Villarocker

Last night, via Amazon Prime Video, I watched a 51 minute Australian documentary from 2005 called The Coming Pandemic. I recommend it as it is quite enlightening. There's a scientist in the film who studied how influenza starts in birds and transfers to humans. He said that if one ever did transfer to a human that already had a different strain of flu virus, the two could mutate and lead to a worldwide pandemic that could be unlike anything ever seen before. The Spanish flu of 1918 is mentioned a lot. If you watch this documentary you will think it was made this week because it is so relevant to what is going on now. It is mentioned how such a pandemic would probably start in Asia and spread through people travelling. They mention worldwide lock-down's to try to stop the spread of the virus. Symptoms are dry cough, fever, shortness of breath which leads to pneumonia and people affectively drowning because of the build up of fluid in the lungs. Talks about a worldwide economic crisis. Australian officials talking of how they would ground planes and use airport hangers as makeshift hospitals. All sound familiar? However, one scientist - Professor Graeme Laver - spent his lifetime testing bird viruses and how to combat them. He developed two drugs that he said worked - Tamiflu and Relenza. He expresses frustration at why government wanted to issue them as pre-emptive medicine when he says that they only work once the virus is inside you. The man spent 60 years researching this so I doubt there's ever been anyone more qualified on how to fight it than him? He wanted his products to be readily available over the counter so everyone had a chance when the pandemic eventually strikes but you can only get them on prescription.

Mate, I feel more sorry for those NHS staff as they are going to encounter this every day for quite some time now. I'm either gonna be over it in a few days or another victim - either way I'll be out of the firing line. It's criminal how they don't have enough gear to protect them. Im feeling OK right now. My breathing is calm.

I've also got stomach pain and diarrhoea to add to my ailments. Is your back hot when your chest is cold? Apparently that's a sign.

I think I'm calmer today because I have more natural energy. I am scared to rest on my laurels as it feels like this thing is lurking around my body just waiting to attack. I know how dramatic and crazy that seems but it's made me freezing then overheated, it's given me violent headaches around my eyes, my nose is raw, I have no smell, my skin felt like it was being burnt, all my joints have ached, everything tastes yacky and now it is trying to start in my lungs. It's like it goes all around you looking for a way to mess you up. I felt better because of not being so lethargic but when I looked in the mirror it was a stark reminder. Another thing, I have to remain calm. Anxiety will start my Asthma off and I can't afford that.

Does anyone think computer games are essential during this time? My employers are still open. There is no social distancing going on there.

These are the symptoms I've noticed this week: Shivering cold then overheating - four days Sweats Loss of smell Strange taste which seems to overrule almost all flavours - I've found Dandelion & Burdock the drink I can actually taste. Bliding headaches. Mainly behind the eyes, particularly my left eye which was a terrible pain. Lethargy in all parts of the body where I couldn't even make a fist for the previous three days. A strange sticky-like saliva in my mouth that makes your throat feel dry - probably where the nasty taste comes from. Loss of appetite although I'm forcing the food down me to keep my strength up. My nose, despite not being runny, is very sore on the inside. It doesn't look sore but sure feels it. I have neither wiped it or blown it more than any other day but it's really painful. I've become increasingly wheezier. Today, on a couple of occasions, I made a strange sound when I breathed. It was like wind blowing through a tunnel or something. I've coughed more today than all the rest of this week out together. I can actually feel an aching in my left lung when I take in deep breaths. Obviously, this has me concerned the most. I know I just have to stay as calm as possible and hope that it doesn't get as bad as it can be. What's strange is, I feel like I have more energy today. Although, the emotions are starting to kick in more because of missing my son and girlfriend. My son asked me when I'm coming out of my room. He asked when I get if I can go and see him every morning and night in his room as he wants to see me before he goes to sleep and when he wakes up. I dunno, maybe he's worried about losing me and wants that comfort of knowing I'm there? It's tough emotionally. Despite us seeing each other from a distance and chatting from a distance it's just not the same for any of us.

I slept well but woke with the sweats yet again. I've had the fever symptoms every day since Monday. I don't feel as lethargic today but I've developed a cough. I'm wheezier too and already had to take my inhaler twice this morning (2 puffs each time) to help my breathing. Thanks for asking!

