Well then in Illinois, we should all go get the test, so that we can drive the % positivity rate down, which is our move-to-the-next-phase metrics.
@Mwfan1921 I’m sure there are lots of people with that exact thinking. To be honest it’s kind of a win-win. Catching an asymptomatic positive would be a win for everyone, and frankly, for the reasons you described, a negative test is also a win.
Here in my part of TX, anyone that wants a test can get one. You don’t have to be symptomatic, you just call the hotline or show up to the drive thru sites and they will test you.
We are probably typical in testing in that no one knows what is going on and it is very erratic. I know someone who is irate that he has tried 3 doctors and none will give him permission to get the test. Meanwhile, in my town in the same state a couple hours away, they were doing mass drive through testing at the fairgrounds and encouraging everyone to get tested. They specifically said that even if you have no symptoms you should get tested to help them find people who are asymtomatic.
BTW the irate individual has posted on Facebook that one of the political parties is making up the test shortage situation, and on a personal level I find the quick karma payback amusing.
These thoughts are directed at the philosophy, not you…
- Might not change treatment plan, but might change response of those you were in contact with. If my S21 tests positive, he must be quarantined for at least 14 days from rest of family, esp vulnerable parent. Also, they are finding symptoms that aren't obvious respiratory ones but are quickly life-threatening - eg blood clots. I'd want to know if S had the virus to be alert for related symptoms.
- Yup, not perfect. So "not perfect" means we shouldn't make best effort?
- With the drive-through testing, no need to go into hazardous environment.
- So if I'm sick, I shouldn't go to a medical professional because they might get sick? Love that logic.
@homerdog When we called the pediatricians office and spoke to the nurse she said it was probably a sinus infection which was an idiotic diagnosis. When we did the telemedicine visit the pediatric ER doctor said that the chances were so small based on the her age etc that it probably wasn’t covid. She did not tell us what other symptoms she would have needed to see to order test. She just said if we had concerns of any kind go to ER or Urgent care over the weekend and call the pediatrician again on Monday.
When they went for test it was quick and well organized with people in full hazmat suits.
@eb23282 as I mentioned the test really wasn’t for my D21 as I know the treatment is the same and basically supportive. Rather it was more for us as my wife is the caregiver for her 87 year old mother and I have a parents who are 92 and 88. We certainly want to take every precaution to make sure I don’t pass it to them. Also don’t want to not be able to help take care of them. If we know D21 does not have it then we can continue to provide support to them. If she does then we won’t.
Here in Southwestern PA there is one Rite Aide with drive through testing without any doctors order or symptoms. However you have to be over 18. Otherwise you have to have a doctors order.
Welp, my S21 found out his beloved overnight camp in the mountains where he was supposed to be an assistant counselor this summer (this would have been 3rd year) is in fact cancelled for the season. Not a big surprise, but he was holding out hope. Camp is his favorite place and time of year so he’s really bummed. He would have worked there six weeks so it’s a big hole in his summer.
Not really sure what plan B is. He might do some ebay selling for us (my H has some old comic books and baseball cards he wants to sell) and do some volunteering. Maybe he’ll try for a job, job but needs to figure out who’s hiring. I guess grocery stores, right?
I was able to find him a July ACT testing spot in a neighboring district (our district has cancelled holding any tests until Aug) so I think he’ll start some test prep again in early June. Not sure that test will really happen, but fingers crossed.
The good news is he said this weekend – and volunteered this info while walking the dog, no less – that the 3 colleges top of his list right now are Case Western, VA Tech, and WPI – all of which are test optional this year, though that’s just coincidence.
WPI has moved up his list. He spent some time on their website – loves the global focus they have and it seems to be a really collaborative environment for engineering, and smaller classes. For a STEM school it has a more decent selection of humanities classes than some of its peers which he also likes. Plus they have a robotics undergrad major that he’s intrigued by. You take 3 courses at a time for 7 week terms – all between Aug and May. He says he thinks he’d like that focus and intensity.
I read the Fiske guide profile last night and one quote was WPI students are “extroverted nerds” which describes my S very well!
Curious if anyone knows any kids who went there? It’s not well known in our neck of the woods, and my H is a bit puzzled by this as a potential option!
We were supposed to visit WPI over Spring Break. It’s a long drive from NC, and I’m not keen on flying anytime soon, so no idea when he could visit. He has visited Case and VT and liked both.
Anywho, happy Monday all!
S17 has started looking for work. We’re so bummed - he has done landscape construction the last 2 summers. Great boss, pays off the books and he makes enough to get him through the whole school year without needing a job. Now with COVID, business is off - everyone doing their own spring clean ups, a new patio and fire pit don’t seem to be the priority. He said he may need him on and off if he gets a big job but that’s not enough. He applied to Walmart. Drove back to school to get a book he forgot to bring home. If Walmart doesn’t call by the time he gets back, he will try Home Depot and Lowe’s.
