three also, but between the two of us it was a miserable 48 hours.
I was originally scheduled to get my second shot some time in August too, but I just got it today (about 2hr ago) instead, thanks to the pharmacy emailing me to reschedule (presumably due to receiving more supply than expected). I originally got given the AstraZeneca, and was supposed to get Moderna for my second dose, however the pharmacy screwed up and (like your situation) today turned out to be another "AstraZeneca day" with the next "Moderna day" not being until next week. Rather than reschedule yet again, I decided to just get the AstraZeneca for my second dose as well. It's supposedly slightly more effective to mix AstraZeneca with a different mRNA one for your second shot, and that's even what the Canadian Gov recommends, but meh. All the adults in my immediate family and social circle have already had their full 2 doses now, so I don't think me having received AZ for both will be all that problematic. IMO, it was better to just get it over with than have to wait another week or more for the Moderna.
p.s. As for side-effects, I was lucky and didn't have any the first time with the AZ (other than mild fatigue), so I am hoping I have none this time too.
I wouldn't worry about the mixing. There's research coming out, I've heard(grain of salt), that suggests that "mixing" might actually be beneficial. Maybe produces a more well-rounded immune response, in the case of vector vaccinations (AZ e.g.) you also have to consider immunity against the vector reducing the effect of the second dose. It's all a bit hazy because this kind of research only started with the begin of vaccine rollouts (so early '21), whereas the vaccine trials were completed way ahead of that, but by design did not include mixing.
I am, and this might surprise you, not your doctor though.
I've seen Dr. John Campbell say the same thing - he's quite optimistic. The benefit of the second shot is to stimulate your immune system so it takes the threat more seriously. Kinda incredible that our immune system works that way, but it does. The vaccine used to provoke the second response is less important than just having that second provocation.
Threat to vulnerable Americans rises as Delta variant spreads
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Thank you for taking the time to educate us on how covid is affecting those us who are still vulnerable. I've been able to use this link and the last link you provided to strengthen my debate (and change minds) for continued mask wearing.
Thank you for talking to folks about it, and letting me know! It's kind of made my day to know that things I've shared have been helpful in some way. :)