I suffered many Asthma attacks as a child. I recall being rushed to hospital in ambulances with an oxygen mask strapped to my face and spending days in Birmingham Children's Hospital. My main memory of childhood Asthma was one Saturday afternoon when I was 8 years old. I had tomato soup for lunch and was watching world of sport on TV. They did a build up to the day's football games and I then went outside in the garden and started kicking the ball around. After a while I was violently sick in the garden. It took my breath so much that I had Asthma attack. I remember my Dad sending my brothers fiance to go call an ambulance whilst my Dad lay me across his lap. I was looking up at him gasping for every breath and he was telling me to calm whilst stroking my forehead and telling me to breathe like him. It really was like the scene in the film Signs where Mel Gibson did similar with his son. I was hospitalised for a week after that one. The worst physical experience of my life was when I suffered a Pulmonary Embolism (blood clot in the lung) around 16 years ago. I had a varicose vein repair op done the week before and also had to have a leaking valve repaired in my left calf. That bled in the afternoon whilst recovering and the nurse put a tourniquet on my leg. I was kept in Good Hope Hospital overnight and was in agony with my leg. The nurse wouldn't remove the tourniquet despite my many requests. The next morning, after 16 hours, the tourniquet was removed. Doctors believed that's what led to the blood clots that must have travelled from my leg to my lung after a week. I was at home and fighting for breath. The ambulance took me in around 11pm and after many blood tests and xrays thay eventually realised something was wrong, despite the fact I was lying lifeless on a trolley gasping for air with an oxygen mask on my face. They took me to the EAU around 5am and I was just out of it. I was sure I wouldn't make it. I was having oxygen but fighting for air. A nurse, who was about to go off duty, sat and held my hand for over one hour whilst she waited for the doctors to come and see me, I was that distressed. I was kept in hospital for a week. I had 3 tubes of blood per day taken from me. I had a warfarin injection every day. I was on steroids and oxygen. I was a bag of shit lay three in hospital. I was in so much agaony they had to inject me to put me to sleep. I was told that the clot had almost filled my left lung and that my lung would now be forever weakened and I'd be more susceptible to suffering further clots. Just before my son was born around 6.5 years ago, I suffered Asthma attack - my last Asthma attack. I was hospitalised for 3 days. My Asthma medication was changed then and I've not been as bad since.

I'm pretty sure, from reading survivors' stories, that the pneumonia part comes from the amount of fluid (mucus?) that builds up in their sinuses and travels down into their lungs. I've not had any of that yet but still wheezier than usual. I'm hoping to avoid the sinus trouble. I dread the pneumonia, I'm sure that would kill me.

I'm not that bad yet. I know when I'll be needing hospital as I've been through that experience many times throughout my life. Right now, I'm just trying to stay calm, drink plenty and use my inhaler as much as needed.

In general, I have felt worse today than I did yesterday. I felt better yesterday evening until the night drew in and that's when I got the shivers. But, I've been really hot all day today and struggled to cool down. My lethargy seems to have relented more as they day has gone on but the breathing has become wheezier.

Thanks for sharing that. Never heard of them before but it's my kind of music so I'll be checking out some more whilst I've got so much time on my hands.

What I've noticed is, as the day has gone on my breathing is not the same. I've not had any runny nose or sign of sinus trouble but I've become wheezier despite taking my inhaler.

I'm sure there was a story about a young British nurse who had apparently committed suicide in a London hospital this week? It must be very hard for them mentally and physically.

This is what winds me up. My employers made around £300m+ between October and December alone. Now the logistics director is threatening they may have to make people redundant if the business has to temporarily close voluntarily. The same director said we have monthly overheads of £1.3m. Monday last week, our CEO stood in front of us telling us all there was enough cash flow for the company to survive the next 6 months without work, if needed. Now, I'm no genius but, surely we can survive a temporary closure of 3 months with costs of £4m if we are making £300m in 3 months? The greed stinks. I hate those that exploit us mere mortals. I hope they all rot.

Does anyone else tgink that woman bottom right looks like Greta Thunberg?

