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2020-01-04

A pot, some water, eucalyptus oil, and a towel....breathe

My brother and I went to visit our parents in Florida for Christmas in 2019. We flew out of Clarksburg, WV on December 23rd and arrived in Florida a few hours later. Christmas in Florida with our parents was great, but eventually we learned it came at a cost. We returned to the Orlando airport to leave December 30th and our flight was delayed for three hours with no real explanation as to why. We roamed the Airport and kept ourselves occupied before we were finally able to board the plane. We landed safely back in WV a few hours later. However, a day or two after returning I started to feel sick which got progressively worse. I had trouble breathing and my body ached so much that I could barely sleep. I didn’t have the strength to really do anything, and I hardly ate because I couldn’t taste or smell. I called my mom at some point and told her how sick I was, and she told me that my brother was extremely sick too. She pleaded with me to go to the doctor, but I told her it was probably just the flu and I’d be ok. My mother knew I wasn’t going to go to the doctor any time soon, so she told me to use some Eucalyptus oil to help with my congestion and respiratory issues. I grabbed a large pot and boiled some water. After the water had boiled, I added drops of eucalyptus essential oil. With a towel over my head, I began to take in the vapors, and slowly I started to feel like I could breathe once again. This became my ritual for the next week or so. I was probably doing this 3-4 times a day when I had the strength to leave my bed. I believe I was sick for nearly two weeks. The day before I finally started to feel better, I almost went to the hospital because I legitimately thought I was dying. Anyways, after news of the pandemic started ramping up, I later found out that Florida had their first Covid-19 cases in December 2019. I’m guessing that airport delay ultimately sealed our fates and that’s where my brother and I ended up getting Covid (our parents didn’t get sick). For my post I’ve included an audio file recreating my Covid ritual of boiling water and breathing in eucalyptus vapors. You can hear the water boiling, the glass bottle of eucalyptus oil being opened and then placed on the counter. You can hear a slight rustling from the towel and me taking in the vapors.

2021-11-10

Employee Weekly Covid-19 Test

Since the pandemic and everyone returning back to work a vaccine has been provided for everyone to take the vaccine if they choose to. The vaccine is to help with Covid, if received it can help with less symptoms if one happens to catch Covid. At my place of employment we have received emails from HR that anyone who has not been vaccinated must take a covid weekly test in order to ensure we do not have covid and make sure the campus is a safe place to be and ensure that everyone stays virus free.

2020-05-15

Take Charge of Your Health

A blog post from Banner Health on how to take charge of your own healthcare.

2021-10-04

My experience and how COVID-19 affected me.

The essay outlines what I had initially known about COVID-19, what I experienced, what close family or friends experienced, and how I saw the world change as a result. The purpose being to share my thoughts to not only get it off my own chest, but to help others feel comfortable in sharing their own.

2021-09-20

KHN: "I Got a 'Mild' Breakthrough Case. Here's What I Wish I'd Known"

I recently got a message from my best friend since middle school telling me that she had tested positive from Covid. She was vaccinated before I was and quarantined more vigilantly during the majority of 2020 than anyone else I knew. Delta variant breakthrough cases are less rare than people believe. Part anecdote part advice The KHN article answers common questions about what to do if you become one of the breakthrough cases of Covid-19 and what this may mean long term.

2020-04-27

What to Know About the COVID-19 Antibody Test

A blog post from Banner Health about the antibody test available for Covid-19.

2020-03-23

Banner Health opens COVID-19 specimen collection sites

Banner Health today announced a new process for COVID-19 specimen collection in Arizona.

2020-04-27

Banner Health expands COVID-19 testing in Arizona and Colorado

A press release from Banner Health announcing that is has opened three new COVID-19 drive-thru collection sites this week and added lanes to its original sites, expanding capacity from 4,000 appointments per week to 13,500.

2020-09-08

Stay safe during COVID-19 pandemic: Get your flu shot now

A press release from Banner Health encouraging people to get the flu shot to stay safer.

07/22/2021

Banner ECMO entrevista español

Entrevista con Melody Nungaray-Ortiz en Español. Nungaray-Ortiz es una miembra del equipo de ECMO en Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.

07/22/2021

Banner ECMO team Interviews

Interviews with members of the ECMO team at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix describe efforts underway to treat patients with severe symptoms associated with COVID-19.

