What did you do today?

[Zanne]

We were too far west to get hit by Katrina but we got hit by Rita. It sucked.

Thanks for the well-wishes. I've taken meds but my nose is still stuffy/drippy. Got a cheap microwave to heat soups until we can get the big one fixed. Think it needs a new magnatron, which isn't cheap. Hoping Panasonic will send one for free. No way am I mailing that gigantic thing to them.

Took that thing over to my friend's house for him to diagnose. Multimeter showed 0 resistance on the magnatron. Not sure what its supposed to be but pretty sure its not supposed to be 0. Didn't take it out though. Need to watch a video on how to do that and what the magnatron's resistance should be. I really need to spray roach spray all around and hope my nose is stuffy enough that I can't smell it.

At least I was able to heat up soup for Mom.

Doug, glad some advice from here worked out for you.

I'm about to try to clear my nose out. Ugh.

 

[Zanne]

Took a Covid home test and tested positive. Brother took one and he tested positive. Safe to say Mom is likely positive too as she's been sick. My brother was acting like I was going to give him Covid when I am 99.9% certain he's the one who brought it home. He was the one who showed symptoms first & who has had the most exposure to the outside.

 

[BlueSkyHigh]

Took a Covid home test and tested positive. Brother took one and he tested positive. Safe to say Mom is likely positive too as she's been sick. My brother was acting like I was going to give him Covid when I am 99.9% certain he's the one who brought it home. He was the one who showed symptoms first & who has had the most exposure to the outside.

Zanne, I hope you get better soon. Did the rest of your immediate family take the test too? What's the current thinking about how to manage it?

 

[Zanne]

I'm now wondering if the test was even positive because everything I read said the control line should be solid but the sample line could be faded. But I got this:

My brother had similar results with the top line eve more faded but still visible. Could be invalid results. Not sure.
Mom hasn't tested yet, but I have curbside order for more tests. Will take the test again just in case it was a fluke. I'm going to disinfect everything we touched and have to do a lot of cleaning I guess.

My brother is off work today but he will notify his co-workers. I've already told one of them (who is our mutual friend). My brother can probably get a more accurate test at the hospital and his insurance should cover it. I don't have insurance so it would be expensive. Doctor's office doesn't do the testing properly-- well, they don't swab properly.

As an aside, I want more of those swab sticks because they really helped clean out my nasal passages. My nose has not been bugging me as much since I did the test.

I need to head out for the curbside order soon.

 

[BlueSkyHigh]

As an aside, I want more of those swab sticks because they really helped clean out my nasal passages. My nose has not been bugging me as much since I did the test.

I like silver linings.

 

[Zanne]

My brother actually went to work yesterday even though he was sick but he wore a mask (he just told me that now). Got the curbside order and ordered McDonalds via the app for curbside as well. Brought home food for Mom. She's still feeling cruddy but hasn't taken the test yet. Our friend that I alerted has sanitized everywhere my brother touched yesterday and has alerted the supervisors that my brother may have Covid. Told him next time to stay home if he feels that cruddy. Thing is, since my brother has COPD, he gets respiratory crud all the time. I'm feeling slightly better at least. But can't really focus well and am tired.

I picked up some extra strength Simply Saline and gave one of them to my brother so he can cleanse his nostrils.

Fed the kitties and am about to take a nap. Plenty of rest and fluids are on the agenda.

 

[havasu]

Z, have you tried a Neti Pot?

 

[Twowaxhack]

Z, have you tried a Neti Pot?
View attachment 43020

Don’t ever use tap water for this unless it’s boiled first.

 

[BlueSkyHigh]

Z, have you tried a Neti Pot?
View attachment 43020

Doesn’t that feel like you’re being waterboarded?

 

[havasu]

Doesn’t that feel like you’re being waterboarded?

I would think so, but I hear they work wonders to clear your sinuses.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I would think so, but I hear they work wonders to clear your sinuses.

I can eat a little bit of raw garlic and my sinuses open right up

 

[havasu]

I can eat a little bit of raw garlic and my sinuses open right up

Are you into mythology?

