Argh. Wednesday S19 returned to his dorm for his scheduled room cleanout. Very few kids there, by design, but did see a couple of friends. Went to lunch together - outdoor seating, distanced, or so he says. He was already a germaphobe and has been very conscientious through all this, so I believe him.
Last night he felt feverish (although the thermometer said not) and “weird.” Immediately confined to bedroom. Hope it’s nothing. My husband, who spent an hour yesterday in the car with S taking yard waste to recycle, is in a high-risk group.
D19 still in finals mode, they only finish the semester on Friday. So strange now to think that not too long ago I had been planning on flying to the east coast this week to help pack up her dorm room and move the stuff into storage…
Son19 finished last week and he ended up doing really well. He worked very hard even in lock down, so that was good to see.
He’s taking a physical and mental break for 10 days and then he starts an online class and he’s going to start training again.
MA is still mostly on lock down while the rest of the region and country move forward, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. It seems more and more I see goops of people just blatantly disregarding the lock down rules, people having grad parties, ,barbecues, going to the beach etc. and have even heard some business have been privately opening up to work and just not adhering to the guidelines. It’s a very interesting time to be a MA resident.
Well, nothing seemed to develop with S19 in the last 40 hours so we released him from his quarantine. Rather like releasing a caged tiger who is really pissed at life…stand back.
Back again. Two good friends of S19’s from dorm - he hung out with them, ate with them, partied with them - just tested positive for the Covid antibodies. They have had no particular bouts of illness from the beginning of the year until now to suggest infection. They live in different cities in our state, which has a low rate of infection overall.
I have explained the uncertainties, both with the test itself and what the results mean, but he is begging to get the test. I’ll research today to figure out which of the tests/labs is FDA-approved and let him get tested. (If anyone has particular insight, let me know.) It will be interesting. And the results won’t change the precautions we require of him while he is at home.
I would like to get the antibody test too, and would be willing to donate blood/plasma if given the opportunity.
A while back I felt really weird one day, crazy tired and a headache, and then the next few days I had a hard time taking deep full breaths- could only get 60% air. No other symptoms really, maybe a runny nose. I never have problems with my lungs so it was a bit unsettling, but it went away.
Anyways, after those days passed I became super strong and I have had an incredible amount of power on my bike, and I’ve set tons of PRs on my rides. Kind of weird. I’m not getting any younger, no new bike or equipment. Same amount of training I usually do.
The rest of my family has been healthy and I don’t remember them having any symptoms. So I’m skeptical of having the virus, but not ruling it out. I would just like to know.
I would really like to get S tested as well, but have been waiting until tests were more accurate. S knows several friends at school who tested positive including a girl on his hall with whom he spent time and hugged before they left to move home. She tested positive the next week and likely gave it to her mother. I would definitely like him to donate plasma if possible.
OK so for those of us here with high school kids, who wants to celebrate the end of the year with me? Distance learning with my freshman high school son was a nightmare. His school did implement a “no grades can drop lower than what you had before, as long as you are turning in work” policy, but honestly this just added to the struggles with motivation, engagement, follow through. SO GLAD its over and hoping desperately that high schoolers can go back in the fall, or that the whole process gets a lot of improvement over the summer.
My D got an email this morning that her room will be packed up by a school crew at the end of June and they’ll let her know where it will be stored on campus- she is lucky to have been given this option as a low-income student because there are no costs associated with it. All she has to do is mail back her room key. Non-low-income students have to pay one of the two contracted moving companies to pack their stuff and then also pay for either shipping or private storage. Had that been her only option it is likely all her stuff would’ve ended up in the trash.
Labcorp is offering the antibody tests to anyone who wants one - if you don’t have an order from your doctor, they charge you an extra $10 to have their doctor order it. The rest of the cost is billed to insurance just like any other test your doctor might order. You have to sign up on their website. https://www.labcorp.com/antibody-testing
@TS0104 - congrats on being done! I’m sure that feels great to both of you.
Despite being glad that I didn’t have to help younger kids along with homeschooling, I can’t help but feel sad for my college kids for what they are missing out on now - not just this past semester but for what college life (and job searching) will be for quite a while. Even though S19 had a pretty good high school experience with nice friends and some great sports seasons, I know he was often bored in school and I could tell all during senior year that he was really ready to get on to college and all that would bring. I’m certainly thankful for the extra time with him and the dinners together but I feel badly for him. After being stuck at home for two months, the last couple of days he has been at the country club where he worked for the past few summers. He’s been doing a ton of cleaning to get the pool ready to open on Monday. It’s not what he wanted to be doing this summer but at least it’s a job and he can get out and do something productive. He’s hoping he can move over to serving when the dining room opens. I know there is a lot to be grateful for and I know our kids will learn some valuable things from this time, but it still stinks. It’s only four years and they won’t get this time back.
It’s true…I actually just texted that (“its only 4 years”) to my S19 today, when forwarding a post from his college’s volunteering program and encouraging him to get more involved (when he can). College, or at least the college experience that most people here are having, is a short, special time of life and they are losing part of it which is sad. Of course there are much worse problems, but it is a loss…maybe we parents know it more than our college freshman do (my college junior feels it more, and feels the clock ticking louder as her final year approaches).
@elena13 I totally agree. Our kids just got out of our houses and were spreading their wings and now this. I’m afraid that S19’s college friendships will wither a bit. They are so new. So far, he still seems very excited to get back to school but spending five months instead of three at home and with high school friends is not ideal. I’m hoping that Bowdoin does like ND and goes back to school earlier in August so we can end this extended stay here.
S19 is struggling. He has summer classes, but there is still a lot of free time. We are still staying mostly at home (husband is particularly vulnerable) and have asked him to do the same. Meanwhile, his 2 best buddies from high school just left for a beach weekend - no attempt at social distancing, just socializing. Both have parents who are doctors, so I don’t really get it, but it’s hard to see S so depressed.
@SammoJ We were very serious about social distancing for about eight weeks. Things are opening up in Illinois and we are still trying to follow the rules and have let the kids see one friend at a time and only outside and try to stay six feet away. We have not made the kids wear masks unless they have to - like if they go in a store. I think that’s only happened once or twice. S19 went to the bike store to get his bike tuned up and D21 went into an ice cream shop. We are getting closer to letting the kids see a few more friends who also have families who have been social distancing but, again, all outside. Play tennis, go for a walk or a run or a bike ride. So, I do feel us loosening up a bit but following Illinois’ rules as best as they can. No big parties. No riding in cars with other kids. It’s obviously harder if someone is home and more vulnerable. My husband and I are 52 years old and in good health but we still realize that, if our kids are out with other people, it increases all of our risk of getting the virus
In good news, S19 just got the news that he got an online math tutoring job tutoring gifted middle schoolers. He had to take a big test and pretend to grade some tests. He’ll get 20 hours a week and make $20/hour! While he was waiting to hear back from this company, he started developing a business plan to start a pressure washing business. He’s got a business plan written up and a website and a half-sheet advertisement that will be ready to go to start putting up in town and putting in people’s mailboxes tomorrow. My H and I will post his website on our FB pages starting this weekend and he already has a few word of mouth customers set up. The aren’t internships but he’ll make some money, stay busy, and learn something. Once he gets in the groove with these jobs, he’ll likely pick up a Coursera course or two D21 is having fun with the Yale psych classes she’s taking with Coursera.