2021-04-07

Johnson and Johnson Vaccine Diary-Day 2

DAY 2: 4/7/21 8:30am. I woke up feeling a bit better. My eyes were very sore and hurt, and my body was slightly sore. I definitely was not feeling 100%, but I managed to take an 9 am exam and attend two more classes right after that. My friend had asked if I wanted to study together and maybe go to the pool the day before. I told her that if my side effects weren't bad, I'd be down to study, but I was probably not able to swim that day. When I woke up, I was in the mood to swim, but was not feeling well enough. 4:00pm: I finished most of my work and got ready to go out. I went to Starbucks to grab a coffee and work outside with my friend. By then, I was feeling much better emotionally. 5:00pm: My friend asked if I wanted to go to her pool. I realized that I felt so much better, and accepted. By the time we got to her pool, I felt 100% better and was able to socialize with my regular energy. This concludes the end of my diary for my Johnson and Johnson Vaccine experience. I am writing this from Day 3, and I no longer have any symptoms. I have asked various people about their experiences, and the overall conclusion is that it depends on the person. Some people get symptoms the next day, some people's symptoms last more than 2 days, and some people don't get any side effects at all. My symptoms only lasted around 6 hours. Overall, my vaccine experience was nothing surprising and went smoothly. Although the side effects were not ideal, they are more of a minor inconvenience.

03/14/2021

Michael Levesque Oral History, 2021/03/14

Michael Levesque was a paramedic working on an ambulance at the start of the pandemic. He had a pregnant wife at home and was in the process of switching his career into nursing. He recalls the memories of working on the ambulance and taking care of Covid patients, as well as how Covid impacted the EMS services overall. He also discusses how it felt to be starting his career as an Emergency Room nurse during a global pandemic. In both cases, his job put him directly on the front lines of medicine. He discusses the early problems of lack of knowledge and equipment to properly handle this pandemic. He also explains the mindset of an expecting father, working in a high risk environment, and then coming home to his pregnant wife. Michael’s unique life circumstances and career path gives his interview a perspective that few people experienced.

2021-01-25

My Covid-19 Reflection

I caught COVID-19 in January 2021 after being around a family member who was positive. The trail of transmission could’ve been my aunt to my cousins to my mother then to me and my brother but it is still unclear. I firstly got a headache one night then went to bed. I woke and felt my throat feeling tight and dry and had a very bad headache, with congestion, fever and body aches/pain all over. I did not want to eat, just wanted to stay in bed and sleep. It was very difficult because it was also my brother and mother who were sick with the virus as well. I tried to make as many herbal remedies as possible for me and my family. I made teas that helped expel mucus from the lungs and throat as well as garlic, honey, elderberry, zinc and vitamin C, B-12 & D. The first two days that I was sick, my fever was over 100 degrees and I had to take Ibuprofen. To help with my body pains I tried to stay out of the bed and keep my body moving. I lost a lot of weight from not eating as much and my body working hard and using energy to recover. What was very interesting about this experience was that I would feel empty even after I ate food. This strange feeling lasted few days after my COVID symptoms were over. It was discouraging because I got my regular appetite back and could not smell or taste at 100%. Everything tasted very plain no matter the amount of flavor. During this experience I was not very worried. I just knew I would get better quickly and remained positive.

2021-02-04

Reusing the old ward for coronavirus patients Chiba Cancer Center (February 4, 2021)

This is a news of using old medical hospital that is not used for COVID-19 patients’ areas because hospitals are being packed with COVID-19 patients. This will definitely help hospitals that are overloaded. However, I am surprised that they have not started this earlier, when japan was hitting the first wave of COVID-19. Personally, Japan does take a lot of time to initiate something like this (MY PERSONAL OPINION) so maybe they had some sort of reason why they didn't do that initially. Video translated by me. Reuse the unused wards for people infected with the new coronavirus. It is the old ward of the Chiba Cancer Center that begins accepting patients. It was not used because a new ward for cancer was opened in October last year. In Chiba prefecture, the prefecture was becoming more overloaded, such as the occupancy rate of corona beds approaching 70%. They we will start accepting elderly people with mild symptoms from the 5th, gradually increase it, and finally accept about 70 people. 使っていない病棟を新型コロナウイルスの感染者のために再利用します。　患者の受け入れを始めるのは千葉県がんセンターの旧病棟です。　去年10月に新しい病棟ができたため使われていませんでした。　千葉県内ではコロナの病床の稼働率が7割近くになるなど医療が逼迫（ひっぱく）していることを受けて、県が準備を進めていました。　症状が軽い高齢者を中心に5日から受け入れを始め、段階的に増やして最終的に70人ほどを受け入れるということです。

2021-02-03

the symtoms of Covid-19

The symptoms of Covid can very in many different ways, like a fever above 100F. for someone that has covid they could feel exgasting lost in taste and, have trouble breathing, those are the main symptoms of Covid.

