Hospital or not?

[wheresmymojo]

My uncle has COVID.

He's been double jabbed but only had his second jab just before catching it due to a bad reaction to the first one.

He is CEV

• About 30 stone
• Has MS

His oxygen SATs are 94 which is pretty borderline.

He's a single Dad to a 14 year old who also has COVID (little shit refused to have the vaccine and this is how his Dad caught it) so if he goes into hospital the 14 year old might be on their own for a few days (I'm 200 miles away and my Mum is also CEV so she's not super keen to have him until the end of his 7 days)

Uncle is likely to try and hold out from going to hospital because of son...however I know that the stats say the sooner you get treatment the better the outcome and given the context he needs the odds in his favour

DM is wondering whether to call an ambulance if SATs go below 93...

We tried calling 111 but because we're not with my uncle they won't help us! (Useful)

When would you call an ambulance?

(He will go in it...he's not going to refuse to go when it turns up)

@WheelieBinPrincess

Jesus.

I hope you don’t bully the DS like this to his face.

I'm 200 miles away so that would be hard!

If putting the life of your own father in danger isn't being a little shit then I don't know what is...

@Waxonwaxoff0

Nice fat shaming. Even if he wasn't obese he has multiple sclerosis which is in the OP so he would be CEV either way.

@WheelieBinPrincess

How the fuck can you be so sure the DS passed covid on? Does he also have covid?

Because my Uncle hardly leaves the house due to being CEV and having MS.

His DS had a positive COVID test after contact with someone at school...then Uncle had one a few days later.

Why are you trying to find holes in this that don't exist?

Sorry you do sound unpleasant. Now is not the time to be blaming a child for this situation. Have you spoken to your uncle, what is his plan? How does he feel? Sats of 94% might be acceptable for him. Is he short of breath? Tell him to ring 111.

All due regard you don't know my nephew...

My uncle allows him to do whatever he likes with no boundaries or discipline at all.

Unfortunately this has resulted in an entitled bratty attitude.

So yes, he's a little shit.

I find it bizarre that people live in a world where all teenage boys are lovely, caring and kind.

This is not how it is in my extended family. They tend to have ASBOs, try to burn down houses and stab people.

The teenagers in your extended family stab people?

Goodness.

97-99 is normal.
94 is borderline.

92 is when you should definitely call for medical advice.

The sats may not be terribly helpful in this context. Does he know what his normal sats are? His normal reading may be quite low if he genuinely weighs 30 stone. Does he have to use CPAP at night? Depending on how severe his MS is that may contribute too to lower sats normally too.

Regardless of what’s normal for him though he will have less physiological reserve if he does become unwell and may deteriorate quicker than if he were a more normal weight/ didn’t have MS.

His respiratory pattern and the effect of exertion are also helpful rather than relying on a single parameter (sats) to judge when he needs help - if he feels/looks awful even with ‘normal’ sats that would be worrying.

If he is on immunosuppressant medication for the MS he may not have the usual signs/symptoms that someone with a competent immune system shows. (And it may explain why he’s not responded so well to the vaccines).

Bottom line is though that he needs to speak to 111/GP himself really. If he were to need hospital admission then SS can mobilise to support a child pretty quickly if he really doesn’t have a single relative or friend who would be prepared to help.

@WheelieBinPrincess

The teenagers in your extended family stab people?

Goodness.

Yes.

Even if he had the vaccine, if he's had close contact he still had a high chance of catching it. Both my vaccinated TAs have caught it this week and passed to husbands.
This thread is weird.

Would your uncles son not be your cousin rather than nephew?

Couldn't get past the part where you called your cousin a little shit. And if he's as out of control as you say then that's his dad's fault.

Not sure why you referred to him as cousin.

Also you can't call 111 on his behalf. He's a grown man. If he's worried he can do it himself.

Ffs not sure why you referred to him as you nephew that should read

@cultkid

The injection doesn't stop you getting Covid OP

Exactly this, OP, don't be so ridiculous. You sound vile.

Jesus. I'm frustrated that my ds has so far not been vaccinated, but respect his choice - its his body and he's otherwise an incredibly healthy teenager.

Your nephew, at 14, also is entitled to body autonomy, and is now facing the consequence of not taking the vaccine that's only been available to his age group for a few weeks anyway which unfortunately does not guarantee you won't get covid nor pass it on. His own mother has refused to care for him which is influencing his dad's decision to seek proper medical support. He is 'a little shit'.