Some medieval Europeans believed that vampires – the fictional blood-drinkers that have come to dominate the horror genre – were created by a blood disease, so people carried garlic thinking it was a strong antibiotic that could kill the monsters.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Are you into mythology?

Some medieval Europeans believed that vampires – the fictional blood-drinkers that have come to dominate the horror genre – were created by a blood disease, so people carried garlic thinking it was a strong antibiotic that could kill the monsters.

No, but when I eat raw garlic my sinuses open up. It’s super strong

 

[BlueSkyHigh]

No, but when I eat raw garlic my sinuses open up. It’s super strong

For that I tend to eat pure wasabi.

 

[havasu]

First time I ate Wasabi, I thought it was fresh guacamole I piled it on my plate. Boy, was I sorry!

 

[Zanne]

I'd have to get some distilled water for the netti pot, but I have tries those in the past and just ended up spilling water all over myself. The Simply Saline works fine. Actually, doing the Covid test helped bc it cleared my nasal passages pretty well.

Going to the doctor tomorrow. Will have to get up early to shower & unload stuff from the truck & turn it around to make it easier for Mom to get in. I'll give my appointment to her-- only scheduled 2 bc I didn't know if she would go-- or see if they can squeeze us both in at the same time. Doctor has done that before.

Have to sleep with my head up-- using a neck pillow-- to avoid nonstop coughing. Cough meds and drops don't work to stop the coughing if I sleep they way I normally do. So I mostly lie down but prop my head up more. Keep having my arms fall asleep though. Slept weirdly enough that one of my toes fell asleep (it was pressed against something).

 

[Zanne]

Thus far the Paxlovid seems to be reducing some of the worse symptoms. I'm mostly sleepy. Cleaned my nostrils with a q-tip and that happened, but for awhile my right nostril was a neverending font of snot. Kept blowing and blowing and it kept coming out. But its more solid and not pure liquid form like it had been. Paxlovid leaves a bitter aftertaste that lasts all day, but I can deal with that.

My sister now has Covid. Most likely from work as she's in New Mexico. I joked with her that she didn't have to go get Covid as solidarity with the family.

Change of topic though: Is there such thing as a straight drop ell that has a round flange that has screw holes? Basically I want a fitting that goes from 1/2" pex crimp to female threaded to thread in a showerhead but that has a round or even square flange that can be screwed in to the ceiling. It would be ok with the ell part as well, but want to have it look sort of like a bolt/screw on floor flange that comes out of the ceiling but feeds the pipe and holds it in the ceiling. Something where the flange is visible.

Does such a thing exist? If not, is there a way to make something like that? Like have a threadless flange that screws on and can hide the mounting part of a drop ell?

 

[BlueSkyHigh]

Got a message this morning saying my prescription to this board auto renewed. Without that reminder I wouldn’t know that it is my wife’s birthday and the day JFK was shot.

 

[havasu]

Wow, 60 years ago today!

I remember I was in 3rd grade when Kennedy was shot. My friend yelled out to me that Kenny just got shot while playing kick ball during recess. I told him he was stupid because I was just playing kick ball with Kenny. He said, "No, Kennedy, the president!"

The rest of the day we sat in the classrooms watching the news coverage and the principal on the loud speaker chanting prayers to everyone... In a public school! Try that today and the majority of the kids would be on their cell phones calling their attorneys, trying to make a buck or two!

 

[BlueSkyHigh]

Wow, 60 years ago today!

I remember I was in 3rd grade when Kennedy was shot. My friend yelled out to me that Kenny just got shot while playing kick ball during recess. I told him he was stupid because I was just playing kick ball with Kenny. He said, "No, Kennedy, the president!"

The rest of the day we sat in the classrooms watching the news coverage and the principal on the loud speaker chanting prayers to everyone... In a public school! Try that today and the majority of the kids would be on their cell phones calling their attorneys, trying to make a buck or two!

I was in the 9th grade in a junior high school in Downey, CA, whose name has been changed taking a math test. The whole world froze that day and, just for a moment, the entire world mourned. That will never happen again.