I added the update to the first version of the diary I wrote yesterday. It turned out to be far too long, so here is the update as a new posting.
We heard from our son this morning. He has a few observations regarding some of the questions raised in the comment section, as well as an update on how he, DiL, and the kids are doing.
Here it is in his own words:
“Please tell everyone thanks for the kind words and support. It means a lot, to everyone but especially to my wife and I. (Child #1) is about the same, no worse, no better. Still awaiting the PCR on #2, and my wife heard about the (identifying information redacted) child down here who just died, one day after testing positive, and completely lost her shit.
She's a very, VERY experienced critical care nurse, with all that implies, and has seen every conceivable face of death...but when it's your kid, it all goes out the window.
I can't say I'm much better off, frankly.
We are watching the kids like hawks to see if we need to go up to the next step, which would be monoclonal antibody therapy. We'd rather not though, since there are kids who need it worse right now. Even now, we feel bound by our oaths and our empathy to parents with much sicker kids. We'll hold off until the symptoms get worse.. Unlike people like the governor of Texas who is getting monoclonal antibodies, even though the sorry bastard is asymptomatic. What the actual fuck?
A few things…
First, and most important, is my reference to Zyrtec and Pepcid. Start taking it, especially if you test positive. I know some physicians who were involved in one of the studies, and we now have some hard evidence that, at least in SOME individuals, they block or mitigate the cytokine storm, which is one of the big ways this shitty virus can kill you. Do NOT take the Pepcid if you are on any kind of PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitor), like Protonix, Nexium, etc.
Also start taking aspirin if you test positive, or have recently had COVID. Another killer we've seen pretty frequently is sudden pulmonary embolism, which is blood clots in your lungs.
OK, more mundane things…
My reference to Penny wise: He's the evil clown in the Stephen King novel "It".
"We all float down here" is something he says to the children from a sewer grate.
If you want to understand fully, read the book, but the reference is very grim.
Vaccinations. Our vaccination rate here has skyrocketed. While our rate of fully vaccinated persons is still way down in the 30s, the 'At least one injection' number is now about 40%. That still sucks, and we are still at the bottom statistically, I'll take whatever I can get.
The MAGA crowd may be glued to Faux News nationally, but what they are seeing on their LOCAL news is, finally, scaring the shit out of them.
My wife's mom called her a little while ago, from the Walgreens parking lot, and said the line to get a vaccine was out the door, and growing. Thank God.
Peaking the pandemic: we are now hurtling toward what we hope is a peak within a few weeks, hopefully two or three, but right now it's anyone's guess. If we have to hold out longer than that, we are screwed. It's bad now, but we have no illusions about what could happen next.
To all the DKers: my wife and I thank you and love you all for the outpouring of love, support and prayers. It really does help.
Thanks, everyone, and please stay safe.”