Your uncle on the other hand, has ONLY JUST had his second jab: as CEV he would have been top of the vaccine list and should have had his third by now. His choice.

Your uncle also has made a choice over the last 20 months (and way beyond) to neglect his body by maintaining a weight of 30 stone. That's not fat-shaming, it's a choice, and one of two co-morbidities that makes him CEV. He is making a choice as to what goes into his body, just as your nephew is.

Your uncle and nephew now find themselves with covid, and there is only blame for the younger, who may not have been fully protected yet if he had been vaccinated, whereas the elder is absolved of any responsibility despite not taking much/any action to reduce their risk.

Your uncle needs to make the call to 111 himself based on symptoms. Your nephew is likely feeling guilt/fear/anxiety about his dad's health and being left alone as even his own mum won't look after him.

I'm sorry op. In my family I'd be dealing with the immediate situation. Get uncle to speak to 111 and go from there. I'd drive to pick up my nephew in a heartbeat (yes, even with covid, especially if his own mother won't step up)

Your uncle also has made a choice over the last 20 months (and way beyond) to neglect his body by maintaining a weight of 30 stone. That's not fat-shaming, it's a choice, and one of two co-morbidities that makes him CEV. He is making a choice as to what goes into his body, just as your nephew is.

My Dad had MS and was obese (not 30 stone) because he couldn't move. Not everyone who is obese chooses to be.

If he lives 200 miles away why is it anything to do with you anyway as you can't do anything

I'll say it again as you've avoided it - the vaccine for 12-15 year olds has only been available for 4 weeks, OP...........

To be fair he could just be a little shit anyway before the vaccine because available
I don't know why people are surprised by stabbings, they're in the news and the people doing it have parents and didn't fall from the sky
There are numerous kids near me who I will happily refer to as little shits!

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

Your uncle also has made a choice over the last 20 months (and way beyond) to neglect his body by maintaining a weight of 30 stone. That's not fat-shaming, it's a choice, and one of two co-morbidities that makes him CEV. He is making a choice as to what goes into his body, just as your nephew is.

My Dad had MS and was obese (not 30 stone) because he couldn't move. Not everyone who is obese chooses to be.

Sure, but the number one tip for MS sufferers is to try and maintain a healthy weight, as being overweight can worsen symptoms.

Nobody gets to 30st without a calorie excess. It's a very big stretch from mobility issues and 30st.

OP's uncle (and by default, op) seem to be piling all the blame on the nephew without a shred of accountability for the uncle - who has delayed his 2nd jab (and therefore is only very minimally protected if at all if the gap is too wide) and is still morbidly obese, which is a huge factor in his prognosis.

Yes, kids can be shits. Mine have their moments. But let's acknowledge that the uncle has also made critically poor choices here too.

Sure, but the number one tip for MS sufferers is to try and maintain a healthy weight, as being overweight can worsen symptoms.

In my Dad's case it was a bit tricky as he couldn't move at all. He was a healthy weight when he was diagnosed but that didn't help him at all.

Regarding the nephew, while I agree that it's his choice whether to have the vaccine or not I do think it's a bit selfish not to in the circumstances.

I'm not saying it's not a good thing to be a healthy weight as obviously it is, just that it doesn't always make a difference.

94 is borderline according to my GP. I had my asthma review recently & we were chatting about it all. He said it depends how you are coping with it, for most 94 isn’t the most pleasant feeling but they don’t need hospital. My GP would prescribe oral steroids if someone was at 94% to try increase that oxygen flow. & if that did nothing, send them to be checked in hospital. But he did say that would depend on the person as well, if other co-morbidities, then they may struggle more or he’d just be concerned about them & rather they got help.

🤷🏼‍♀️

Your extended family sound delightful OP I’m not sure I’d be associating with them, family or not!

I'm not saying it's not a good thing to be a healthy weight as obviously it is, just that it doesn't always make a difference.

It is widely acknowledged (and proven, given the horrifying numbers of hospitalizations and deaths) that obesity is statistically likely to worsen symptoms of coronavirus, make breathing more difficult, make ventilation harder and reduce successful outcomes. It could very much make a difference to his situation.

In this case, the uncle should acknowledge his part in failing to reduce his risk, rather than blaming the nephew for failing to have the (only recently available to his age group) vaccine.

If your uncle let him become an 'entitled brat' then that is your uncle's fault.
Your uncle may still have got covid even if your nephew had been vaccinated.
Your uncle might have MS but he would have better chances if he lost some weight.
You cannot dictate what someone puts in their body.

Still waiting to find out what's wrong with uncle...