Firstly, the shivers returned last night but only for about 15 minutes and then I went to feeling normal temperature. My headache had gone and I was beginning to feel better, not so lethargic. I slept well but woke just after 7am and had a blinding headache, right behind my eyes. My head was pounding. I took 2 paracetamol and fell back to sleep. I then woke up about 8:40am and completely soaked in sweat. I've had to take all the bed covers off cos they're soaked and had to air the bed. I've still got the same headache and also noticed a dry, sore throat developing and feeling a bit "chestier" than normal. I've taken my inhaler so hopefully that'll ease it a bit. The irony of all this is, as a lifelong Asthma sufferer, I've never known my lungs to feel so open and was breathing better than ever since the planes were grounded.

I think they'll let the elderly die and save the young ones, mate. Brutal but probably going to happen. Imagine if it was your own mom or dad etc and they did that (touch wood it doesn't happen) you would be mega pissed off, I know I would be. This could have been avoided. They should have closed the borders immediately after it became clear it was getting out of control in China. Then, isolate all the vulnerable and then deal with whoever became hospitalised.

My GP told me today that I should not go to hospital unless I'm fighting for breath. I asked about an ambulance in such instance - I could get oxygen on the way - he told me I'd probably die before an ambulance got to me so to get someone to drive me. He said there'll come a time, if this continues, when they will leave people to die and choose to save those who face the best quality of life after recovery. Imagine the guilt people will feel if they are told that the 75 year old COPD sufferer next door will be left to die so they can live. In such a modern world how did we get to this? They waste money on space exploration when they could be spending it protecting our own planet and its inhabitants. That's how stupid they are.

With regards to the testing, I really hope I get one soon after this. I spoke with my director today. He said he will pay me for the week I should be off but if I take any longer it is SSP. I asked about the 80% thing from the government and he said that would only kick in if the government forces the business to close. He said then he could put all jobs at risk and claim the 80% for everyone. Anyone know if that's true? I was also told by my GP that I may well get one of those shielding notifications this week which would make me stay at home for 12 weeks. Anyone know if you still have to do that if you've already had the virus? Matt Hancock said that people should be immune once they've had it, hence I want a kit after this so I can be cleared to work again and not take 12 weeks off on SSP. One other thing bothers me. They keep going on about the crowded tubes. What about the rest of the commuters around the country going to and from work on buses and trains? Do they not get any consideration?

Thanks for all the best wishes guys. I really appreciate it and it's uplifting to see such warmth from a load of people I have never met at a time when I'm isolated in a bedroom. My 6 year old son keeps popping up the stairs to ask how I am and if it's gone yet. It's a grounding experience.

I've been told today that I've got it. I'm really ill and weak. It all started around 7pm last night when I suddenly became colder than I've ever felt in my life. I was shivering and shaking uncontrollably and no matter how many layers I put on, together with the duvet and blankets, I simply couldn't get warm. From 7pm until just after 11pm last night I was like this and lost all my energy. I went to bed last night and just couldn't sleep because of the aching and pains all over me. I took paracetamol but they did nothing. Then, halfway through the night, it flipped from feeling cold to sweating profusely. I couldn't cool down no matter how I tried. I was awake all night and talking jibberish according to my girlfriend who could hear from the next room. I've had a really nasty headache since around 4am and despite taking paracetamol it will not go. I've also lost my taste and appetite. I also feel nauseous. I've been told to stay in one room alone for 7 days and my son and girlfriend have to isolate for 14 days. I called 111 but simy couldn't get through and it kept cutting off. I went online to do the symptom checker and it simply says to call 111 - waste of time. I called my GP and got a consultancy and he diagnosed me as Covid-19. He pretty much said to take paracetamol and drink lots of fluids and do not mix with anyone until after 7 days. After 7 days, I can hug my son and girlfriend again. He also said that with my pre existing lung condition - lifelong Asthma sufferer plus weakened lung from a previous blood clot - I need to hope and pray that I don't get the pneumonia part of the virus as it would be tough for me to fight it. He said that's the part that is killing people. I was advised not to go to hospital unless I'm fighting for breath and cannot speak a sentence as they won't do anything for me because they are concentrating on those that are life-threatened. Just got to hope I stay snot free now.

Cheers for the advice mate, I'll do that on Monday.

That's just crazy!

And now folks who were there are being diagnosed with the virus. It was stupid!