D21 works retail. Today is the first day non-essential can open and it’s curbside only. Not sure how long it will take for her shop to even be open normally! She’ll get a jump on essays and the common app this summer, but she definitely needs something else to keep her occupied! Kids around here seem to have pretty much gone back to socializing as normal, so I’m expecting some set backs in the next couple of weeks!
OH! and she checked her email - she got an email on April 29 that she was accepted to National Honor Society! Plans are for a virtual induction early June so they can do volunteer work over the summer if things open up. School also sent a survey asking if kids want Junior prom in fall, with senior prom in spring - with the caveat that fall could still be canceled - for the 3rd time!
@burghdad fingers crossed D is feeling better and gets a negative!
@AlmostThere2018 We also might have a long car ride up to New England. D has several schools she wants to see. Her list is all up and down the East coast, plus Colorado.
We have to drive down to FL next week to move D18 out of her dorm. We will try to see CoC on the way back.
D put on her prom dress last week and we took pictures. School has said they will try to reschedule prom in the Summer- we combine JR/SR prom and have over 1200 kids in those 2 classes, so I don’t think it will happen.
@burghdad I hope your D is feeling better. I’m so glad she was able to get a test. IMHO testing and testing often is the key to this. So many people are asymptomatic, that they are spreading this without knowing. Knowledge is power.
APES today, glad to have email as the backup if things go wrong!
S21 has AP Env Sci test today and AP Lang later this week and then it’s a wrap on this school year! Friday is the “official” last day of the school year but he was basically done last week. He’ll continue to work at Whataburger…first week of June he has Boys State (virtual/online) and Band Leadership meetings and preps for the fall have already started (reviewing and learning new show music etc)…it’s going to be an interesting Senior Year…our longtime Band Director announced his retirement last December (37 years as band director!) and one of our assistant band directors also is stepping down to pursue his Masters and work as TA under the band director at Texas Tech so we will have two new faces this year…our high school’s principal is also leaving as he accepted an administrative position with
the district so new principal next year as well. It’s been a pretty overwhelming Spring with all the changes!
S21 is slated to take the ACT in July (if it still happens!), I’m PRAYING he hits his goal score so that we can be DONE with testing all together and not have to fool with fall SAT nonsense.
Other than that, this summer will be about his college app essays, we were talking last night and be may have a quirky angle for his Apply Texas essay prompt based on something that happened to him while working at Whataburger…I think it could be good!!!
@SammoJ Oh, I agree with some of your comments. In fact, the conversation with my doctor was similar. But at no time did doctor say I shouldn’t get to the hospital If I was having trouble breathing. His goal was to simply limit exposure and thus - stay home and self-quarantine unless an emergency. That logic I agree with.
Also, this was in late March - early April, when testing availability was much more limited, especially in the NYC suburbs where I am.
I don’t understand the thing about teenagers socializing as normal these days! Even if the curve is flattening or going down to some extent, the sheer numbers of cases in most places are much higher than they were when we began the lockdown, so what would make it any safer now? In many smaller communities it’s just gaining steam. We are seeing strange, new symptoms in young and old that we don’t understand or know how to treat yet. I’m not trying to be controversial or divisive here; I’m simply terrified. I understand the need for businesses to begin opening up to some extent, for economic survival, but I feel that socializing as normal for teens is so, so risky. I know it’s not what people “want” and it goes against human nature but I feel we’re fighting a war. Young men living in trenches for months on end in snow and mud and rain while being shot at was not natural or what anybody wanted, and yet they did it.
I’m not trying to lecture so much as deal with my own mini crisis here. My normally cautious, rational, rule-abiding, never rebellious D just had a screaming meltdown directed at me a few minutes ago that has left me shaken. I know it’s as much her sadness, isolation, anxiety etc as much as anything and maybe she just needed that catharsis, but it’s still so hard. I’m not good at being ‘tough mom’ (and have not had to have much practice).
My D’s boyfriend”s family (parents, BF, little sister) have evidently asked her (or BF asked her) to go on a late July beach vacation with them many states away, in a state not serious about social distancing. She says it will be in a cottage in a small town but would involve a flight and they would need to know soon. First, she has never done such a trip with anyone, but at a time like this? I like the family but we are not close friends…and gosh knows what kinds of situations beyond her (or my) control would she be in wrt the airplane, public bathrooms, perhaps restaurants, shops, social distancing in general. Also, BF’s father has to travel out of our area a good bit for work. …what kind of exposure he has through work I have no idea. D has not physically been with anyone except mom or dad since Mid-March, so this (coming out of left field) feels like going from 0 mph to 120mph In seconds! Screaming at me that she’s going to have to live alone in this house for the rest of her life has left me shaken. I’m also, quite frankly afraid for myself. Even if the risk is low for her, I’m now 63 with a quirky immune system (lots and lots of allergies) and I think I have a reasonably high chance to potentially be one of those “cytokine storm” patients. also, Nowhere for one person to even semi-quarantine In our small older home with only one full bathroom if one of us should be exposed or sick.
