My Covid Story

Use of Masks and the Math

Initially use of masks by the general population was discouraged until they were widely encouraged.  I bought masks left and right, often at great discounts from IT suppliers. (newegg.com was a great source) I realized from day one that Covid was a “math problem,” stay away from it and you greatly reduce your chances of getting it.   So I stayed away from people in a big way, doing grocery shopping for a couple weeks at a time.   I wore masks to the grocery store at every visit.   Before Covid I used the motorized cart at every visit – I stopped doing that and bore the pain of using  a regular cart because it meant less time in the store, and thus a reduced mathematical chance of getting exposed and getting Covid. Like many others, I did more online shopping.  Sometimes things arrived quickly.   Sometimes there was a wait.

Home Medical Equipment Benefit

The Covid pandemic did have one big benefit for me indirectly.    Along with other issues, I had leg swelling which turned out to be lymphedema.  Before the pandemic, I tried getting compression wraps which I quickly found really sucked due to pain.  In November of 2020 after trying this and a consumer compression machine, I was approved to get an Airos 8 sequential compression device which I have used daily at home ever since to control  the swelling.    I’m convinced that if Covid wasn’t around, they would have sent me to treatments a few times a week to  use a similar machine at a physical therapy facility – however, being able to use it every day has made a huge difference in effectiveness.  For this benefit, I am grateful.

The News and the Pundits

Like many of you, I watched lots of news and conferences and paid attention to the opinions of many of the pundits.  I tried to provide as much helpful information as possible on GardnerMagazine.com in an effort to save help save lives. Yes, I encouraged people to get the vaccine because the math has always made sense for most adults. 

Local Efforts so Encouraging

Nothing was more encouraging for me personally than the coming together of the community, including the eventual efforts of so many Government, Healthcare, and private sector individuals who managed to assemble the vaccine clinics at places like the Polish American Citizens Club.    When allowed, I got my first and second dose of Pfizer, and then later the booster the day after I was eligible.  As I said before, it’s been about the math for me, reducing the risk of getting Covid.   I didn’t pay attention to the concerns about vaccine side effects, because for me the mathematical benefit of getting the vaccine far outweighed any other risk concerns, however valid they may have been in the eyes of some.

Dog Park a Godsend

I loved going to the Dog Park.  It was a way of getting out in a way that was as safe as possible.  Sometimes masked, sometimes not, depending on the advice in effect at the time.  I know many folks who went there and who didn’t go many other places.  It was always encouraging to see the joy of the dogs playing so well with one another, gleefully oblivious to the troubles of the rest of the world.   My heart goes out to those who  have lost people due to Covid.   The disease has taken many good people.

Getting Covid

Eventually I stopped wearing my mask at stores and increased the frequency of grocery shopping, until the advice was to wear the masks again.    And then, when they finally came off again two weeks ago, I took mine off and got Covid.   How did I know?   I was feeling some symptoms so I utilized a previously obtained at-home test which showed positive within about 15 seconds.  That was about 10am on Monday March 14, 2022.  I called my Primary Care physician and was scheduled to receive mono-clonal antibodies at a trailer outside of Athol Hospital at 1:30pm.   (It was supposed to reduce the chance of getting really sick and speed recovery.)  The IV lasted about a half hour.  There was a waiting period to make sure there were no side effects.  I was home by 3pm.   I am so grateful this potentially life-saving treatment is available to patients of Heywood Hospital.  By the way, it’s available to anyone who needs it at no cost, covered by a State Grant.  I’ve also been taking other supplements.  I urge anyone who gets Covid to speak with their doctor about what proactive treatments are appropriate for their particular case and what supplements might help them  in getting over Covid.

An Interesting Week

It’s been an interesting week. I still have been writing stories online with no one knowing I was sick at home. I didn’t want to tell anyone I was feeling crappy until I started feeling a little better which is finally happening on Saturday March 19, 2022, a week after noticing symptoms.   You won’t see me out and about until I’m symptom free and then I’ll wait the appropriate number of days because I certainly don’t want to give this pesky illness to others.

I Wish You All Good Health

I wish you all good Health.    And again, thank  you to all who have helped and who continue to help as the Covid battle continues.   Many have put themselves at great risk for the benefit of others.   Many have put in untold hours trying to keep us all safe.    I don’t want to miss anybody, so I just want to say, Thank you to all of you, you know who you are.

Best regards to all of you

Werner Poegel

Publisher.