General
How do you feel about being unmasked in crowds?
Updated April 18, 2024
in General
yesterday I was a part of a panel discussion with my surgeon for donate life by month and today I returned to the clinic to get blood work to find out that there was a Covid exposure yesterday . I have lived under a mess for the past four years. What are your thoughts about being on unmasked And possibly subjecting yourself to Covid or the flu? The nurse alerted me as soon as I walked in the room. I was tested and I was fine, but I just wondered everyone’s thoughts on this.
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I’m still get a bit nervous in hospitals and clinics with the exposure issues. My PCP has a wellness side waiting room I can use but usually as soon as I arrive they take me straight back to a room. At my transplant clinic we’re all required to wear a mask as soon as we exit the elevator. Other times I try to distant myself from others n the waiting rooms and I always carry mask if I get overwhelmed. I refuse to live my life in fear but I guess I am more cautious than others.
@Deb I totally agree with you about mainly because I had been wearing a life in fear. I have been under a mask the last five years mainly because I was waiting for a mainly because I was waiting for aTransplant and I now feel it has become of my wardrobe. The other day, I was speaking at a big mall in New Jersey. I had a mask on, but when I arrived for bloodwork to the clinic, first thing, my Transplant nurse told me to do is take a Covid test because it was an exposure that day. The one thing about my doctors after I was transplanted they make sure that I’m the first appointment of the day so I can get in and out without being around so many people. Great idea about carrying a mask. When people visit me at home they always say do you want me to wear a mask? I leave it up to them, but I always have a mask on when I’m around people.
Transplant Patient
Hi,
I am very comfortable being in groups and at restaurants, but I do feel less safe at airports and in large crowds indoors where there is a mix of people such as old and young and less room to breathe… I am also quite claustrophobic and reluctant to be in larger crowds anyway so I happily reject those kind of events. I do travel extensively and I try to wash my hands often, wear a mask in lines and on the flight especially if I am not in an aisle or w extra room. I have had covid twice, including once only 3 months after my second kidney last year and dealt w the virus pretty ok. The second time was much worse and I did consider paxlovid but avoided it last minute and actually traveled to Europe as soon as I was negative.
😷 it’s just a choice for me to, but I wear a mask a lot due to other medical conditions . I don’t feel like I am living in fear anymore I just wear mainly when I know my labs are not good, I am not feeling 💯 on my game. Always in Drs. Office.
Hope everyone is doing well..🌼
@Karin I am so happy that you are traveling and you offered great traveling tips. I try my best to decline larger events as much as possible. Hopefully as time goes by I will feel less anxiety being around people without my mask
@Melsamm I hope you are doing well. Thankfully we have the option
Ladybug🐞That is possibly my biggest fear is crowds, I am 3.5yrs LTP and have avoided covid, flu and have not been vaccinated with anything. So many people I know had the vaccine and have had Covid 3/4 times. Drs. tell me I am probably the only one😊
Ladybug🐞 Thank you, I have some big challenges ahead of me. I have my faith, family friends with me on this new journey. Forgot to mention I have the best medical team/Drs.
@Melsamm I agree with you, it definitely is the biggest fear. I guess because I wear a mask everywhere the thought of Covid never even crossed my mind. I just know when I walked into the clinic for bloodwork the next day the nurse pulled me aside to tell me I needed to be tested. My Transplant team has been so on point with anything that happens to me. I have learned not to stress so much. I had a stomach virus about two weeks ago and they were right on it. I’ve only had Covid one time and the one time I had it. It wasn’t even a major concern because I had to have emergency surgery for internal bleeding so I don’t even know what it feels like to have Covid . keep those mask on and crowds and wash your hands I guess is what we need to do to stay protected unless we can avoid the crowd all together
I was a Covid LTP 10/20 patient the vaccine was just coming out and all Drs. were pushing it and I just said no. What a difference now the vaccine is barely mentioned. I think I made a good choice for me.💚
I agree with @Karin . In most settings I am in I am comfortable not masking. My transplant center no longer requires it, and will mask the entire staff if someone shows up wearing one. If I am going to be in a crowded situation (I love to go to sporting events) at an indoor arena I will mask, when I travel I mask, I wash my hands frequently and also use hand sanitizer.
Transplant Patient
We still mask pretty frequently, though I’m becoming more comfortable without. I do at stores still, for myself and you never know how close to people you’re going to be, and also because I know the feeling of seeing another person in a mask and having that solidarity. Medical settings always. In any kind of big gathering/crowded space where I can’t distance/low ventilation I still do but if there’s room to distance myself, fresh air or it’s a smaller group of people I don’t really. Always have hand sanitizer and a mask on me, though, and I’m constantly cleaning things before I touch them.
@Ldybug97, I wear them occasionally depending on how many people I’m going to be around. I’m over 6 months post transplant but in my he 4th month I caught COVID. And I wasn’t around anyone at the time. Well, except my wife, who works in a hospital. You can only do so much. Somethings are unavoidable. Fortunately for me, I was basically over it in about 4 days. I’m definitely scared to go back in the office this fall. I’m allowed to work remotely until then but my company is bringing people back in office now. With having to take public transportation, it sure won’t be fun.
@KevR you are definitely right that some things are unavoidable. I think I’m just gonna stay with the mask for the time being. It will be 13 months since my transplant. I’m retired because of my rough road on Dialysis at this point the only time I go out is for doctor appointment. I don’t attend many gatherings with big crowds
@Ldybug97, stay safe. And take care!!
@KevR Same to you