Feeling conflicted today. My husband who has chronic lymphocytic leukemia (being successfully treated) saw his oncologist yesterday. She advised, based on his latest bloodwork, that his immunity is now strong enough for him to go out to dinner. She advised masking up only in crowded venues. I’ve worn a mask everywhere indoors to protect him. We haven’t dined out since the start of the pandemic other than quick meals in airports in our limited travel. I’m uneasy about this guidance. Thoughts?
@Maude We have plenty of them, and that would certainly be my preference!
@cassandra17lina
Even prior to this new season of pandemic/flu/RSV, I love al fresco dining 🙂
@cassandra17lina Tough one as I'm sure you would both enjoy a meal out. Are there any restaurants that offer outdoor or patio dining that might be an option?
@Cosmichomicide Yes, plenty of outdoor options and nice enough climate to enjoy them.
@cassandra17lina I can understand your fears. If you have trusted her guidance so far, go ahead and trust her on this. And if you start to feel uncomfortable being out, then exit the situation and try again.
I had a panic attack first time out after the lockdown was raised. What you’re experiencing could be similar. It passes over time.
@Call_Me_Peppermint_Petty good point - her guidance has been spot on regarding everything else. I’m not panicking but I feel like proceeding with caution.
@cassandra17lina yes, that’s what you do. Caution.
@cassandra17lina this is strictly my opinion, but I would rather be safe than sorry. You might very well find yourself fretting about the boredom of staying home, but that’s a much better feeling than having a complication happen to your husband, and dealing with the emotional, physical, and financial strain that could come from taking this on to soon.
Whatever happens, I hope you and your husband have a phenomenal time of things. It’s hard to go through this, and you’re doing great. 👍
@hermitary Very well said. Thanks.
@cassandra17lina
It seems the vaccines are doing a better job of protecting us against the current variants out there.
I'd be a bit leery, personally.
Outdoor venue?
I'm still masking, but it's not really a tight fit, and I'm still wearing a beard.
Check local infection rates?
Peace to you on this journey of the unknown.
@PrChrisHarbin Thanks - I do think the improvement in vaccines - plus the fact that he had COVID and cleared it on his own - factored into the oncologist’s assessment of my husband’s risks.
@cassandra17lina My thought is do what you feel in your gut. How doe sthe hub feel about the guidance? He knows his body best.
@mistressticia He’s more eager to dine out than I am.
@cassandra17lina Then I'm with everyone else---- Outdoor dining. Best bet.😉 It's cold now where I am, so I no longer have that option.
@cassandra17lina I would also go with the outdoor option at a less busy time and sanitize everything… even at a clean table.
@cassandra17lina my 80 yr old MIL went on a small cruise ship 3 weeks after her bivalent booster. She and her friends all caught covid despite having every vaccination. She was given paxlovid.
She said it was very mild and she had no long covid symptoms afterward.
@nopuppet_007 Interesting, because my husband’s oncologist is NOT a fan of Paxlovid.
@cassandra17lina hmmm. I wonder why? A friend of mine also had it and though he felt pretty flu-y, he’s doing well now.
Might have a diff effect on ppl w/ cancer? Couldn’t say.
@nopuppet_007 For one thing, being on a biological for treatment can interfere with Paxlovid’s function, I believe. One apparent effect of the medication my husband is on for CLL - Calquence - is that it enables the body to generate “super lymphocytes” that other people don’t have. His oncologist said that the exact mechanism is not well understood.
@cassandra17lina I also have CLL, and will not be eating in restaurants for the duration. The risk/anxiety would completely swamp any pleasure I could conceivably get from the experience. Takeout is fine by me!
@Satchelpooch That’s how I would feel. I have cooked virtually every meal at home (and worked hard to learn new cooking skills) throughout the pandemic. We’ve had occasional takeout meals, but mostly it’s been my handiwork.
@cassandra17lina
I was a lab tech in a former life. My husband and I both mask still. The ONE time he got out of the car w'out his mask he caught it. It was also at the dentist where he then had no choice, but to remove it. I was told that just someone breathing down as a dentist would....is enough to infect. He went to the brink, but fought his way back...It was aweful for him. If you're uncomfortable going out, order in.
@Cadub My husband had COVID this past summer from one brief unmasked exposure. I was standing next to him, masked and aghast, and didn’t get it… then. I did get it from him four days later. He recovered on his own after 17 days, as he could not take miracle drugs due to the treatment he’s on for CLL. Still, having gone through that, I don’t know why he’d want to risk it again.
@cassandra17lina A friend
has been basically non social except for walks and grocery runs since the beginning will not take a chance. I totally support that. on the other hand, my Hubby n I go to restaurants on a regular basis. The winter and a huge covid spike are sweeping in. Some people NEED to get out, but imho now is not the time.
@cassandra17lina Maybe just take that information as saying you can do anything up to and including going out to dinner. But that is a big thing to attempt after being so careful. Maybe find an outing that is less intimidating that you've also been holding back on and try that first. Ease in.
@cassandra17lina I'm not yet indoor dining (spent the first year of the pandemic fighting two kinds of cancer and take care of a parent who just turned 98). I mask indoor everywhere. I've eaten outdoors a few times, where the tables were far apart and the diners kept with empty tables between them, but, with numbers rising, no more until spring. For me and mine, it's not worht the risk. It depends what makes you feel comfortable (we' have all 5 shots, but still -- nope).
@DevonEllington I’m comfortable continuing to cook every meal myself and only eat outdoors.
@cassandra17lina Right there with you!
@cassandra17lina interestingly, my primary care doctor just told me to avoid indoor gatherings including restaurants. I'm asthmatic and 65.
@joycereynoldsward That makes perfect sense to me.
@cassandra17lina @joycereynoldsward
I'd be comfortable outdoors. Indoors depends how much you can distance & how good the ventilation.
Covid is still going around, as are flu and RSV. There are lots of people getting them despite up to date vaccines. They call their PCP, not the oncologist.
He did well last summer, but you don't know how heavy his exposure was. There could be a superspreader at the next table this time, talking loudly over the ambient noise and spreading a lot of droplets.
@cassandra17lina @joycereynoldsward
In addition to how much you worry about him being sick another 17 days, how much of an inconvenience would it be if he was ill with any virus and needed to isolate regardless of how mild it was, and you needed to isolate because he lives with you? The home tests have a very high false negative rate, so a negative test doesn't mean you can go to work.
@cassandra17lina
Any outdoor/patio restaurants near you?
It's the only dining-out I'll do... still.