2021-01-31

My Second COVID Christmas

My wife and I just had our second COVID Christmas, this time with my mom's side of the family. Because very few on that side can work remotely, almost everyone has had and survived COVID due to work exposures over the past six months. Until we're able to secure vaccines, I also expect at least some of us will have to endure a second round of illness. Having Christmas in January was a strange experience, much like Baseball in November from 2001. I'm glad we finally got to assemble for a few days, and I appreciated most everyone's responsibility with their conduct. My sister is a nurse and treats the pandemic with too little respect. Although she's potentially outside her immunization period, she still acts as though she's chock full of antibodies capable of defeating every new identified strain. AND, she waited until we'd all been together for a full day to reveal her boyfriend has had COVID symptoms for a few days but refuses to be tested. Beyond the drama and anxiety that inspired, I'm grateful to have seen my grandmother, and I'll be even more grateful to know that she doesn't develop signs or symptoms of illness in the coming days. The lesson I learned from this family function is that I can't trust those closest to me to candidly assess the risks those pose to the rest of us. They can't differentiate between their right to make their own health choices and my right to do the same. My understanding was that we had all been sufficiently careful for several weeks to ensure no one would bring COVID to the Christmas celebration, and I was wrong. My bad. I promise it won't happen again, and I won't attend another family function without being vaccinated first, at least not with my sister or a clear, deliberate, and sworn confirmation that everyone I see has been sufficiently cautious. This entire pandemic at this point for me is a balance between mental and physical health, and it turns out they can't both win.

2021-01-22

Symptoms

Covid-19 has a lot of symptoms that range from common to severe and life threatening. Some common ones consist of: coughing, loss of smell or taste, sore throat, fever and more. A severe one is: blueish lips and face. Coronavirus can be commonly mistaken for a fever or a common cold and anyone showing symptoms should be tested.

2020

Symptoms of Covid

The first symptoms of covid that I heard about was lost sense of taste and smell. After that I heard one of the symptoms was fatigue and shortness of breath. Then it was fever, cough, headache, vomiting, and sore throat. I also heard about diarrhea, muscle aches, and runny nose. The worst symptoms I heard about was pain in the chest, bluish lip or face, and difficulty breathing.

2020-01-28

COVID Testing Troubles

I needed to submit a negative COVID test in order to go back to my apartment, so I went to a free drive-thru COVID test at my local community college. The lines were long, but surprisingly quick. However, I was surprised that I was not given a straw to spit my saliva into the tube with. In my previous COVID tests at my college, a straw was given. I had a bunch of saliva saved up in my mouth in anticipation, but I when I got my tube, I spit saliva on everything but the tube. My pants were drenched in my own spit, it was nasty. It was also kind of hard and awkward to drive through the line and spit at the same time. However, I was really impressed at how fast and efficient the testing process was. I ran into another issue later, when I got my test results via text but not through my official patient portal. I had to wait on call for around 20 minutes to request that my results be uploaded so that I could send proof of a PCR COVID test to my university. Despite these mild hiccups, I encourage people to get tested regularly if they think they have been in contact, or have symptoms.

2021-01-27

The Symptoms

The symptoms of Covid 19 varied wildly from person to person. Some people's symptoms were so bad that they had to be put on a breathing machine or were fatal, while others had no symptoms or had a mild fever or cough. The virus attacks the lungs and respiratory system. People died because the virus made it so they couldn't breath. To most people, the virus isn't such a huge danger, but for a small number of people such as the elderly or people with underlying health conditions, it can be very deadly.

