Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Forge]

So I wasn't going to post this, but know 'roughly' where many of you live I thought I should.

Please all keep safe, stay away from other people and wash hands regularly. I don't want to hear of you getting this virus due to the large numbers of idiots in all our countries who have been ignoring the medical advice and social distancing. Even in younger people, outlier cases can turn deadly. My brother-in-law who is only in his early 40s ended up in hospital last week due to it causeing sudden fever seizures.

You mostly all know I am front line medical staff so I am doing 12 or 16 hour shifts through the nights right now. Every patient with ANY respiratory distress or other symptoms, I get to scan which involves direct touching and positioning.
If they look like they have pneumonia, I then CT them. This is on top of all other scans and work I do in the ER. We are currently in gloves, masks and full face shield at all times except for when eating in out staff room which now has a people limit so no eating together. We then full gown and hat and higher level of mask for any suspected cases but are being told to re-use masks due to possible shortage if this keeps going.

Anyway, good luck and stay safe all.
-Fean

[Drakilian]

Hey Forge, thanks for the warning, appreciate that you cared enough to post about it.

So, if this reaches you in-between naps/work, is a CT scan really worth it if you're showing symptoms? Isn't the risk of complications from the scan more significant than the extra information you'd get over just doing an ultrasound?

[Forge]

CT low dose chest is luckily not that high of a radiation dose on our scanner so the associated risks are very low and it gives 'Some' more information about the type and position of the pneumonia and how far it has infiltrated. They then use it to give more of an idea if it is actually Covid (along with other symptom info).

If it is worth it... Honestly I am not sure, whilst it does increase what we know and help decision making instead of waiting a week for the test results it is is non-specific. I would prefere doing the Chest X-Ray (which is highly useful) then isolate any possible positives regardless... we just lack beds...

[Not Aman]

Stay safe Forge! Appreciate you being there despite the risks

[BerkaZerka]

Hope everyone can ride this out intact. It's so strange with all the slowdown this is causing. I'm still working, but those in non-critical jobs are off and probably worrying about how they'll pay rent.

I know two people personally who have been infected, but so far me and the family have avoided it.

[Daedalus]

Yeah, thanks Forge. Glad we got people like you there looking after those in need. Where I live our every day life has mostly been the same (except for a shortage of TP) luckily. From the looks of it I'm still heading out for work by the end of the month which I've got conflicting feelings about but got to pay bills.

I do hope you guys stay safe if you're in bad areas. Especially you Forge. You the real MVP.