(03-28-2020, 09:58 AM)DenverCard Wrote: Count me among those who have to put forth a great deal of effort each day to keep his anxiety about Covid-19 under control. The stories of relatively (or in some cases absolutely) young and healthy people succumbing to this virus is chilling, even as a good outcome is still the rule. Equally disturbing is the high fatality rate across the population. I have elderly parents who live with one of my brothers who is still working outside the home.
Hitting close to home, the father of a friend of my brother's was one of the first in Colorado to die from the virus. He was in his mid-80's and just an all around good guy. No explanation has been advanced as to how he contracted the virus. I also learned that a man in his late 40's with whom I used to swim masters, and who is in excellent shape, endured a very difficult infection, although he did not require hospitalization.
Among all the still-to-be-answered questions is the matter of what explains the extremely variable outcome from one person to the next. The presence of underlying medical problems is a part-explanation, but clearly insufficient. Given similar outcomes among relatives, such as the family in New Jersey in which four members died, I wonder about genetic factors. But from everything I read -- and I read avidly on the subject in the yet-to-be-realized hope that it will provide me some sense of control -- I have not even found a good theory as to why the virus "blows up" to a full-fledged pneumonia, and often Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), in some people.
The fear was AIDS in the 80's, now it's ARDS in the present. I'm 59, and if it comes to the need to be intubated, I am strongly considering declining the intervention in favor of comfort care. (Assuming there would be a ventilatory available.)
Ugh. Terrible times.
Most of the under 60 group who have gone on ventilators have survived.
My best friend from medical school has a 21 year old son living in NYC with one day of fever, chills, worst headache of his life and myalgia. No cough yet. Almost certainly Covid-19. My friend is a world famous surgeon so of course he called a world famous infectious disease specialist in New York to monitor the son. (Overkill.) I gave him the same advice as the ID guy. No need to go out and get tested now. The usual stay at home and hydrate routine and keep a diary of fevers. No ibuprofen just in case. He also somehow was able to get someone to deliver a pulse oximeter to the kid's apartment today. My friend moved to a new job out of state just 2 weeks ago. The mother is still in NYC so will deliver food to his door.
I expect his son to do well. I spoke to the son a few minutes ago and he's calmer than his father.