Today has been the hardest day (emotionally) for me since this began. It’s hard for me to hold firm, support HER crumbling emotions, and stay standing. Saturday was supposed to be her prom. And, oh, yeah, my nineteen-year-old kitty suddenly seems to be going through renal failure (luckily I found some old dog diapers in the closet this weekend) and I’m holding him almost 24/7. Thanks, if you’re still reading all this!
Ugh @inthegarden I feel your pain. My D is really starting to feel the strain of not seeing friends - and she’s not a super social butterfly! My savings grace is her closer friends all seem to have grandparents staying with them and aren’t socializing. It’s more the “popular” crew, who posted pictures of a drunken gathering Saturday night, and neighborhood kids who were out partying in the neighborhood. So she wasn’t actually invited! Just like rubbing salt in the wounds, though!
We did take a drive out to Princeton yesterday. This one completely just to get out on a nice day because it’s really close to us! She has 0 interest in Princeton (good thing, because they have 0 interest in her, as well! LOL). But the campus is beautiful on a sunny, 70 degree day! Too bad the shops weren’t open because it is a fabulous town. We gave up on the Starbucks drive thru as a treat when we counted 14 cars in front of us!
Thanks, @NJWrestlingmom, I think our D’s must be similar…mine is fairly friendly with a number of kids but her actual circle of real friends is small and she’s definitely not part of the drunken-party popular set and doesn’t want to be. I don’t think it helps, though, to see all the Instagsram photos of kids having this kind of fun. Really makes the total isolation harder to bear. I think she’d be OK if she could see her best (girl) friend and her boyfriend (who has truly been her best friend since middle school). but the girl is so friendly, happy-go-lucky effusive ( in a good way) I’m afraid they’d forget to socially distance and, as for the boyfriend…forget staying 6+ feet apart! They’re smart, wonderful kids…ALL of them, but they’re kids and the virus doesn’t care about any of that. Hmmm, almost makes me nostalgic for the good ole’ days of chaperoning ?
I think this has me floored because I felt I was being kind of reasonable by the fact I was considering if/when/under what conditions would I let her start seeing him this summer for…something like day hikes in our nearby parks if they promised to distance a little. This family trip to Florida is NOT something I would have expected in a pandemic. To me, we’re not anywhere close to being over the curve. I think it will resurge, in a big way. I so hope I’m wrong.
@inthegarden I feel you on the vacation invite. What are this parents thinking? My son was invited to a cabin at a lake in June and I am wondering why any parent would want the responsibility of a potential sick kid that is not their own?
Well, I just tend to assume that any parent would know that this type of situation is controversial (Regardless of one’s own opinion of the risk). Even if I were thinking of inviting another kid on a vacation these days I would ask the parents behind the scenes before getting the kids’ hopes up and risking parent-child conflict! Especially in a time when these kids are starting to feel desperate and having a hard time with the self-control it takes to stay distant. I’m absolutely sure this family’s intention is kind And somehow don’t realize how contentious it could be! but, Golly Gee ? it has suddenly made me into the mean old witch of mothers, a role I find hard to bear.
@inthegarden It must be very difficult indeed to be in that position! I would not let my daughter go if I were in your shoes. My teens’ residential summer programs were cancelled and one of them might have a volunteer program cancelled…one which is outside and does not require much social interaction at all…so there is no way I think traveling to another state and living with another family this summer is appropriate. Your daughter is frustrated with the whole situation, and you are her safe space, so she is letting it out on you, unfortunately. Stay strong. You are doing the right thing.
We just decided to rent a lake house for a week in June and are asking the parents of two friends (one for each D) if they are okay with their kids joining us for 2-3 days. We know both families have been taking SIP very seriously, as we have. We’ll be about an hour’s drive from home if anyone starts to feel the slightest bit unwell. I would be okay with either of our kids going with those families under similar circumstances, though I may be nuts. A flight away, though? I can’t imagine that right now.
@inthegarden IMO the other family absolutely should have asked you first. Our state is still under a SAH order, but I already foresee a LOT of these conflicts with our kids as soon as it lifts, and likely all summer. D23 especially is already drooling over the idea of “nonessential gatherings of up to 10 people.”
Thank you, @JanieWalker.
To be fair, this family has been wonderful to my daughter over the years (often including her in their family day-trip outings) and that has meant a lot to her, and me. Also, they have raised a son who treats her with so much respect. And in late winter before lockdown they did invite her to go on a now-cancelled overnight college visit (my D would have shared a hotel room with his mom and sister) to which I said yes at that time. It’s just that this situation, out of the blue, really threw me.
@inthegarden Sounds like maybe it was a momentary lapse of judgment on their part, saying something to your daughter before speaking with you about it.
And I am sorry about your cat, too. We have three. One is close to 20 (!) and still going strong, though now almost deaf. Our two others are 12.