2021-01-24

Welcome to My Non-Smelly World

I am currently in the midst of a once in a lifetime experience that I never thought would occur. First, allow me to lay the foundation for this submission. I was born with a condition called Isolated Congenital Anosmia. In laymen's terms, I was born without a sense of smell. This is a rare disorder that affects between 1%-5% of the overall population.* I rarely volunteer that I cannot smell as it involves laborious conversations answering questions as to why and how it could have happened, what foods I can taste, or if I am sad or angry that I have this condition. People are well-meaning, but it gets old repeating this conversation multiple times, so I avoid it like the plague. Wait. Too soon? My preference to keep this close to the vest changed with the arrival of COVID-19. Those who have still not regained their smell after recovering from the virus are now temporarily just like me. It is surreal. Not so secretly, I admit I feel a tiny bit of satisfaction that they are experiencing a glimpse of my day to day life. As a result, I am now feeling the odd desire to tell anyone and everyone about my condition. I feel compelled to share advice and comments with this segment of society while wearing a hat bearing the words, "Welcome to my world!" Also, ideas of creating a Zoom course titled "How to Survive the No-Smell Apocalypse!" frequently come to mind. I can include concepts such as enlisting close friends or neighbors whom you force to smell your house before having people over, obsessively take the garbage out since you do not know if it smells, or the joys of surviving a dutch oven with zero consequence. Also, I will share my list of candle scents that anyone would enjoy smelling in your home. Hint: There is only one, vanilla. Trust me. I have tried them all using my family as guinea pigs. Finally, I feel like the art of 'fake smelling' is underrated and must now be remedied for society to interact with some sense of normalcy during this otherwise chaotic time. I will demonstrate the proper and accepted social reactions when smelling various odors such as used diapers, spoiled foods, lotions, perfumes, or (insert all world smells). The creme de la creme is learning how to emote false elation at the announcement of another semi-annual Bath and Bodyworks candle sale or when Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes come around again. The ability to avoid drawing attention to yourself via 'fake smelling' cannot be underestimated. In conclusion, this pandemic has provided a unique opportunity for others to experience life through my nose. It is not something I would ever wish permanently on others, yet knowing that it is a temporary condition, I have found it to be a bit of respite in a dark year full of so many unknowns. Now can someone confirm whether my Jeep honestly smells like stinky teenage feet or if my husband is messing with me again? *Disclaimer: This measurement may not still be accurate but comes from articles and journals I have read over the years.

2021-01-24

Common Symptoms of Both COVID-19 Vaccines

Many people are concerned with the symptoms that come with the vaccines and if they differ depending on which vaccine. Some of the common symptoms of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are: i. injection site pain ii. tiredness iii. headache iv. muscle pain v. chills vi. joint pain vii. fever viii. injection site redness or swelling ix. nausea x. feeling unwell xi. swollen lymph nodes. Bibliography: “Highlighted Infectious Diseases for Arizona.” n.d. Arizona Department of Health Services. az.gov. Accessed January 24, 2021. https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php?utm_source=google_grant&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=covid19&utm_term=covid#novel-coronavirus-faqs. CDC. 2020. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 11, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/how-they-work.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fvaccines%2Fabout-vaccines%2Fhow-they-work.html.

2021-01-22

Covid-19 Symptoms

Though I have not encountered a close relative or really anyone with Covid-19, symptoms such as a fever, coughing, shortness of breath or fatigue are the most common symptoms of someone who has Covid, and those people should be stayed away from for up to fourteen days.

2021-01-21

MW: Should I Get Tested

The CVS next to my house offers COVID tests. The test is the nose swab one and I really don't want that. I have gotten a nose swab before and remember it being very unpleasant. However, I have been exposed to a situation where I may potentially have been exposed. I don't have any symptoms but the thought of the nose swab is stressful. I wish they had less invasive tests near me.

The mild symptoms you might have from COVID is a fever or chills, cough, maybe fatigue too. They would also get muscle aches, sore throat or a runny nose. Some severe symptoms you might get are difficulty breathing, high fever, persistent pain in the chest, or an inability to stay awake or wake up. The mild symptoms you just need to stay home for but the severe cases you would have to go to urgent care for. An experience I've had with one of my relatives getting covid wasnt really serious. it was my uncle and he was dealing with it fine with no severe symptoms and he only had it for a couple days. After that, he just took the precautions until the doctor said he was ready to go out again. Now he can't have covid for about 4 more months.

2021-01-21

Symptons of Covid-19

There are many symptoms of Covid-19. My Nana got covid and here are the symptoms she had, she had a sore throat, and was coughing, she also had a little bit of a headache. Within about 2 to 3 weeks her symptoms were gone. What I've learned from people who have had covid is that it affects everyone very differently. These 3-year-old twin girls that I babysit got it and one of them just had a runny nose and the other didn't have any symptoms. However, the mom who also got it and lost her smell and taste and that's all the symptoms she had. Some other common symptoms are sore throat, headache, muscle aches, loss of taste and smell, cough, fatigue, and vomiting.

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